Nothing beats a holiday meal paired with the right wine. With so many different types to choose from it can get a little overwhelming trying to decide which one to have at the dinner table. We’ve tried to make it easy for you with the following holiday wine guide.
- Thanksgiving
Many households in the U.S., have turkey as their main dish for Thanksgiving. Because of this, we’ve highlighted the best types of wines to serve that will highlight the overall meal.
Chardonnay
This is America’s most popular wine so it’s no surprise that it goes perfectly with a Thanksgiving meal. It’s a fairly complimentary wine with its often sweet or oak flavor. Chardonnay is an especially good choice if you are having a meal that will include a lot of rich dishes.
Riesling
This sweet wine is another excellent choice. The flavor of it can range from very sweet to just having a hint of a citrusy flavor. One of the best parts about this wine is that it is fairly inexpensive and you can get a decent bottle of it for around $10-$20.
Pinot Noir
If you would like to go with Pinot Noir for Thanksgiving, get a rich blend. Most domestic options will be good. Just make sure that it has a sweet, fruity flavor so that it will complement the meal and not get overpowered by it.
- Christmas
What families eat for Christmas dinner varies greatly by household. Below you will find wines that can be served with some of the most popular Christmas main courses.
Ham
This is a good option for those households that have ham as the centerpiece of their Christmas meal. In particular, German Riesling complements pork dishes well as they don’t taste as sweet as other wines. Zinfandel or Rose are also good choices.
Duck
Pairing wine with duck can be a lot different than that of turkey as duck tends to be fattier and gamey. Red wines tend to be a good option as they can tone down the flavor of the duck. Now if you do plan on serving your duck with a sauce that is made of fruit, stick to a white wine instead.
Red Meat
Many families are choosing to go all out for Christmas and opting for a meal with the main course being a red meat of some kind. For wine, your best bet is to choose a Cabernet Sauvignon. It can bring out the flavors of the meat without the wine being underpowered.
Other posts that may interest you:
How The World Celebrates Thanksgiving
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