With the holidays just around the corner, many people have already begun to make arrangements for this year’s holiday dinner. We’ve recently discussed how to choose wines for a wine tasting , but it’s time to revisit the subject from a different angle as families and catering companies gear up to make their holiday dinner beverage selections.
Wine is often served as an accompaniment to the traditional holiday dishes, but pairing the right wine with your dinner may seem impossible when faced with a table full of different foods. But never fear; despite the often elitist social stereotypes about pairing wine with food, there really aren’t as many rules as one might think.
The most important rule when pairing wine is to pick wines that you (or your guests) will enjoy. This seems like basic logic, but it is not uncommon to feel “pressured” into pairing foods and wines that the experts say are complimentary to give your meal a sense of legitimacy. But keep in mind that if you and your guests just don’t care for a particular type of wine, even the most meticulous of food pairings isn’t likely to compel you to drink much of it. If a type of wine that you don’t like comes up in a pairing recommendation list, always feel free to skip over it in favor of something that you will actually want to drink.
That being said, there are some generally accepted pairings that, when done correctly, can accentuate the flavor of both the wine and the food. Most of the time, your main course – or whichever dish will take the longest to consume – will be the most important element when pairing wine to your meal. Usually, the primary rule of thumb is that you want to pair like with like: light wines with light foods, bold wines with bold foods, and so on. There are some exceptions, but the general idea is that you want to compliment your food with your wine rather than “fill in” a taste that is missing from the meal. Here are a few quick pairing suggestions for different kinds of common holiday dishes.
Ham
Ham typically has a lighter, sweeter flavor (especially when baked), so it is best served with a light and fruity wine. For reds, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, and Tempranillo all pair well with the more delicate flavor of ham due to their lower acidity and more prominent fruit flavors. For whites, the spicy-sweet flavors of a good Riesling or Gewurztraminer should fit the bill nicely. Be mindful when selecting Rieslings, however, as they cover a wide spectrum of sweet and dry wines. A dry Riesling, despite being a white wine, may not necessarily pair as well with ham as a fruity red.
Turkey
Turkey pairs well with a fairly wide variety of wines, thanks to its light, subtle flavor and lack of natural sweetness. Turkey matches well with both dry and sweet wines, ultimately providing your meal with more pairing potential. For reds, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Syrah/Shiraz, and Beajolais Nouveau – a young wine with a very light, fruity flavor – will all match well with your bird. For whites, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and Gewurztraminer are all good choices. Unlike ham, dry Rieslings are acceptable, if not encouraged, for pairing with turkey.
Goose & Duck
The moist, tender nature of duck, goose, and other waterfowl makes is a good choice for pairing with full-bodied, fruity reds and dry whites. For reds, Zinfandel, Tempranillo, and Red Burgandy will all lend a festive yet sophisticated taste to your meat. For whites, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc will complement the duck or goose with a dry, fresh flavor without overpowering it with fruity overtones. Roast duck or goose is often served with fruit-based sauces (especially during the holidays), so care should be taken not to over accentuate the fruit concept with a very fruity white wine.
Beef & Prime Rib & Steak
Red meat has the boldest taste of traditional holiday meats, and therefore should typically be paired with bold red wines. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah/Shiraz, and dry Zinfandels all go nicely with the stronger flavors of red meat. White wines usually do not pair well with red meat, as their lighter and more subtle flavors are easily overpowered by the meat, but that does not necessarily mean that you can’t still enjoy a glass of your favorite white wine while eating a steak. Just keep in mind that red wines will usually hold up much better to the deeper flavors of red meat.
Vegetables
Pairing wine with vegetable-centric meals can often be a little bit more complicated than pairing with meats. Because vegetable dishes often involve a mix of different vegetables and non-meat proteins (beans, tofu, tempeh, etc), pairing a single wine to the resulting mix of flavors can be tricky. In general, however, whites tend to pair better with vegetable dishes than reds. Reds – especially strong reds like Cabernet – can easily overpower the more delicate flavors of vegetables, so care should be taken not to pick a wine that will distract from the taste of the food. Try to determine what the primary flavors in your dish will be once it is cooked, and find a fresh white wine that shares similar tastes. Earthy white wines with grassy or herbal aromas pair especially well with vegetables.
"The best pairing will ultimately depend on your meal as a whole.
While your main course is the primary concern when pairing a wine to your meal, it is important to keep the side dishes and other accompaniments in mind. For example, if your meal contains several acidic side dishes, picking a wine with a low acidity and moderate tannin content will help prevent the meal from seeming too sour by the end. On the other hand, if a large portion of your meal is made up of fruit-based dishes, picking a crisp, earthy white wine with “natural” flavors (grass, wet stone, herbs, etc.) will help to offset the fruit theme without differing too wildly. The best pairing will ultimately depend on your meal as a whole, so plan your menu ahead and have a good idea of what tastes will match well with your dinner when you go wine shopping.
Choosing the right wine to complement your holiday meal may seem daunting at first, especially if you will be entertaining a larger group with varied individual tastes. But by following the suggestions listed above, narrowing the field to a specific type of wine should be a relatively painless task. From there, it is a matter of simply picking the wine that you think that you and your guests will enjoy the most.
Once you have made your selection, be sure to pick up enough for everyone at your gathering. A standard (750mL) bottle of wine typically contains about six glasses, so plan on buying one bottle of wine for every two or three guests. For tips on adding a touch of ritual and tradition to your wine pairing, consult our previous post about tableside wine serving .
Best of luck with your wine pairings this holiday season, and don’t forget to take a look at J.E.S. Restaurant Equipment’s selection of useful wine supplies and accessories that will make serving and storing your wine an easier task during your big event.
