These days, there aren’t any set rules for wine matching on days of celebration, but we’ve gathered up a few tricks to picking a top pairing for the Christmas table.
Glass of fizz at breakfast
Make your Christmas morning memorable with a sparkling breakfast. A glass of fizz at breakfast is such a good way to start Christmas Day. Those bubbles put everyone in a festive mood.
Prepare a special spread with fresh fruit, pastries, bagels and waffles.
Seafood starter
Now would be a good time to get a clean fresh Chardonnay as it’s a great all-rounder with fish and seafood. The acidity cuts through the fattiness of smoked salmon but is also great with shellfish.
A little dryness in your white wine goes well with smoked salmon. Think Sauvignon Blanc or a near-dry Riesling.
Take on the turkey
There are a few wines that can take on all the trimmings and emerge victorious, such as a Grenache, a grape that produces a wine with lots of soft raspberry fruit.
If it has feathers, it will also go well with a lighter red, such as a Pinot Noir. You could also try something a little different like a Sparkling Red.
Ham it up
Bake it, glaze it, re-heat it, eat it cold – ham is so versatile and probably the most consumed meat at Christmas time. Try a medium-bodied Sangiovese, GSM or Nebbiolo with that succulent leg of ham. Ham also matches exceptionally well with a Rosé.
Dessert wine for Christmas Day
The rule of thumb with dessert wines is that the wine should be sweeter than the pudding. Unless your family is keen on a very dark, brooding, stickier kind of pudding and then you might opt for a lighter, fresher contrast.
Having a cheese board instead?
A slightly sweet-ish white wine will often work well as it has a nice acidity to cut through the richness of the cheese. If you are serving a soft goat cheese or brie, make sure you have some Chardonnay left over from the fish course. They go well together as partners.
You’ll be able to find the wine you’re looking for in the Bendigo region. Bendigo’s wine region is bursting with plenty of wine styles to go perfectly with your Christmas meal. Enjoy!
