17/12/2025
🎄 What to Drink with Christmas Dinner
A Paul’s of Pershore Guide to Pairing Your Festive Feast
Whether your Christmas Day is traditional, veggie, or a little bit chaotic (as all the best ones are), the right wine can make the whole meal sing. Here are our curated recommendations from your local wine bar & shop
🥂 To Start the Day – Sparkling
English Sparkling Wine or Crémant de Loire
Crisp, refreshing and perfect with smoked salmon canapés or just to start the celebrations with style.
Why? The acidity and fine bubbles wake up the palate beautifully
🍗 Turkey & All the Trimmings
White:
• Chardonnay (Burgundy / South Africa) — creamy, elegant, and brilliant with roast turkey, gravy and bread sauce.
• Viognier — aromatic and peachy; lovely with pigs-in-blankets and honeyed veg.
Red:
• Pinot Noir (New Zealand / Burgundy) — soft, silky, cranberry-like fruit that complements turkey perfectly.
• Gamay (Beaujolais) — juicy, light, festive, and great with stuffing and cranberry sauce.
Why? Turkey is mild, but the sides are flavourful — you need wines with bright acidity and gentle fruit
🥩 Beef or Rib of Beef
• Malbec (Argentina) — plush and warming; ideal with roast beef and horseradish.
• Cabernet Sauvignon / Bordeaux blend — structured and classic with a rich gravy.
Why? Bold meat loves bold wines
🐑 Roast Lamb
• Rioja Reserva — savoury spice + lamb = Christmas magic.
• Syrah / Shiraz — peppery, full and warming.
🐖 Pork or Gammon
• Riesling (Off-Dry) — high acidity and a hint of sweetness works wonders with honey-glazed ham.
• Chenin Blanc — juicy stone-fruit notes match gammon beautifully
🦆 Duck or Goose
• Pinot Noir — classic pairing: earthy, elegant, and perfect with rich, fatty birds.
• Zweigelt — a brilliant alternative: vibrant, aromatic and food-friendly
🍄 Vegetarian Christmas Dinner
• Pinot Gris / Gewürztraminer — fantastic with nut roasts, mushrooms and sage-heavy dishes.
• Grenache — soft, plush red for roasted veg, beetroot, and cranberry.
🎁 Christmas Pudding & Mince Pies
• Tawny Port — nutty, warming, and delicious with dried fruit desserts.
• Pedro Ximénez (PX) Sherry — liquid Christmas cake.
🧀 Cheese Board
• Stilton: Ruby Port or Tawny Port.
• Brie / Camembert: Sparkling wine or Chardonnay.
• Cheddar: Rioja or Cabernet Franc.
☕️ Evening Wind-Down
• Madeira (Bual or Malmsey) — warming, festive, lasts forever once opened.
• Late-Bottled Vintage Port — rich, smooth and perfect by the fire.
Want help choosing?
Pop into Paul’s of Pershore, and we’ll match wines to your exact menu.
Whether it’s a traditional roast, a veggie celebration or a seafood Christmas, we’ve got the perfect bottles for your table.