M L
THE CURIOUS QUAFFER
CHRISTMAS WINES
For most of us Christmas is a special time of the year ; so choosing the right wines , to match your festive food can make this part of the year so much the ‘ merrier ’. I guess many of us will put some thought into what we should be drinking with our Christmas meal . Of course , when we go shopping at this time of year , and whichever shop or supermarket we pop into , we are often faced with an almost endless choice of wines , spirits and all manner of offers in this direction . What should we do ?
The bottom line , as always , is to drink what you like – not what somebody else tells you to buy and thinks you should like . Don ’ t just simply get dragged into buying what is on offer either , or that which has been heavily discounted , or which may seem too good to be true ( as always , it probably is )!
If you go traditional for your Christmas day meal ( i . e . turkey and all the trimmings ) what ’ s the best wine ? Like most poultry , turkey is not what we would call powerful meat . In wine terms I guess we would call it light bodied . One of the most important things to remember is that turkey has a low fat content . This lack of fat means that any wine you choose to drink with your turkey should not be too , or overly , tannic . The lack of fat in turkey means there is nothing to soften a harsh or overly tannic wine . Bitterness and harsh tannins are never great on the pallet – particularly on Christmas day !
But of course , even with turkey , you then have to throw into the balance the fact that you are likely to be consuming , with your turkey , more powerful and richer foods with potentially higher ( in some cases much higher ) fat content – i . e . probably sausages , bacon , stuffing , gravy , bread sauce , potatoes and parsnips ( probably both cooked in fat ) cranberry or recurrent sauce etc . So it is , all in all , a difficult balancing exercise . The bottom line , though , can be fairly simply stated . Find a wine with low to medium tannins , with decent fruit and with good acidity that will give the wine a refreshing edge and crispness .
So , what does all that mean in English ?
For red wines either select a wine style that is traditionally not high in tannins ( e . g . think here perhaps red Burgundy , Dolcetto
and Barbera , Pinot Noir , Sangiovese , Spanish Rioja / Tempranillo or even a Californian Zinfandel ). Alternatively go for a wine that is traditionally associated with higher tannins , but one with some age where the tannins will have softened out , but a wine that still offers decent fruit ( e . g . think here perhaps some red Bordeaux , Barolo , Barbaresco , Syrah / Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon with decent bottle age ). Out of all these , if you want to be bold , then perhaps go for an Australian shiraz with a bit of age . Of course , if your turkey is to be eaten without all the rather more richer and fattier foods – then tone it down a little and perhaps go for a decent Pinot Noir ( check out last month ’ s article for some recommendations in this direction ).
For whites , most things will go with a traditional Christmas lunch or dinner - white Burgundy ( Cote de Beaune ), Chardonnay from the USA , or even Australia , and a decent Chablis are a good match . Also , perhaps some viognier , a decent Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling . Even a sparkling wine or champagne will go with your traditional Christmas meal . A decent rose will also work well here ( I ’ d go for Provence ). As with all things , here , it is the quality of the wine that matters , not the name . Dig out the wines that possess that bit of quality ; not just what the label on the bottle says .
What about other foods ?
If you go vegetarian , you can ’ t go too far wrong with a good dry rose ( Whispering Angel would get my vote here ). If you are going with root vegetables , then a white wine with a little sweetness wouldn ’ t go amiss ( a dry Riesling or a slightly sweeter rose ). Anything else , then stick to dry white wines or , if you go red , tone it down and go for the likes of a Pinot Noir or a gentle Merlot . Nothing big .
Fish ? Salmon is oily , so don ’ t go with anything tannic . Again , if you go red , a light Pinot Noir . If you go white my go to would be a Chardonnay , an Albarino or perhaps some Pinot Gris . Smoked salmon will also work with a decent Chardonnay ( perhaps go New Zealand here ) or , in my view , go to Champagne here ( especially brut , dry rose or blancs de blancs ). Prawn cocktail needs something with a bit of acidity to cut through the sauce . So , go oaky Chardonnay , German Riesling , something from
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