Food
Christmas Recipes and Wine Pairing
Planning your Christmas Day feast shouldn’t be a chore, so to make it a breeze we’ve put together this easy-to-follow Christmas food and wine pairing guide, featuring our suggestions for the best Christmas recipes to enjoy with a glass or two of top-quality Australian wine.
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Pairing wine and food is as much about personal taste as anything else, and you may have your own family traditions when it comes to the food and drink served at your Christmas table. Nonetheless, these tried and tested matches can be a good way to ensure your Christmas Day is one to remember.
Read on for some of our favourite Christmas recipes and wine pairings and prepare for your most delicious festive season yet!
CHRISTMAS TURKEY RECIPE
If you were enjoying it entirely on its own, roast turkey would be one of the easiest ingredients in the world to match. You could drink your favourite white, red, Rosé or even Sparkling wine with it and it would work fine.
We feel this roasted turkey with smoked oyster stuffing calls for a Chardonnay with more pronounced oak, however, as the charry characters will complement the smoked oyster stuffing nicely – but Viognier and Pinot Gris are also good options thanks to their richer flavours.
Since turkey is low in fat, if you’re a red wine lover choose something with low tannin levels. Smooth, fresh and juicy wines like Grenache and Pinot Noir make great partners… or if you’re in the mood for bubbles, try a Sparkling red!
Best wine pairings with Christmas turkey: Chardonnay, Viognier, Pinot Gris, Sparkling Red, Grenache, or Pinot Noir
CHRISTMAS CHICKEN RECIPE
These dishes take the standard chicken roast and gives it a delicious festive twist.
Richer whites like Chardonnay, Verdelho or Viognier are great pairings – particularly Viognier, as its distinctively varietal apricot character makes it a natural match for the flavours of these dishes.
Red wine lovers needn’t miss out either – a lighter, fruity red like Pinot Noir or Grenache is also sure to make a satisfying flavour combination.
Best wine pairings with Christmas chicken: Chardonnay, Viognier, Roussanne, Pinot Noir or Grenache.
CHRISTMAS HAM RECIPE
You can’t beat a baked, glazed ham for the traditional Christmas table! A sweet glaze combines well with a ripe, fruity wine with pronounced fruit flavours to offset the saltiness of the ham, so for white wine pairings we suggest a Riesling, Rosé or Semillon.
The sweet-and-salty flavour combinations also make mid-weight red wines like Nero d’Avola, Grenache (and GSM blends), Tempranillo and Barbera excellent matches, thanks to their balance of tannins and fruit sweetness.
Best wine pairings with Christmas ham: Riesling, Rosé, Semillon, Nero d’Avola, Grenache (and GSM blends), Tempranillo and Barbera.
CHRISTMAS PORK RECIPE
When it comes to pork, the suggested wine pairings are pretty much similar to that of glazed ham. Enjoy the salty crackling and the sweet tender meat with a variety of whites including Riesling, Rosé, aged Semillon, Pinot Gris, and oaked Sauvignon Blanc. For pork dishes with a richer, red fruit-based sauce or glaze, try a Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Tempranillo or Barbera.
Best wine pairings with Christmas pork: Riesling, Rosé, aged Semillon, Pinot Gris, oaked Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Tempranillo and Barbera.
CHRISTMAS SALMON RECIPE
The oily richness of salmon makes it an excellent choice for an indulgent Christmas lunch.
Chardonnay is perhaps the most natural match for these dishes, but the Mediterranean twist present in these delectable recipe means that a fruity Pinot G, Vermentino, Fiano or Rosé would be especially delicious.
Red wine drinkers, on the other hand, can always rely on Pinot Noir as another classic partner to salmon.
Best wine pairings with Christmas salmon: Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Rosé, Pinot G, Vermentino, Fiano or Pinot Noir.
CHRISTMAS PRAWN RECIPE
Fresh prawns have a delicate flavour so when enjoyed on their own, the wine should simply act like a squeeze of lemon, making Semillon the perfect all-round accompaniment thanks to its fine acidity and bright lemon flavours.
When enjoying prawns with other elements however it’s worth considering what the additional flavours bring to the dish, and what wines might work well to complement them. Matching ‘like with like’ tends to work best in this regard, so a fruity salad will pair best with a wine that shares similar fruit characters – Verdelho, Arneis, Fiano, Pinot Grigio, while red drinkers could opt for a juicy Grenache.
Best wine pairings with Christmas prawns: Semillon, Verdelho, Arneis, Fiano, Pinot Grigio, Rosé, or Grenache.
CHRISTMAS SALAD RECIPE
Christmas salads are so varied and are only limited to what ingredients you have on hand. They pair with a host of different wine varieties and styles.
Lyndey Milan's roasted beetroot, fennel and goat's cheese salad recipe pairs well with Euro-style wines like Pinot Grigio. The fresh acidity and crisp flavours of the wine sit well alongside textural salads like this one. Meanwhile, Colin Fassnidge's watermelon, fennel, mint and pea salad recipe is a delicious side dish to his whole roast chicken with famous chicken bread, especially for a hot Aussie Christmas!
Best wine pairings with Christmas salads: Pinot Grigio, Vermentino, Fiano, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Viognier, Roussanne.
CHRISTMAS VEGETARIAN RECIPE
Make sure there’s something your meat-free friends and family can enjoy with like this tasty Greek-style barbequed vegetables with haloumi and thyme crumb.
A fresh and juicy wine with zippy acidity will complement the vibrant flavours and colours of this dish, so we recommend pouring a Sauvignon Blanc or Semillon Sauvignon Blanc, or a refreshing Riesling to ramp up the flavour. Red wine drinkers are best advised to avoid heavier varieties like Cabernet or Shiraz, so as not to overpower the fresh flavours of the vegetables.
Colin Fassnidge's cauliflower cheese recipe is a classic, especially when paired with a delicious Pinot G.
Best wine pairings with Christmas vegetables: Sauvignon Blanc or Semillon Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling or Pinot G.
Eat, drink and be merry this Christmas with Wine Selectors!
We hope you enjoyed our picks for the best Christmas recipes and wine pairings for the festive season, offering a host of different textures and flavours so that there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
But don’t forget to leave room for Christmas dessert… head over to our best Christmas desserts and wine pairing guide, and complete your festive feast in style!