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Wine Pairings Ideas for Your Christmas Feast
Discover the perfect wine pairings to elevate your Christmas feast with our expert guide! From classic Cabernet Sauvignon to delightful Moscato d'Asti, explore a curated selection of wines expertly matched with festive dishes. Unlock the secrets to enhancing your holiday celebration with ideal wine choices.
Unsure what wine to drink on Christmas Day? What goes with the salmon, the turkey or the glazed ham?
Here is a small selection of wines to pair with your Christmas feast.
Sparkling Wine and Party Starters
Champagne (France)
Flavor Profile: Effervescent, crisp, with citrus and toasty notes.
Pairs with: Appetizers such as smoked salmon, oysters, charcuterie, seafood cocktail.
Options:
– Moët & Chandon Brut Impérial (Price Range: $40 – $65)
– Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut (Price Range: $55 – $75)
– Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut (Price Range: $50 – $70)
Prosecco (Italy)
Flavor Profile: A touch sweeter than Champagne, with vibrant notes of pear and apple. Perfect for festive toasts and lighter appetizers.
Pairs with: Light appetizers, smoked salmon, salads, cheese, antipasti. For desserts pair with Pandoro or Panettone.
Options:
– Adami Garbèl Brut Prosecco (Price Range: $15 – $25)
– Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore (Price Range: $20 – $30)
– Zonin Prosecco (Price Range: $15 – $25)
Cava (Spain)
Flavor Profile: Crisp, refreshing, with citrus and apple notes. A budget friendly alternative.
Pairs with: Light appetizers, smoked salmon and seafood such as oysters or mussels, salads, cheese (especially goat cheese).
Options:
– Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut Reserva (Price Range: $15-$25)
– Segura Viudas Reserva Heredad Brut Nature (Price Range: $25-$35)
– Gramona Imperial Gran Reserva Brut Nature (Price Range: $40-$50)
White Wines For Mains
Chardonnay
Flavor Profile: Very versatile wine. Medium to full-bodied, buttery, with notes of oak and citrus.
Pairs with: Roast chicken, turkey, duck (confit), pork loin, lobster and grilled fish, rich cheese platters, rich vegetables dishes (gratin).
Options:
– Chablis Premier Cru “Montmains” by Domaine William Fevre (France) – Price Range: $50-$65
– Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru “Les Pucelles” (France) – Price Range: $150-$200
– Rombauer Vineyards Chardonnay Carneros (California) – Price Range: $40-$50
Riesling
Flavor Profile: Dry to off-dry, high acidity, fruity aromas with notes of apple, lemon, and honey. When sweet, serve with desserts such as apple desserts.
Pairs with: Spicy dishes, turkey, ham, pork loin, foie gras, duck, goose.
Options:
– Mosel Riesling Kabinett (Germany) – Price Range: $20-$25
– Alsace Riesling Vendange Tardive (France) – Price Range: $30-$40
– Dr. Loosen Dr. L Riesling (Germany) – Price Range: $13-$20
Sauvignon Blanc and Sancerre
Flavor Profile: Crisp, herbal, with citrus and tropical fruit flavors.
Pairs with: Turkey, goose and duck, goat cheese salad, vegetarian dishes.
Options:
– Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough (New Zealand) – Price Range: $25 – $35
– Newton Unfiltered Chardonnay Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley (California) – Price Range: $35-$40
– Domaine Dagueneau Pouilly-Fumé (France) – Price Range: $40-$50
– Domaine Henri Bourgeois Sancerre Blanc “Clos de la Bergerie” (France) – Price range: $35-$40
Red Wines For Mains
Pinot Noir
Flavor Profile: Light to medium-bodied, red fruit flavors, earthy notes
Pairs with: Roast turkey, chicken, duck, or salmon, roasted vegetables. Also goes well with duck liver parfait, foie gras and pâté.
Options:
– La Crema Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir (California) – Price Range: $25-$35
– Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley Oregon) – Price Range: $40-$60
– Domaine Michel Lafarge Volnay Premier Cru “Champigny” (France) – Price Range: $50-$70
Cabernet Sauvignon
Flavor Profile: Blackcurrant, blackberry, plum, sometimes cherry, and cassis with spices and hints of tobacco.
Pairs with: Beef roast, prime rib, lamb, or aged cheeses.
