Christmas Eve

Of course, you will be leaving a glass of sherry out for Father Christmas *wink* *wink*. But it’ll need to match the mince pie that’s to go with it, which will be both sweetly raisiny and relatively light for pastry. This situation calls for Oloroso. While being sweet, it’s still lighter than the heaviest type of sherry, and Hidalgo Gobernador Oloroso is a good example of the style.

But how about a stocking filler? Everyone likes waking up to a pleasant surprise on Christmas morning, and you could ask Father Christmas *wink* *wink* to pop in a bottle of Espolla Moscatell D’Empordà. As it’s only 500ml, it should fit in next to the tangerine and glazed almonds. Moscatel is a delicious wine with notes of honey, and oddly for a wine, grape flavours. Also the price means it can be just a nice little something extra.

Opening the Presents on Christmas Day

This calls for Cava. After all, you’ll be celebrating, and Cava is the Spanish King of sparkling wine. (See our blog for the debate about Champagne or Cava). For everyone who’s sold on the idea, Raventós i Blanc Gran Reserva De La Finca is a great traditional Cava, which has spent several years aging in oak barrels to take on some pleasing toasty, buttery notes. Chin chin!

Christmas Day

Christmas Dinner

So, the main event has arrived. After limbering up, you’ll need trousers with an elastic waist, and the steely determination to get through roast turkey, pigs in blankets, cranberry sauce, roast parsnips, crispy potatoes, boiled carrots – not to mention the obligatory brussel sprouts. Sounds like you’ll need a drink.

While the star of the show is the turkey, a white meat, the meal needs a red wine. This is partly due to the cranberry sauce, but also because everyone’s real favourite is the sausages wrapped in bacon. It’s the one time of year you get to eat them, so let’s make the best of it. Choose a Spanish Pinot Noir like the Enrique Mendoza. It’s light enough to match the weight of turkey, and its tannins are low enough too. What’s more, it has mouth watering red berry flavours. Yet a lighter, less tannic red just wouldn’t go with the pigs in blankets.

Christmas Pudding

By now, you might look like a Christmas pudding. But no matter how much everyone’s eaten, there’s always room for afters, with lashings of brandy sauce. This course needs a heavy, sweet wine. Also it must have notes of raisins, figs and treacle to compliment the pudding’s Christmassy flavours. The clear choice is Pedro Ximénez (PX) sherry. This is a real treat of a wine, and as it’s the season for pushing the boat out, why not have the best possible expression of it from the Montilla-Moriles region? We suggest Don PX Gran Reserva, which at 17% should also put everyone in the mood for a well deserved sleep.

Boxing Day

By now, the inevitable Christmas arguments should have simmered down. No-one can be bothered to cook, and considering that turkeys are huge birds distantly related to the tyrannosaurus rex, there’s a massive amount of cold meat to get through. Out come the pickled walnuts, and gherkins. If you’re still using the cranberry sauce, you could finish off last night’s wine. Or if you fancy a white with your meat, try Sumarroca Viognier. It’s fuller bodied for a white to go with the heaviness of the roast turkey, and the noticeable peach taste matches the meat’s stronger flavours.

See Out the Year with Spanish Wine

If these wine recommendations have given you food for thought, you’ll love our sparkling approach to New Year celebrations. Subscribe to the blog to stay in the loop.

[cta_generico id=2600]

La entrada Make Christmas Merrier with Spanish Wine se publicó primero en Blog INVINIC.

Appetiser

Your guests begin to arrive, it’s nice to be able to present them with something special. Little nibbles or appetisers can really set the tone for the meal to come: Smoked salmon on brown bread or other canapés, paté on French toast, perhaps even some oysters. Whatever you go with, it will surely be improved with a flute of crisp sparkling wine. Bubbles are perfect for a cocktail, and are incredibly versatile with many types of food.

On a budget: Freixenet Brut Barroco

Something special: Louis Roederer Brut Premier

Something extra special: Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 2004

Starter

Again this dish will vary from household to household, but usually your guests have been seated and this will be a more substantial plate than the appetiser. Generally it will be lighter than what follows, too. Some people serve lobster, crab or another meaty seafood dish. Others go with a soup. We like to suggest a white wine here, something medium- to full-bodied. Our favourite is a barrel-aged Chardonnay, full on creamy flavour and well-matched with your more decadent Christmas dinner starters.

On a budget: Torres Atrium Chardonnay 2010

Something special: Lake’s Folly Chardonnay 2001

Something extra special: Enate Uno Chardonnay 2011

Main Course

Turkey or goose? Ham? How glazed? There are many decisions that you as the Christmas dinner chef will have to make. When making your wine selection, however, we can help out. Some people will invariably want to stick with white wine, and that’s fine: Your barrel-aged Chardonnay from earlier will fit the bill nicely for just about anything that will come out of the kitchen. You’ll need a red wine too, though. This could be a fine Bordeaux, a robust Priorat or an aged Rioja. These are all great choices, and you and your guests will not be disappointed. Keeping in mind that it is often the accompaniments that most stand out at Christmas dinner – think of the Cranberry sauce – we recommend experimenting with a Pinot Noir or Beaujolais Cru instead. These are versatile wines, with complementary flavours and beloved of sommeliers worldwide for their versatility. Guests may initially grumble that such a “light” wine is served, but they will soon be pleasantly surprised!

On a budget: Enrique Mendoza Pinot Noir 2013

Something special: Marcel Lapierre Morgon 2015

Something extra special: Dalwhinnie Moonambel Pinot Noir 2004

Dessert

The sort of dessert that you serve at Christmas is going to vary, for sure, but we can expect flavours that are rich, creamy, sweet and decadent. Such flavours cry out for a sweet wine such as a sweet Sherry or a luscious Sauternes.

On a budget: Alvear Pedro Ximenez 1927

Something special: Château Suduiraut 2004

Something extra special: Château d’Yquem 2006  

[cta_generico id=2600]

La entrada Pairing wine with Christmas dinner se publicó primero en Blog INVINIC.

You may also want to take a look at our special offers in Cavas and Champagne, available until the end of the year.

La entrada The best Christmas Baskets se publicó primero en Blog INVINIC.