After having seen for sale a bottle of non-vintage "Christmas Red Merlot" recently, I thought it would be a good idea to write about traditional pairings for a tradition-steeped day. If this type of Christmas is not your traditional one, I do apologise, but it has been mine for most of my life! I aim here not to direct anyone to particular bottles, but to general regions and grapes - as everyone's cooking will no doubt differ.
As I'm sure many will agree, we can disregard breakfast as a chance to pair a wine for obvious reasons. The next meal at which I can see the cracking of a bottle would surely be during the Queen's Christmas Message in the early afternoon, when the main meal is starting to get under way. I have always had smoked salmon with lemon and some form of sparkling wine to toast at the end. I would always suggest the complexity and dryness of a Champagne, as it binds so deliciously with the oily, smokey fish and the sharp acidic lemon. There are some pitfalls with champagne - such as spending one's money on a bottle of Veuve Clicquot or Moet et Chandon, when near exactly the same money could buy Laurent Perrier, Pol Roger or even a Bollinger - so beware of mass-production!
In my household we have never had Christmas dinner divided into courses as such, more a multitude of dishes laid all over the dining table with everyone being then invited to dig in. In that respect it is difficult to fit in a nice white without it being over-powered by the roast. Therefore I would always have a nice bottle of dry Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc as an aperitif on the go while waiting for the main event. As for regions, I personally would always go with an Alsatian Riesling or a Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc. Call me traditionalist, but when there is no food to match I still feel they are the best crisp, fresh wines to drink.
Christmas dinner food always changes, but it is most likely safe to say that usually a turkey, goose or duck appears somewhere, along with roast potatoes, bread and cranberry sauces, parsnips, carrots and brussels sprouts. With this array of robust and expressive flavours, the wine is crucial. In my opinion the perfect accompaniment would be a Burgundy (or a very good New Zealand) Pinot Noir. The flowery and aromatic style mixes very well with the light and dark meat of poultry and the jammy, ripe, fruitiness blends expertly with the sweetness of the sauces and vegetables. Typically well-suited regions I would recommend would be the Cote-de-Beaune in France, or Central Otago in New Zealand.
As everyone I would hope is having a good time, my guess would be that the wine would not necessarily last too long. To mix things up a little, I would suggest to follow something heavier - to last into the serving of the Christmas pudding. For this, my recommendation would be for a good Bordeaux or a big, heavy Californian Grenache/Syrah blend. Both of these styles would work well towards the end of a Christmas dinner: the velvety, deep red berry texture of the Bordeaux would work with near any meal of substance, especially if any form of pork adorns the plate. A Californian Grenache/Syrah would lend a spicy, punchy note to the meal which would bind extremely well with the thick spiced Christmas pudding. Although both the wine and the pudding would be very high in alcohol, neither would be overpowering due to the mixing of spices and aggressive fruit flavours.
By this time I am usually quite full and in need of a rest in front of the fire. There is, however, time for one last meal, and that means one last drink. In the evening with mince pies and Christmas cake the truly traditional accompaniment may be to some a sticky sweet Sauternes or Tokaji. My suggestions would be for either a Calvados (for those with a sweet tooth), or a nice Whisky. Something without too much saltiness and not too weak is the order - either a Highland or an Islay Single Malt would be perfect, giving a smokiness and a depth to the end of the evening.
I hope this has put a few ideas in people's minds - and I wish everyone a Merry Christmas!
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