7 minutes read

The tinsel and fairy lights are strung up, baubles adorn the fir tree and presents are hidden away in every crevice of the house. Now is the time to start preparing for the main event at Christmas: the food.

No matter what your traditions or preferred festive activities, we can all agree that everyone looks forward to indulging in a Christmas Day meal. Of course, no feast is complete without some accompanying wine — to toast the season, to share with loved ones, or to simply help wash down all that food! Whatever you might be tucking into this year, we have composed a helpful go-to guide of top wine pairing recommendations to ensure you tick every box.

Festive Brunch

Let’s face it, there is no rush to get into the kitchen for breakfast, and whilst you don’t want to fill up and spoil your dinner, some sustenance is probably needed to get you through the day. Croissants, smoked salmon, eggs benedict — however you choose to start your day, a glass of fizz should be in your hand.

Seeing as it’s Christmas, we would advocate that you push the boat out and celebrate the day with Champagne (especially if there are presents involved at this point, too) — select a bottle of Champagne Delamotte Brut NV for a timeless and elegant non-vintage blend dominated by grand cru Chardonnay, boasting rich fruit and toasty character complemented by floral notes and a hallmark freshness.

For a Champagne alternative, try our very own Corney & Barrow Sparkling Blanc de Blancs — made in the same way as Champagne for a fraction of the cost, this festive fizz displays crisp citrus and apple fruit encased in toasted brioche and complemented by subtle floral notes. To make a longer drink, or if you don’t want to begin sipping alcohol too early in the day (especially important for those on cooking duty), top your glass up with one part of orange juice and enjoy a seasonally appropriate Bucks Fizz. Alternatively, if you want to keep this wine flowing, it’s also available in magnum size.

If you prefer the fruity allure of a Prosecco, our choice is Sylvoz Prosecco DOC Treviso Le Colture Brut NV — delicate, with a soft mousse and bursting with flavours of orchard fruit, citrus and white flowers.. Top up with orange juice to make a Mimosa.

Seafood Starters

You’re about to indulge in some rich and hearty dishes, so perhaps it is wise to start your meal with something light and delicious. We aren’t suggesting an extra course is needed, but it does at least give you scope to try different wine styles throughout the day…

Scallops
Seared scallops are beautifully delicate, so you don’t want to overpower them with your drink of choice. Muscadet sur lie Jean Francois Guilbaud Domaine du Grand Mouton 2023 works perfectly as a seafood white — it balances light apple fruit with a note of jasmine flowers and the iodine tang of the ocean.

Prawns
If you are looking to enjoy the very British classic that is Prawn Cocktail (served in a 70s wine glass is optional), then then Corney & Barrow Perigord 2024 should be on your table.  Brimming with refreshing citrus with creamy honeyed notes, this Bordeaux gem  is rich enough to match a Marie Rose sauce but light enough not to drown the prawns.

Crab
Is anyone for dressed crab? Although aromatic whites such as Viognier are a classic match, our suggestion is to enjoy this dish beside a bottle of Hyde de Villaine’s HdV Chardonnay 2022, with its notes of ripe stone fruit and cedar.

The Main Event

Christmas dinner wouldn’t be the same without wine on the table… No matter what your meal of choice is, it’s sure to be a feast in need of libations!

Roast Turkey
Let’s start with the obvious — what should you pair with roast turkey and all the trimmings? As it is almost impossible to find a wine that will pair perfectly with the array of side dishes on your Christmas Day table, it’s best to focus on matching the main element instead — in this instance, the turkey. You can’t go wrong with a classic, so our suggestion is Mâcon-Verzé Domaines Leflaive 2022, with its pure citrus aromas, creamy notes, and supple, buttery flavours.

Glazed Ham
If your traditional meal includes glazed ham as your centrepiece, Mucchietto Primitivo IGT Puglia 2024 is the wine for you. Juicy red cherries, plums and blueberries muddle together with a sprinkling of sweet baking spices, dash of vanilla and crumbling of chocolate to offer an effortlessly drinkable red.

Beef/ Mushroom Wellington
For a Beef or Mushroom Wellington, only a dark, brooding red will do —  Psi Bodegas y Viñedos Alnardo 2023 will hit the spot with its bright and charming palate of dark bramble fruit layered with dashes of liquorice and violets, rounded by warming spices and lifted by a refreshing acidity.

Nut Roast
A Nut Roast cries out for Chateau Rocheyron Grand Cru St-Emilion 2017 with its ripe plum and dark berry fruit, all kept in check by a persistent limestone streak.

Sprouts
Finally, we couldn’t not mention sprouts. A necessary evil for some and an intriguing staple for others — these little green veggies are the ‘marmite dish’ of Christmas Day. Perhaps pairing them with wine will help wash them down, or complete a culinary delight for you! Try Eradus Sauvignon Blanc 2025, a fresh and herbaceous example from Marlborough, New Zealand, with generous fruit and a stony minerality.

Something Sweet

With many sweet treats available at this time of year, it doesn’t matter if you’re looking to indulge after dinner or sneakily tuck in throughout the day; we can help you enhance these festive delights with a splash of wine.

Mince Pies
Mince pies should come accompanied by carol singing and Corney & Barrow’s Ruby Reserve Finest Port, a hearty festive essential with moreish forest fruit and sweet spices, the perfect partner for many Christmas food staples.

Christmas Pudding
If you can stretch your stomach enough to enjoy Christmas pudding, reach for Sticky Mickey Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc Eradus 2025 to complete the experience. Opulent flavours of tropical fruit and honey are offset by a bright streak of limey acidity to keep this sweet wine fresh. It is also great for cutting through the brandy sauce poured over your pudding…

Dundee Cake
For our Scottish colleagues, Dundee Cake is sure to make an appearance during the holiday season. Forget sipping a cup of tea and swap for a small glass of Chenin Blanc Noble Late Harvest Joostenberg Estate 2022 instead. Boasting honeycomb and luscious pineapple combined with salinity and freshness — an ideal match to the dried fruit and almonds within the cake.

Chocolate Yule Log
Chocolate lovers will undoubtedly be enjoying some Yule Log throughout the season, but for a wine to match up to this richly sweet dessert requires a partner with equal oomph. Look no further than Corney & Barrow Ruby Finest Reserve Port NV — skillfully created by the husband-and-wife team at Wine & Soul in the Pinão Valley of Portugal, this sumptuous port offers moreish blackcurrant fruit laced with peppery spice.

Pavlova
We couldn’t miss out on giving a mention to Pavlova. The creamy yet crunchy meringue filled with as many fruits as humanly possible always looks as impressive as it tastes but is notoriously tricky to match to wine. Our pick is Ӧreg Kiraly Dülo Sweet Szamorodni Furmint 2021 — a Hungarian dessert wine bursting with lemon verbena, lime leaf and orange peel before fresh pineapple and tinned orchard fruits fold in, complemented by rosehip and basil notes.

Cheese
Not technically sweet, but Christmas wouldn’t be the same without a cheeseboard. Matching a selection of cheese could perhaps be an article in its own right — there are classic pairings like goat’s cheese with Sancerre and Port with Stilton, but a catch-all wine to go with the various cheesy offerings? Sweet or fortified wine is always the answer — try our Ruby Port or a honeyed Sauternes such as Chateau Briatte 2023

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