Best Wines To Pair With Christmas Dinner

Christmas is the time for spending time with friends and family, giving gifts, and of course, enjoying Christmas dinner with your loved ones.

However, Christmas dinner isn’t the same without a quality bottle of wine. The wine you choose can either make or break your Christmas dinner - but don’t worry, we can help you choose the perfect wine.

Whether you have the usual roast turkey dinner, beef dinner, or even a vegetarian alternative, we can help you find the right wine to complement the flavours of your Christmas dinner. Keep reading to learn the best wines to pair with Christmas dinner.

If you're wondering what wines can warm you up this winter, click here! 

Wines That Pair With Turkey

Turkey is the thing most people associate with Christmas dinner - and the good news is that there are plenty of wines that complement the flavours of turkey.

When you’re serving wine with turkey, red wines usually pair better - however, certain whites can also taste great with turkey.

The way you prepare your turkey can have an effect on which wines will taste better with it. For example, lighter wines may pair better with turkey and stuffing, whereas richer wines may taste better with just turkey.

Turkey is usually mild in flavour and can have a dry texture once cooked - so be conscious when seasoning the turkey as if the turkey has overpowering tastes, then it can be difficult to find the perfect wine pairing.

Red Wine

Red wine is the go-to for pairing with turkey, but what red wines taste best with the festive meat? Pinot Noir is always a great choice to pair with a turkey Christmas dinner. Be sure to choose a Pinot that’s light in body and tannins.

A new world Pinot with a fruitier taste from California, Argentina, or elsewhere in the Americas can complement the turkey flavours - but you could also opt for an old-world Pinot Noir.

Old-world Pinot Noir from the Burgundy region of France is sure to pair excellently with turkey. The fruity flavours combined with earthy notes of mushroom and wet leaves can make a great addition to your Christmas dinner, allowing all the flavours to combine perfectly on your palette.

White Wine

Although red wine is the go-to Christmas dinner wine, you don’t have to go without if you prefer white wine.

Sauvignon Blanc could be the best wine to pair with turkey at Christmas - especially if you prefer a crisp, light white. A light Pinot Gris can also taste great with turkey, and won’t draw your attention away from the flavours of the turkey.

If you fancy a glass of sparkling wine with your Christmas dinner, then we recommend Champagne - it’s perfect for celebrations and pairs well with turkey, and can also be enjoyed throughout dessert.

Riesling can also pair well with turkey at Christmas time - and is a great match for those herby flavours. You’ll be glad to know that Riesling can also taste great with other items on your Christmas dinner menu, such as potatoes and even Yorkshire puddings!

The high acidity complements the turkey’s rick flavour’s while keeping your tastebuds comfortable and not too overwhelmed.

Wines That Pair With Beef

Christmas dinner doesn’t have to involve turkey or chicken - if you prefer beef, then why not have that as your main Christmas dinner meat?

Beef tastes great with horseradish - so if you include horseradish with your beef, then you’ll need to find a wine that can pair with the spiciness of the horseradish.

You may have heard the saying that red wine pairs with red meat. Although you can sometimes pair white wines with red meats, we recommend just red wine for your beef Christmas dinner.

If you must have white wine, then make sure you choose a rich and full-bodied white.

Red Wine

Red wines taste great with roast beef. This is because red meat can stand up to the tannins in red wine, making a perfect combination that won’t overpower the flavours.

We recommend choosing a fuller-bodied red wine for your beef dinner - for example, Cabernet Sauvignon or Shiraz.

Shiraz is a great go-to for roast beef pairings. Not only is it full-bodied, but it has firm tannins and pairs well with fatty cuts of meat.

This is the perfect time to tuck into the full-bodied reds that you’ve been saving for Christmas.

Wines That Pair With Nut Roast

If you’re opting for a nut roast for your Christmas dinner because you’re vegan, then you should ensure that you’re buying vegan wine.

Not all wine is vegan as some vintners will use animal products during the fining process, such as fish bladder, gelatin, milk protein, or egg whites.

Thankfully, there are many vegan wines out there that have either not gone through the fining process or wine that used vegan-friendly fining agents such as pea gelatine.

However, to be sure, you may want to choose an unfined or organic wine - not many vintners will include the fining agents used on the label as they aren’t technically ingredients, so it can be tough to find out which wine is vegan and which isn’t.

Red Wine

If you prefer a spicy or herby nut roast, then you may want to opt for a Cabernet Sauvignon - this is because it provides the perfect balance of dark fruity flavours and spicy notes.

If you have mushrooms in your nut roast, then you could pair it with a quality Pinot Noir - however, know that full-bodied Pinot pairs better with the full flavours of a nut roast.

White Wine

Chardonnay can make a great pairing with a nut roast - especially if there are mushrooms in the mix. Chardonnay can complement the flavours in your nut roast, and not be too overwhelming for your tastebuds.

If there are chestnuts in your nut roast, then Merlot or Malbec make great wine pairing options. The red and dark fruit flavours of Merlot can taste great with the earthy chestnut flavours.

Remember, wine is usually best stored in a wine cooler - so to ensure that your wine remains fresh for longer, store it in a quality wine cooler!

To store your wine efficiently over the Christmas period, browse our selection of Liebherr products. Liebherr is a specialist developer and manufacturer of first-class wine fridges, ideal for storing all wine collections.

Regardless of what wine variant you choose to enjoy with your Christmas dinner, it’s essential that you keep it stored in the correct temperature range. 

Offering an array of wine fridges, cabinets and coolers, you’ll be able to find your dream wine cooling system here at Elite Wine Refrigeration. If you’d like to find out more information about our Liebherr range, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today.