Best Wines For The Holidays

Except when the meal is also paired with the best wines for the holidays, there is nothing more heartwarming than gathering with family and friends to enjoy an enormous meal prepared with love. The holiday season is a time of revelry, celebration, and (most of all) gluttony - plus lots of Christmas party drinks!

But it can be extra difficult to pair wines with holiday meals because no two tables are the same.  No two meals are prepared the same way, either. The main course could be turkey, ham, lamb or prime rib. Even traditional side dishes span a huge range of flavors, from sweet potatoes to green beans, stuffing to cranberry sauce. There can be international dishes from regions like Asia and Mexico. Not to mention the endless variety of spices to flavor everything.

Versatile, Food-friendly Wines are the Best Wines for the Holidays

Food should take center stage during the holidays.  Any wine pairing should complement the meal, not fight for all of the attention. The best approach to selecting a wine for your holiday table is to choose a versatile, food-friendly wine that pairs well with many different dishes. Read on for some excellent holiday wine pairings that your guests are guaranteed to enjoy!

1) The Chook Sparkling Shiraz NV | $15

The Chook Sparkling Shiraz NV

The Chook Sparkling Shiraz NV

Before you reach for that bottle of champagne, consider surprising your guests with a glass of bubbly they have probably never tasted before (and may not even know exists)! The Chook Sparkling Shiraz is a red sparkling wine from Australia.

It is dry, medium-bodied, and bubbling over with juicy plum, blueberry and chocolate flavors. It is both soft and refreshing with velvety bubbles and pairs astonishingly well with holiday meals, especially roasted poultry and meats. This is a fresh and vibrant wine to kick off your holiday celebration.  Enjoy it well-chilled and served in champagne flutes.

2) Famille Hugel Classic Riesling 2017 | $20

Famille Hugel Classic Riesling 2017

Famille Hugel Classic Riesling 2017

When most people think of Riesling, they think of sweet white wines. However, Rieslings are made with a range of sugar levels from completely dry to lusciously sweet.

This Famille Hugel Classic Riesling from Alsace, France is a dry, light-bodied wine with ripe fruit flavors and aromas of pear, apricot, green apple, and lemon. The refreshingly high levels of mouth-watering acidity in this wine make it excellent with lighter foods such as fish and turkey. It also beautifully complements spicier dishes, like curries, as well as hard-to-pair vegetables including mushrooms and asparagus.

3) The Hilt Chardonnay Santa Barbara 2015 | $27

The Hilt Chardonnay Santa Barbara 2015

The Hilt Chardonnay Santa Barbara 2015

Chardonnay is an excellent choice for your holiday table, but it must be the right style of Chardonnay. Many Chardonnays, especially those from California, tend to be overly oaky and buttery. This style can easily overwhelm the delicate flavors of turkey, white potatoes and other fixings.

The better choice is a more restrained style of Chardonnay like The Hilt Chardonnay 2015 from the cooler central coast of Santa Barbara, CA. This wine has a bright, flinty minerality with rich flavors of lemon, pineapple and peach rounded out by delicate floral notes and aromas of honey and nuts. It has a touch of light oak to give it structure, but the oak is well-integrated and does not overwhelm the fruity, floral character of this gorgeous wine.

4) The Four Graces Pinot Noir 2017 | $20

The Four Graces Pinot Noir 2017

The Four Graces Pinot Noir 2017

Pinot Noir is much like Chardonnay in that the style of wine will determine whether or not it's a good pairing for your holiday meal. Some Pinot Noirs can be big, rich and jammy with higher levels of mouth-drying tannins.

These can overpower your taste buds and reduce your ability to fully enjoy the variety of flavors on the table. Medium-bodied Pinot Noirs from cooler regions like Oregon and Burgundy, however, will better pair with a wider variety of foods. The Four Graces Pinot Noir 2017 is from the cool Willamette Valley in Oregon.

The wine has bright red fruit flavors of cherry, raspberry, and cranberry with just enough pepper and smoky notes to balance the fruit. Its bright acidity cuts through richer dishes, while the smooth tannins don't overwhelm dishes with more subtle flavors.

5) Carlisle Zinfandel Papera Ranch Russian River Valley 2016 | $50

Carlisle Zinfandel Papera Ranch Russian River Valley 2016

Carlisle Zinfandel Papera Ranch Russian River Valley 2016

Zinfandel is undoubtedly one of the best wines for the holidays.  It’s a perfect crowd-pleaser--both fruity and spicy, and balanced by soft tannins. It is supremely tasty without being overbearing. The richer, fruit-forward nature of Zinfandel pairs well with anything from turkey to beef, white potatoes to sweet potatoes, stuffing to cranberry sauce, and it accentuates sweet spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.

Impress your guests with a truly outstanding bottle of Carlisle Papera Ranch Russian River Valley Zinfandel 2016. This wine is elegant yet powerful, with complex flavors of blueberry, cherry, chocolate, tobacco, and pepper. The refined fruit and silky tannins make this a stand-out wine that your guests will notice, but it won't take all of the spotlights away from that delicious holiday meal. The Carlisle Zinfandel and all of the wines on this list will be further amplified by serving them in our Prestige Stemless Wine Glasses!

6) Fonseca 20 Year Tawny Port | $40

Fonseca 20 Year Tawny Port

Fonseca 20 Year Tawny Port

No holiday meal is complete without a sinfully delectable dessert (or three). But hold off on pouring the coffee until after dessert. Instead, pair those pies, cakes, and pastries with a Fonseca 20 Year Tawny Port. After aging in oak barrels for twenty years, this port has developed a rich amber color with complex flavors of dried cherries, fig, raisins, caramel, cinnamon, honey, and sweet tobacco.

All of those rich flavors accentuate a variety of sweet and nutty holiday desserts like pecan pie, almond cake, caramel cheesecake, creme brulée, cherry pie, chocolate mousse, dark chocolate layer cake and more! Since this port has been aging for so long, it may need some decanting.  Our gorgeous decanters are perfect for the occasion!  And don’t forget the perfect glasses for serving this aromatic and complex port.

Tell Us About Your Personal Best Wines for the Holidays

Do you serve wine at your holiday meals?  Have you ever tried one that was a huge success (or not so much)?  Share the love with the Prestige community below in the comments! Happy holidays!