COLUMN: WINEROCKS - FORGETTING THE FESTIVE FIBS
Whitstable wine communicator Natalia Suta sets the record straight on holiday wines
Ah, Christmas — the season of joy, mistletoe, and… a whole lot of wine myths!
Every year, as we gather around the table, someone inevitably drops a “wine truth” that has less validity than a flying reindeer. From which wine to pair with your turkey, to that old chestnut about all bottles needing to be fine and expensive, these Christmas wine clichés can truly put a damper on your holiday sipping. Are you ready to pop the festive fibs? Here are a few common myths that you can finally stop believing!
“Christmas dinner must be served with red wine”
So, rich holiday dishes must only be paired with hearty reds? This annoying little half-truth comes from the days when wine was all thumping great red in crystal and dinner was all meat and potatoes (good ol’ times, eh ?). Passed down from generation to generation, many of which weren’t even wine drinkers, it has now become a do-or-die rule that doesn’t want to go away.
While it is not completely void of reason and many great food and wine pairings are about mirroring, i.e., matching the intensity of a wine with the intensity of a dish, the notion that rich food must only be enjoyed with bold red wine is too simplistic and overlooks the versatility of other pairings.
When pairing wine with food what we really need to be thinking about is the structural components in the food (sugar, fat, salt, umami, etc.) and the wine (alcohol, acid, tannin, etc.). Each wine and dish will present a unique combination of these elements. Let’s take as an example a juicy Christmas turkey. Its rich and fatty character can be beautifully complemented by a white wine with higher acidity.
The acidity in the wine will balance the fat of the turkey, while the saltiness of the dish will enhance the fruitiness of the wine. Bob’s your uncle! Feel free to explore beyond the usual reds this Christmas, and if you need a little recommendation, why not try Dry Reserve (£15, 11% abv) from Barnsole? It has notes of lime, gooseberry, and pineapple, and a clean lingering finish to keep the appetite alive!
“Serve only expensive wines at Christmas”
The notion that expensive wine is always better tends to resurface around Christmas. First of all, it ain’t true. Secondly, a hefty price tag doesn’t guarantee a perfect pairing with your holiday feast. I do get how easy it is to feel pressured, with so many offers pushing Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Pauillac, or Pouilly-Fuissé (there is more to wine than French classics, Waitrose!). The real trick is to choose a wine that complements your food, not just one that impresses with its cost. Consider the flavours and textures of your dishes to guide your wine selection. Is your table laden with rich roasts, savoury sides, or lighter fare?
There are excellent wines out there that can round out your meal without breaking the bank. Need a suggestion? I am happy to confidently recommend Barnsole's Pinot Noir (£18.99, 11.5% abv) — with its soft tannins and delicious notes of red fruit, violet, and liquorice, it will outshine many of the overpriced French wines.
“Rosé isn’t festive”
“Winter Rosé” is not an oxymoron! As soon as the weather drops below 15°C, we rush to grab those bold reds, believing they are the only choice for winter feasting. Don’t get me wrong, I am all for seasonal sipping (man, you should see my winter-ready Malbec cupboard!), but I don’t agree that we should completely overlook rosé, especially if you are seeking versatility.
With its crisp acidity and refreshing fruitiness, a glass of pink can pair beautifully with a wide range of dishes from light appetisers like shrimp cocktails to heartier mains such as roasted turkey, and even desserts. And let’s not forget that not all rosés are light and fruity — there are some more complex, medium-bodied bottles out there that can stand up to richer fare. If you are after a fantastic example, Warehorne Vineyard’s Oasthouse Estate Rosé (£17.99, 11% abv) will deliver the right amount of structure, complexity, and intense flavours of orange zest, apricot and ginger spice.
“You cannot drink red wine with vegetarian dishes”
As a vegetarian, I can’t tell you how many times I’m asked to justify not only my food choices, but also my wine pairings. “Oh, you don’t eat meat! So you only drink white wines?!” Big. Eye. Roll. Let’s clear this up — red wine doesn’t need meat to shine! Many plant-based dishes can pair just as beautifully with reds, whites, and anything in between, and you can follow the same rules you would when pairing wine with meat, i.e., look at the structural components in the food and in the wine.
Try Pinot Noir with lighter dishes like mushroom risotto, grilled veggies, or stuffed bell peppers. For bigger reds, like Warehorne Vineyard’s full-bodied Divico (£30.99; 12% abv), go for lentil stew, black bean chilli, or smoky eggplant lasagna. There is no reason vegetarians should miss out on the festive joy of red wine pairings!