Options:
– Louis M. Martini Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (California) – Price Range: $30 -$40
– Stag’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon (California) – Price Range: $75-$100
– Château Margaux (Bordeaux, France) – Price range: $150-$200+
Rhône Red Blends (GSM): (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre)
Flavor Profile: Medium-bodied, spicy, with notes of plums, black pepper, and herbs.
Pairs with: Roast duck, duck confit, roast lamb, beef stew, venison, game birds, root vegetables, aged cheeses, mushrooms.
Options:
– Guigal Côtes du Rhône Rouge (Rhône Valley, France) – Price Range: $15 – $20
– Domaine Pierre Usselio Côtes du Rhône Villages Cornas (Rhône Valley, France) – Price Range: $35-$45
– Domaine de Marcoux Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Rhône Valley, France) – Price Range: $50-$75
Sweet Notes: Dessert Wines
Port
Flavor Profile: Fortified wine, sweet or tawny, with notes of raisins, plum, and chocolate.
Pairs with: Chocolate desserts, fruitcakes. For appetizers goes well with strong cheeses such as Stilton or blue cheese.
Options:
– Dow’s Quinta do Vale Mea Vieira Vintage Port 2011 (Portugal) – Price Range: $75-$100
– Graham’s 20-Year-Old Tawny Port:(Portugal) – Price Range: $40-$50
– Domaine de Marcoux Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Rhône Valley, France) – Price Range: $50-$75
Flavor Profile: Fortified wine, sweet or tawny, with notes of raisins, plum, and chocolate.
Pairs with: Chocolate desserts, fruitcakes. For appetizers goes well with strong cheeses such as Stilton or blue cheese.
Options:
– Dow’s Quinta do Vale Mea Vieira Vintage Port 2011 (Portugal) – Price Range: $75-$100
– Graham’s 20-Year-Old Tawny Port:(Portugal)- Price Range: $40-$50
– Domaine de Marcoux Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Rhône Valley, France) – Price Range: $50-$75
Sauternes (and budget-friendly alternative)
Flavor Profile: Sweet white wine, with notes of apricot, peach, honey, tropical fruits and botrytis (“noble rot”). Pricey wine.
Pairs with: Fruity and light desserts, fruit tarts, crème brûlée, pavlova, trifle or anything with caramel or honey elements. Complements extremely well foie gras and blue or creamy cheeses.
Options:
– Château d’Yquem, Sauternes (France) – Price Range: $400-$500 (half-bottle), $800-$1000 (full bottle)
– Château Climens, Sauternes (France) – Price Range: $200-$250 (half-bottle), $400-$500 (full bottle)
Alternatives
– Château Loupiac Gousset, Barsac (France) – Price Range: $25-$35 (half-bottle), $45-$60 (full bottle)
– Château La Fleur d’Or, Sauternes (France) – Price Range: $30-$60
– Château Doisy-Védrines, Sauternes (France) – Price Range: $30 to $60
Ice Wine
Flavor Profile: Intensely sweet, with concentrated flavors of ripe fruits like peach, apricot, pear, and honey.
Pairs with: Ideal on its own or paired with fruit-based desserts, cheesecake, or creamy desserts. Can also pair with blue cheeses, aged and sharp cheeses.
Options:
– Hermann Schneider Eiswein Riesling (Germany) – Price Range: $30-$40 (half-bottle), $60-$70 (full bottle)
– Peller Estates Vidal Icewine (Canada) – Price Range: $35-$45 (half-bottle), $70-$80 (full bottle)
– Inniskillin Vidal Icewine (Canada) – Price Range: $75-$100 (half-bottle), $150-$200 (full bottle)
Moscato d’Asti
Flavor Profile: Gently sparkling with white peach, apricot, orange blossom, honey, and Muscat grapes, with a refreshingly low alcohol content (5-6%).
Pairs with: Ideal with light cakes and desserts, airy textures of sponge cakes, biscotti, panettone and pandoro, fruity desserts such as fruit tarts or sorbets.
Options:
– Cinzano Asti DOCG (Piedmont, Italy) – Price Range: $15-$20
– Michele Chiarlo Nivole Moscato d’Asti DOCG (Piedmont, Italy) – Price Range: $20-$25
– Bera Moscato di Terra Alta DOCG (Piedmont, Italy) – Price Range: $25-$30
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