Wine Pairing For Christmas Dinner
It may be the season to be jolly, but that doesn’t mean pouring any old plonk for guests on Christmas Day. Pairing wine is a fine art: Get it wrong and you can ruin a dish, or an entire dinner. Belle spoke to Maria Heute of Campo Viejo wines, the first winery in Spain to achieve 100% carbon neutral status and the only winery to boast an all female leadership and winemaking team. Maria offered us her advice on how to pair perfectly the meals and wine that are traditionally enjoyed at Christmas.
CHRISTMAS EVE
Enjoy some salmon blini canapés as a light supper before the big day. These pair best with a Tempranillo Blanco Viura.
Maria says: “This highly aromatic wine blends floral and white fruit notes from the Viura with bright citrus characters. The acidity and the richness of this expressive white wine perfectly complements the salty flavours found in seafood-based canapés, such as classic Christmas smoked salmon blinis.”
Fruity mince pies match well with Campo Viejo red Reserva
“This Reserva is an approachable yet complex blend, with a great balance of the fruit (cherries, black plums, ripe blackberries) and the clean nuances coming from the clove, pepper, vanilla and coconut, making it a great accompaniment to fruity mince pies.”
CHRISTMAS DAY
Roast Turkey with all the trimmings goes down a treat with a glass of Rioja
“Perfect for special occasions, a complex, yet elegant Rioja can enhance the flavours of a traditonal Christmas dinner. Let the wine elevate the rich taste of gravy as you enjoy your meal.”
Christmas pudding tastes better with a glass of Cava Brut Reserva
“A fresh, well-balanced sparkling cava perfectly matches an indulgent Christmas pudding without drowning out the flavours.”
BOXING DAY
Turkey and stuffing sandwiches taste even more delicious with Garnacha
“Our Campo Viejo Garnacha is very bright and lively with floods of fruit and floral notes, as well as subtle notes of sweet spices. It pairs beautifully with turkey sandwiches, with a drizzle of cranberry sauce.”
Cheese and wine night pairs best with a spicy red such as Rioja or Chianti, or a sparkling English or Spanish wine
“Deep, vibrant and complex reds are the perfect accompaniment to a cheese and wine night, as they pair with hard sheep’s cheese such as Manchego, as well as mature and blue cheeses. For non red wine drinkers, Cava or an English Sparkling can be a great lighter alternative that will work in tandem with the creamy taste of the cheese to create an unforgettable flavour.”
