The Vinjoyment festive wine guide
Oh - the holiday season! The festive time in the Northern Hemisphere is a synonym for winter and, with it, cosy days, mulled wine and usually a large amount of food (!!).
One question we have been asked several times in recent weeks is: “what wine should I serve at (or bring to) a Christmas gathering?”
Although different cultures have different culinary traditions during this time, one of the characteristics festive meals have in common is the large variety of ingredients they involve… and let’s face it, Christmas food isn’t particularly light ;)
Whenever we host, we try to offer wines that are rather unexpected. That said, Christmas is a good time to ‘play it safe’ and go for wines that are friendly to most palates. In other words, wines that are flexible enough to be paired with a variety of seasonal dishes.
Here are our top tips:
1. Sparkling wines
Nothing says ‘festive’ better than bubbles going up and down your glass. Whether you choose to go with Champagne, Cava, Crémant or Prosecco, sparkling wines tend to be high in acidity, making them a good companion to most foods. Ideally, go for one low in added sugar (dosage), which you can find under the labels “Brut”, “Extra Brut” or “Zéro-Dosage”.
Our suggestion: Blanc de Noirs Spumante by Alessandra Divella in Lombardy, Italy
2. Full-bodied white wine
The flavours in white meat and roasted vegetables are often enhanced by wines that have enough ‘weight’ not to be overpowered by creamy dishes (we’re thinking of mash potatoes). Oaked Chardonnay or Viognier are classic choices. If you’re not into oaky wines, an aged Riesling will do the trick.
Our suggestion: A Viognier from Northern Rhône in France – Condrieu “La Combe de Malleval” by Stéphane Ogier
3. Light-bodied red wine
If you know your holiday gathering is going to be heavy on the food front, the last thing your stomach will want is an overload of tannins! Lighter red grape varieties such as Pinot Noir, Garnatxa/Grenache and Gamay are good candidates for accompanying red meat while pairing up well with a mix of side dishes.
Our suggestion: A Zweigelt from the Burgenland region in Austria – “Ried Hallebühl” Zweigelt by Umathum
4. Dessert wine
Let’s not forget about pudding! The most important guideline to keep in mind is that dessert wine must be sweeter than the dessert, but high in acidity. This is where an off-dry Riesling could be an excellent option. Of course, there are many irresistible dessert wines like Sauternes or a luscious Port!
Our suggestion: Riesling Auslese by Sybille Kuntz in the Mosel region in Germany
[BONUS!] Summer Rosé
For those of you in the Southern Hemisphere, happy summer! Although all of the suggestions above apply to any season, Rosé is always a good idea while out in the sun, by the pool or with a barbecue! 🙂
Our suggestion: Fades del Granit" Sparkling Rosé by Cosmic in Catalunya, Spain
We’ll be in Argentina and Chile over the next few weeks, so stay tuned for some recommendations coming your way from the Southern Cone!
Thank you for supporting Vinjoyment throughout 2023. We’re excited to continue sharing our wine journey with you.
Cheers to a wonderful holiday season!
Get in touch and share the joy!
Please get in touch contact@vinjoyment.com if you’d like to explore some ideas for a wine tasting or any collaborations.
And don’t forget to share this article with anyone who would enjoy a glass of wine - it really helps us when you spread the word :)
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