How many articles have you read and wine tastings have you been to that explain the absolute best pairings, only to find yourself standing at the grocery store blankly staring at the bottles? Do you pick the ones with the prettiest label, do you Google the pairing guides, or just randomly pick? Offering the best type of wine with your Christmas dinner may be just the extra special touch your guest will truly appreciate.
Since the holidays pretty much take care of themselves and your time is abundant, here is another extensive list. Right, nope, nobody has time for that. Here are four simple rules that will make you look like you memorized the extensive list and make sure you pick the right drink pairing every time!
Like & Like: One of the things you can memorize to keep in mind is to pair like with like. Read on, and you will see why!
Red & Red
The darker the meat the better to pair with a darker red wine.
White & White
White wine pairs with lighter color protein sources like seafood and chicken the best.
Bold & Bold
The richer and bolder the dish the more it benefits from a red wine with a lot of tannins. Tannins add acid that cleanses the palate and revives each bite.
Sweet & Sweet
Sweet dishes pair best with sweet wines and other dessert drinks. Serve dessert-like cocktails along with or in place of dessert!
Christmas Dinner Tips
- Start the meal with light cocktails and bubbly wines. You don’t want to overstuff your guests before the meal even begins!
- For an added touch, add pairing cards with the four rules above and write the suggested wines/cocktails for each course. Your guests will love learning the new rule as much as you do and will love trying out the pairings like they were at a fancy dinner.