The Best Christmas Dinner Wines – A Guide to Christmas Wines
You’ve planned out your Christmas spread and all the trimmings, and now the only thing left is the wine. Don’t fret, if you’re wondering about the best Christmas dinner wines, this article has some answers!
The right wines can certainly elevate any meal, and they can help make Christmas dinner even more special. We know that everyone has their unique preferences when it comes to wines, and this list of the best Christmas wines is simply meant to help guide. Of course there are some classic general rules to follow (like starting things off with bubbly), but don’t be afraid to get creative and experiment too.
The best sparkling wines for Christmas starters
For many Christmas is a time for the finer things in life, and there’s no better way of getting the party started than a fine glass of bubbly. Some push the boat out or always stick to Champagne, while others for something different like Cremants, Cava, or good old Prosecco.
There’s plenty of choice when it comes to sparkling wines, and they also make excellent pairing wines for starters of all kinds, like canapes and other finger foods. Here are some simple wine pairing ideas for Christmas starters and sparkling wine:
- Smoked salmon blinis and sparkling wine. Most sparkling wines have higher acidity and make for a good match with smoked salmon or fish starters. Any of the sparkling wines we sell would work, but if you’re looking for recommendations try: Giol Organic Prosecco Frizzante, Champagne Fleury Blanc de Noirs, Albet i Noya Petit Albet Brut
- Wines to have with canapés or hors d’oeuvre: canapés can really range in flavours, from beetroot and trout to mushroom and stilton and on and on. If you’re looking for crowd-pleasing wines to serve with canapés, try a light and crisp Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay. Our recommendations: Walnut Block Collectables Sauvignon Blanc, Sancerre Le Tournebride, Giol Perla Frizzante or Domaine Bousquet Reserve Chardonnay
- For nuts and nibbles like cheese and charcuterie, try a Sherry or lighter-bodied red (although whites would work too): Our recommendations: Gomez Nevado Palido Seco Sierra Morena for a Sherry-style wine, Fasoli Gino Ripasso DOC Valpolicella or for a white Fasoli Gino’s Pieve Vecchia
The best wines to serve with Christmas roast turkey
The thing to consider when it comes to pairing wines with turkey is that it’s often served alongside so many other full-flavoured dishes. It can taste more rich compared to chicken, and is usually served with all the trimmings like herbed, spiced or sweet stuffing, tart and powerful cranberry sauce, plenty of vegetables and things like roast potatoes too of course.
This means that, generally, you are better of going with something fuller and fruitier. What we don’t recommend is pulling out an aged or special bottle you’ve been keeping for a special occasion (unless you know for sure it will work!). There is just too much risk that the combination of flavours on the plate could just overpower it.
The other consideration should be who you have round the table. Christmas tends to be a multi-generational gathering involving older members of the family who may be set in their ways! So it could be worth sticking to tried and tested crowd-pleasers. Here are some ideas for wines to have with your Christmas turkey:
- Sparkling Wines: yes, it could well be that your bubbly aperitif wine could very well be an excellent partner to your festive turkey. For something a little different, here are two rose sparkling wines worth trying with turkey: the Rosé from Champagne Fleury is as pretty as holly berries with an impressive palate a lovely line of acidity that tames fattier elements on a plate. A modestly priced alternative is the Luisa Rosé Merlot Rosato Frizzante, or go for any of the sparkling wines listed in the starter section above.
- For Reds: If you like to keep things traditional then the answer may lie in a red Bordeaux. We suggest the Château Couronneau Bordeaux Supérieur, which has a significant amount of the Merlot in the blend, giving it a plumy, juicy feel and lovely, supple tannins. For other red options, Pinot Noir has become a more popular choice for turkey as well, you really can’t go wrong with Walnut Block’s Collectables Marlborough Pinot Noir or their slightly higher-end Nutcracker Pinot Noir. Other excellent reds to elevate roast turkey are the gold medal-winning Beaujolais Le Moulin from Romany or the superb San Vito Chianti.
- For Whites: no, it isn’t all about red wine… there are plenty of white wines that will go down fantastically with Christmas lunch. In fact, there will be many who would argue that the acidity that comes in white wine is an essential consideration and also tends to work very well with the bread sauce too. For white wines that have the layers to tackle turkey and all the trimmings, go for the Pievalta San Paolo Verdicchio Riserva DOCG, the Domaine de la Verpaille Macon-Villages Vieilles Vignes for a white Burgundy or Emiliana’s Novas Chardonnay Gran Reserva.
Best wines to serve with a Christmas nut roast
Nut roasts can be made in different ways and with different ingredients, but generally pairing wines with them is similar to pairing wines with a regular roast. You can go for reds or whites here – any of the above mentioned for the roast turkey should work well, or here are some other recommendations for nut roasts or other veggie mains, like a mushroom Wellington. The medium-bodied Bodegas Piqueras Garnacha Tintorera is a fruity Spanish red with notes of ripe red cherries and crushed boysenberries, or try Maison Plentvin’s AOC Côtes du Rhône red. For whites, go for something more full-bodied too, like an aged Chardonnay (especially if the roast contains mushrooms or will be served with mushroom gravy). Our recommendations for whites for a nut roast: Walnut Block Nutcracker Chardonnay or Jean Javillier Meursault Les Tillets for a richer Burgundy white.
Best wines to serve with Christmas pork mains
Christmas ham and gammon is also common for Christmas lunch and dinner in the UK. Which wine you serve it with depends on whether you have a glaze and how sweet it is. Here are some suggestions: if your glaze isn’t too sweet, try the IGP D’Oc ‘Mon Grenache’ from Domaines Paul or for something that’s excellent value Emiliana’s Chilean Merlot for reds. For whites, go for the Grinou Reserve Semillon or the Santa Tresa Insime Orange (orange wines are made from white grapes and can match with food really well).
Best wines to serve with Christmas goose or duck
Although not as popular, goose and duck sometimes do make their appearance at Christmas time too. As with turkey, fruitier reds like Pinot Noir or Cru Beaujolais make excellent pairings wines for goose or duck. You can also go for something stronger if you prefer. For reds, try the Alias No Sulphur Added Pinot Noir or the Caprasia Merlot Bobal from Bodegas Vegalfaro. For whites, try any of the whites above in the turkey section.
Wines to have with Christmas pudding
We can’t forget about Christmas pudding. There are plenty of options for this too. Generally, the sweeter the food, the sweeter the wine, which means that for Christmas pudding you’ll want to have a sweeter wine. Some classic sweet wines that are ideal for Christmas puds are Sauternes and Port wine, and you can get organic versions of both! Try Château Dudon’s Sauternes with any pudding (Christmas or not!) or the Fonseca Terra Prima Organic Reserve Port. For for something less costly but absolutely delicious try the Heaven on Earth Sweet Muscat from Stellar Organics. Or why not skip dessert itself or save it for later and just have some liqueur instead! Both Walcher’s luxurious Amaretto Deluxe or their organic Coffee Liqueur are both recommended.
We hope you’ve found this list of Christmas dinner wine ideas. All of our wines are 100% organic, which means when you choose to drink organic wines you’re also supporting organic winemakers too and a more greener way to make wine and keep our environment clean.
Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us if you’re in need of advice about what to choose for your Christmas dinner this year. Wishing you a fabulous one!
