An ideal Christmas party has two essential elements: delicious food and drink in abundance.
For the host offering the most, it is critical to serving matching Christmas food and wines that can hold up to memorable Christmas gatherings.
We have compiled suggestions for the types of wines that go well with different Christmas foods and occasions to help you shine at your party.
Smaller Pre-Christmas Gatherings
If you are preparing a rather intimate gathering before Christmas day, red wine is the ultimate choice for cozy events in preparation for the big one. Red wine offers warmth and bold flavours and it goes well with a wide variety of foods served at Christmas.
It is a kind of wine that will please the palates of entry-level dinner guests as well as wine connoisseurs, especially if you offer a nice selection of popular red wine grapes that happen to also be prestigious vintage wines such as Saint Julien Wines from the renowned Médoc wine region on the left bank of Bordeaux in southwestern France.
Such wines will spoil your guests with a rich and soft profile as they have aged for years, making them smoother and fuller. They can be paired with many meat dishes or other earthy flavours as mushrooms or truffles.
You could pair the starter, main course, and dessert with a suitable Saint Julien red wine and to figure out how to do that, check out the Wine Society’s Guide to matching food and wine.
Christmas Eve Gatherings
The evening before Christmas Day is traditionally not hugely celebrated in the UK, however other European countries like Germany or Sweden for example make it their main Christmas event. As the British enjoy a huge and extravagant Christmas meal on Christmas Day, it would be wise to go easy on your guests for a Christmas Eve gathering.
However, because it is in the evening, you can still make it special with the must-have Christmas accessory: port wine. Port wine is recommended for so many reasons. One of its best qualities, especially for a Christmas Eve gathering, is that it’s very indulgent and gentle. Your guest will feel comfortably warm with a glass of Port and some small yet lighter treats such as antipasti, raw food dishes, or finger foods. Port wine pairs well with salads and many of the other little bites you’ll enjoy on Christmas Eve as well as sweet treats.
Christmas Party Wines
Sparkling wine is a great addition to any gathering, but it works particularly well for Christmas parties as it adds that extra sparkle. To greet guests and get the party started, it might be offered as an aperitif. It can also be served alongside a variety of meals, including desserts.
The most common sparkling wine is champagne, but there are several other options such as prosecco and it can also be used for cocktails such as Bellini for example, which will offer something for everyone’s taste. Prosecco also comes in four different sweetness levels, ranging from the driest called Brut to Demi-Sec, the sweetest. DOC Prosecco can be still, frizzante or spumante and therefore offers the perfect variety at your Christmas party at an affordable price.
New Year or End of Year Celebration
Even when you think Christmas is over, it isn’t over yet as the New Year celebration party is just around the corner. You may have indulged a lot over Christmas and would prefer a rather light and refreshing end-of-year party after all the heaviness.
That’s where a rosé wine comes in. Rosé is a beautiful fusion of Italian white and red wine, giving you the best of both worlds while being a more sophisticated wine to enjoy before you step out for the bustle of a party.
Consider this your pre-party wine. While you’re getting ready, enjoy a glass of rosé and pamper yourself and your guests to the fullest. Once you’ve finished the wine, you’ll feel refreshed and ready to take part in the new year celebrations in your town, mingling and jingling happily.
Christmas Time is Dine and Wine Time
You will undoubtedly host the most memorable Christmas gathering if you follow the suggestions mentioned above. By offering your guests several types of wines that pair well with the foods you are serving, you give them an opportunity to relish both the meal and the wine fully. Plus, the culinary experience will enhance the overall party mood.
This is by no means a complete list of fantastic wines to enjoy during Christmas but rather some inspiration. In fact, we recommend that you test different wines and identify the ones you love the most to make them your go-to wines during the festive season for many years to come or to gift for special occasions.
