The Best Wine for Holiday Meal Pairings
The holidays can be a whirlwind. You’re cleaning your home to prepare for friends and family, prepping and preparing the holiday dishes, picking out a delicious dessert, and decorating with festive decor. And that’s not even including gift shopping! That leaves little time to select the perfect wine for the holidays. But you don’t want to pick up just any bottle. A poor pairing can ruin your meal’s flavors and overpower your wine, whereas a great wine can complement and enhance flavor profiles. Make your holidays merry and bright with these holiday wine pairings!
Sauvignon Blanc
Because of its higher acidity, Sauvignon Blanc is the perfect vineyard wine for almost any holiday meal. Its brightness will contrast nicely with rich flavors of heavy gravies and sauces, latkes, and mashed potatoes. It also pairs well with seafood and grilled meats. You and your guests would love this crisp white wine with everything from roasted turkey to grilled salmon. Here are a few of our favorite food and wine holiday recipes:
Latkes - The acidity of Sauvignon Blanc cuts through the rich, oily flavors of latkes to provide more balance on the palate.
Fish - Its acidity balances the richness and slightly fattiness of tuna and salmon and goes beautifully with white fish like cod, sea bass, and halibut.
Traditional Roasted Turkey - Crisp notes from green fruits and citrus complement roasted turkey and other savory dishes. It also highlights fresh green notes in Brussels sprouts!
Chinese Food Takeout - Grabbing takeout for holiday dinner? Sauvignon Blanc is great for takeout holidays, including vegetables, lo mein, and lemongrass chicken.
Riesling
Riesling is a very food-friendly wine, making it an ideal holiday wine pairing for various dishes. However, you shouldn’t pair Riesling with rich dishes like hearty sauces and red meats. It will overwhelm its flavors!
Asian Food - Riesling’s sweetness and acidity go particularly well with Indian, Chinese, and Thai cuisine. Try it with a spicy vindaloo or savory dumplings to balance their flavors. It would also go well with proteins like duck and pork.
Roasted Vegetables - Riesling goes well with roasted vegetables and naturally sweet veggies like sweet potatoes. A dry or aged Riesling would be perfect for your holiday collard greens and black-eyed peas.
Honey-Glazed Ham - The sweetness of this white wine plays aptly with sweet honey-glazed ham. It also balances the complex flavors of smoked ham.
Desserts - Who said white wine couldn’t go with sweets? A sweet Riesling accompanies your sweet potato pie, pound cake, or holiday custard.
Sparkling Wine
It’s not the holidays without sparkling wine! We love this wine for its festive feel and refreshing flavors—and you will, too. Its bright, crisp flavors go well with your charcuterie board, soft cheeses, or a light dessert like pavlova. We recommend a Brut for its fine bubbles, acidity, creamy texture, and delicate fruitiness.
Do you prefer a sweet wine for your holiday fare? Sweeter sparkling wines can pair with various desserts, such as apple pie and bread pudding.
Charcuterie or Cheese Boards - Crisp and dry sparkling wines are excellent with dried fruits and soft cheeses. Try adding goat cheese and various cured meats to impress your guests.
Pasta and Risotto - The dryness of Brut cuts through rich and fatty flavors of creamy or mushroom sauces.
Seafood - Sparkling wine’s bubbliness and delicate flavors balance lobster and the taste of salty foods like oysters and caviar.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Love a rich red wine for the holidays? Cabernet Sauvignon is an excellent holiday wine pairing for both traditional and non-traditional dishes! You’ll want to pair this full-bodied wine with rich, flavorful foods that match its weight and intensity. This usually means red meats and dishes with hearty sauces. But you can also pair your Cabernet Sauvignon with desserts that feature dark chocolate or bittersweet flavors!
Beef Brisket - The wine’s dark fruit flavors complement the richness of beef brisket and other red meats. You can also use it in your go-to food and wine holiday recipes, such as in your braise for brisket or other beef dishes.
Roasted Lamb - The acidity and tannins of Cabernet Sauvignon cut through the fattiness of lamb, while dark fruits and spice notes enhance its flavors.
Foods with Tomato Sauces - This wine is excellent for holiday dishes with savory, acidic tomato-based sauces. This includes pasta or even pizza!
Dark Chocolate Cake - Dark chocolate and other bittersweet ingredients complement the wine’s dark fruit flavors for a complex tasting experience.
Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is a light-bodied red wine that, like Riesling, is one of the most food-friendly holiday wines. Its red fruit flavors, bright acidity, and silky tannins mean it won’t overpower your dishes or affect its flavors. It’s a go-to for traditional holiday fare, such as roasted turkey and ham. But it also is a great holiday wine pairing for mushroom dishes and grilled asparagus.
Roast Chicken and Turkey - This wine is excellent for your traditional holiday dishes like roast chicken and turkey because it adds complementary berry notes that are similar to a cranberry sauce!
Pastas and Pizzas with Tomato Sauces - The red fruits in Pinot Noir go hand-in-hand with tangy tomato sauces on pizzas and pastas.
Mushroom Dishes - This red wine goes with any mushroom dishes – mushroom risotto, sauteéd mushrooms, mushroom wellingtons, etc.
Salmon - Yes, you can pair red wine with fish! The fruity flavors and silky tannins of Pinot Noir go well with the rich flavors of grilled salmon or salmon with a light herb sauce.
The Perfect Holiday Wine Pairings
Your wine pairing can completely change your tasting experience. Seek our similar flavor profiles, consider your wine’s acidity and sweetness, and match weights to discover your ideal pairings – and maybe even create new food and wine holiday recipes! Our selection of Washington state wines is great for holiday dinners and every meal. Select your bottle to bring those holiday dishes to life!