Christmas wines
What wine should you serve with a Christmas roast or pudding in NZ? Find out how to compare labels, and what makes the perfect Christmas wine.
A Christmas feast can be tricky when it comes to wine pairings, with lots of different food options all requiring a different wine to go with them. It’s also the height of summer, so you’ll need to avoid anything too heavy.
What wine is best for a Kiwi Christmas?
At Christmas, look for versatile wines which go with a range of foods. Or, get a couple of different bottles so you can pair the right wine with the right dish. You want to pair richer foods with richer wines and lighter foods with lighter wines.
Pinot Noir and Rose are good options, versatile enough to complement both meats and hearty veg. Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and Riesling are great salad or seafood pairings.
Extra tip: Choose a wine that isn’t too complex or too dry, with simpler flavours and distinct fruity notes.
Pairing wine with Christmas dinner
A big Christmas feast comes with lots of food options, so you may need a few wine options too. Fuller-bodied wines pair well against richer food, and lighter wines go well with lighter dishes.
Red meats
| Red meat is rich on the palette and will overpower most white wines, so pair with a summer red like Pinot Noir. Pinot noir gives you that fruit forward, tannin taste with a richness that stands up to beef, lamb and ham. But, it’s lighter than other reds, so it’s not too heavy for a hot day. Rosé also works well, and it’s a common party favourite. |
Seafood
| Chill a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc or a light Pinot Gris, both of which will feel refreshing to drink and won’t overpower the food. If you serve a creamy or buttery dish, switch to a fuller-bodied Pinot Gris. Meanwhile, an off-dry Riesling will balance any seafood that comes with a sweeter sauce or glaze. |
Salad & vegetables
| Choose a lighter-bodied, acidic wine to cut through salad dressings without overpowering the dish – Sauvignon Blanc or a light Pinot Gris again. Hearty vegetables or richer salad dressings may require a heavier wine, think a fuller-bodied Pinot Gris, Riesling or a Pinot Noir. Rosé can go with almost anything on the table. |
Learn more: What makes a good summer wine
Our pick of the best Christmas dinner wines
Pairing wine with Christmas dessert
Moscato or Moscato Rose are excellent dessert wines, matching sweetness for sweetness. A sweeter Riesling will also work, though watch you don’t accidentally buy a dry version by accident. Don’t look past fortified wine, either - it makes for a delectable tipple alongside cheese.
Christmas desserts tend to be rich, so you’ll want a higher sugar content and a bit of weight to your wine. Otherwise, it’ll be lost against cream and pavlova.
Match sweetness levels so neither the dessert nor wine are sweeter than the other. Then, find a fragrance that complements the dessert without overpowering it. A bit of alcohol warmth also helps cut through richness.
Learn more: Wine pairing tips
