December is the spirit of Christmas, joy, Michael Bublé... AND even more reasons to have wine with your loved ones! This year, lets turn it up a notch & impress your family with bottles of oaked white Burgundy or a red Gevrey-Chambertin that will elevate your Christmas party to the next level.
CHRISTMAS DINE & WINE PAIRING
POTATO PARADISE~~
We know we can’t do without a potaoes when it comes to gatherings. Mashed, buttered, BBQ, roast or fried. It’s a house favourite! To help cut all that saltiness and heat, try going for from a cooler climate wine like a German Riesling. Pairs with herbs & cleanses your taste bud like a smooth criminal.
GOT A BEEF WITH BEEF?
Beef is a complete different ball game to our previous meats. I mean, a good steak deserves a good companion & Christmas is not a night to be ruined! Just picture the bold flavour from its generous ratio of protein and fat... You would need something bold like a Marques de Tomares Rioja Crianza or a Zinfandel.
SUSHI TRAIN INTO CHRISTMAS
Its tough to plan for parties when work life consumes us… What better way than having someone deliver a platter of sushi right up to your doorstep? Wines offering a taste of white pears, toasted hazelnut and mineral notes would do the trick here. Psst, you can look up our wine: MAISON CHAMPY Bourgogne Chardonnay Cuvée Edmé.
CHAR SIEW & SIEW YOKE PLEASE
Let’s be real… Who isn’t a pork lover? Especially roast pork… mhmm! And the next question is… Do we go for a Red or a White? With the burst of sweet and spicy flavors in your mouth, I’d recommend picking a more robust & earthy Red like a mid-weight Shiraz or a Merlot to balance the flavors out.
CHRISTMAS DESSERTS & WINE PAIRING
So you had way too much meat & carbs. Sounds like a food coma coming your way. BUT the party ain’t stopping till you get that Chocolate Yule log cake in your belly. The general rule of thumb here is to monkey see monkey do. What happens after you had a taste of something high in sugar is that your sweet tooth will be activated, and EVERYTHING STARTS TASTING CANDYWORLD.
If the dessert is sweet, go for a sweeter wine. A rich decadent chocolate log cake would need a muscat or a vintage/tawny port. A marmaladey dessert wine would go well with citrus cakes & If you have cherries or berries in your cake, go for a sparkling rose.
That's enough rambling from me... Try out one or two combis this Christmas & before you know it... *cue song* Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas~~
Wanna feel smart at Christmas?
How about a quick cheat sheet!
High tannins are a big NO NO when it comes to turkey pairing. Tannins in wine require fats to soften its mouth feel. Body goals of a turkey enhances tannins in the mouth(not in a good way). It goes downhill from there and all your other flavors are wiped out of your tastebud. Don’t waste those prep hours in the kitchen!
A fuss free choice would be a full-bodied white or a medium-bodied red, with low or medium tannin & relatively high acidity. Red lightweights can be found from the cooler areas of the US and Australia, such as your Pinot Noir from Sonoma and Yarra Valley. If you like to take it up a notch, try the Morgon or Moulin-à-Vent that is a lightweight with a powerful kick.
If you are bold like us, there are wines with high tannins that do go well with lean white meats! Tannins soften over time and it is definitely a risk worth taking. Aged Bordeaux can pose a good balance with an all rounded fruity, acidic and tannin finishing. If you are lazy and aren’t too sure where to look, you can check out our Haselgrove First Cut Shiraz that will leave you dancing all night long
HELLO, ACIDITY
What is Christmas without a decadent spread of cheese, grilled vegetables and a gorgeous slab of beef? We are not telling you to get all varietals of wines (that would be great though), but wines with medium or high levels of acidity tend to hit the spot with these myriad flavors.
Remember the last time we brought up oaky & full-bodied Chardonnay? Oaky richness tends to give off sweet spice notes, and its creamy lactic acid helps even out that dry turkey meat. White Burgundy or most Chardonnays like our AI Galli Select Chardonnay DOC Lison Pramaggiore does the trick here.