What are the best wines for Christmas lunch? The answer to that question should be: the wines you enjoy.
Wine should enhance a meal and add to your enjoyment.
Below I've selected my eight top picks to partner with Christmas lunch. But first, here are my tried and tested rules to help you select your perfect bottle...
The Rules
Match the intensity of the wine and food
Big, bold foods should be paired with big bold wines, whilst delicate foods should be paired with delicate wines. It’s why we often pair delicate white wine with fish and brash red wine with steak.
Pair fruity wines with fruity dishes
Cranberry with turkey? Pork with apple? Combinations we take for granted give us clues of how to pair wines. An appley Chablis could be the perfect partner for pork, whilst you might consider a fruity Beaujolais with Turkey.
Compliment or contrast
The wine you choose can be the perfect complement – lobster and Californian Chardonnay make ideal bedfellows because are both creamy, buttery, and unctuous, but the acidity in a German Riesling would offer a wonderful contrast.
Go sweeter than sweet
To prevent dessert wine from tasting a little flat, the wine must be sweeter than the dessert itself. Often the best option is to go for a not-too-sweet dessert such as a fruit tart. Christmas pudding doesn’t pull its punches on the sweetness front, so it can be a challenge, and it might be worth calling on the fortified big guns.
With these basic rules in mind, here are my eight suggestions for wines for Christmas lunch.
My 8 Perfect Picks
To Start
The pop of a Champagne cork let’s everyone know that the party has started, and the bubbles get the mouth-watering in anticipation of the delights to come. The crisp acidity of Champagne pairs well with most canapés such as smoked salmon bilinis or tomato bruschetta.
AR Lenoble Brut Intense NV, Champagne
£45.00
AR Lenoble Brut Intense Champagne NV is an elegant, bone dry Champagne blended from the three traditional champagne grape varieties, with 20% Chardonnay from the...… read more
Alternative sparkling wines for Christmas lunch include French Crémant, Alta Langa from Italy or English Sparkling wine all of which are made using the same method as Champagne and sometimes even the same grapes.
Now for the Fish
Once guests are called to the table a zippy New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc makes an excellent choice for the fish course. Its acidity cuts through any fattiness, and its aromatic delicacy compliments rather than overpowers.
Sancerre is the original Sauvignon Blanc and offers a more subtle interpretation, often with herbs and grassy notes alongside the more familiar flavours of gooseberry or elderflower. Touraine Sauvignon comes from the same valley as Sancerre, but being less well known means it's super value.
Domaine Octavie Sauvignon de Touraine 2021, Loire Valley
£17.50
Isabelle and Noë Rouballay are the 5th generation of family winemakers. Established in 1885, the 30 hectares of vines are located on the renowened terroir...… read more
South Africa is also making some notable Sauvignon Blanc and maybe be a nice alternative for those who want to be a little less obvious.
PF Sauvignon Blanc 2021, Stellenbosch
£18.00
This lively Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp and fresh white wine with exquisite aromas of tropical fruit, guava and gooseberry. There are delicate hints of...… read more
Turkey, The Main Event
The main course has many competing flavours – it’s not just about finding something to compliment the turkey, but about finding something that can sit happily alongside pigs in blankets, bread sauce, roast potatoes, sprouts, stuffing, and the rest.
Be bold.
For me, an aged claret is the order of the day. A classed growth will gladden the heart of any wine lover – though as host you’ll need deep pockets. The second or third wine from a well-known Chateau is a great way to get bang for your buck.
Le Haut-Médoc de Haut-Bages Libéral 2015, Bordeaux
£24.00
Fine, elegant claret and a great introduction to the wines of this 5th Grand Cru Classé estate in Pauillac. The style is fresh and elegant,...… read more
Wines made in Stellenbosch, South Africa, with the same grapes - Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah - can be excellent alternatives which offer outstanding value.
Peter Falke Signature "Kanoa" 2016, Stellenbosch
£33.00
Kanoa is the flagship wine from Peter Falke. It is an exquisite blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (76%) and Cabernet Franc (24%). The Signature Collection are...… read more
For those who think the wines for Christmas lunch should always be classics, white Burgundy with a kiss of oak has the weight and body to carry the show. There are of course those who protest “anything but Chardonnay”, but they’re just not drinking the right bottles! We have a broad range of white Brugundy wines to accompany Christmas lunch.
Young wine maker Florent Rouve is making some beautiful, elegant whites in the Mâconnais with the perfect balance between fruit and oak.
Florent Rouve, Saint Véran En Crêches 2020, Burgundy
£39.95
Florent Rouve vinifies an exemplary range of Mâconnais wines in his cellar in Davayé in the heart of the Saint Véran appellation. All the wines...… read more
Looking beyond France, English winemakers are producing superb oaked Chardonnay and the Aussies have dialled back the oak in recent years so are well worth giving a second chance this Christmas Day. Take a look at our full range of Chardonnay wines.
A Sweet Crescendo
As the feast reaches its sweet crescendo pair Christmas pudding with a classic Sauternes. Alternatively, Tokaji from Hungary has been described as the King of wines and the wine of Kings, its a dessert with with the right balance of acidity and sweetness and a lovely undercurrent of marmalade – ensure you get enough sweetness by looking on the label for wine with 5 or more "puttonyos". Click here for our selection of dessert wines.
Château Les Mingets 2019, Sauternes (Half Bottle)
£16.00
A rich and concentrated dessert wine from hand harvested Semillon grapes affected by noble rot and matured in oak barrique. This classic Sauternes has a...… read more
Of course, if only port will do it for you at Christmas, we have a fine selection of Port including vintage, LBV, tawny and white to choose from.
Krohn Vintage Port 2003
£55.00
Wet weather during winter and spring of 2003 was followed by a very hot August. This produced grapes which showed a high concentration and sweetness...… read more
Wines for Christmas
Finally, if you don’t want to go out searching for the perfect bottles, I’ve curated a selection with all the wines for Christmas lunch. Sit back and relax with a wine for every course and every taste. You could also gift this selection to the gracious host in your life.
The Classic Christmas Day Wine Selection
£99.99
Which wines should you pair with Christmas Dinner? In our house we love to celebrate with friends and family by going full-on banquet. All the...… read more
Don't foget that all our wines come with a satisfaction guarantee and free delivery on orders over £40.
Merry Christmas!
