Bevvy of the Week – Wine for Christmas

Wine for Christmas

Image Source: © 2008 How I See Life, Flickr | CC-BY-ND

What wine to choose for the Christmas dinner ?, is a question most of us ask ourselves. Dinner on Christmas day is a very important one, and for some the most important dinner of the year, so you want to match it up with the right wine. Having said that you don’t want to get too fussy about it either … so this week I will recommend a few red grape varieties that will go well with the big feast. I will not recommend any brands as you may end up going from shop to shop looking for them and we all know time is tight in the last week leading up to the big day.

So here we go –

Tempranillo – This is the main red grape of Spain. It’s not too heavy and has a nice cherry and plum character – think of your freshly cooked turkey.

Pinot Noir –  This is the main red grape in Burgundy but is widely planted around the world. It gives a soft well-rounded wine with a red berry character – another great wine to go with your turkey dinner.

Shiraz/Syrah – Australia really has mastered this grape. Rich, Full bodied with spice and peppery notes.  An ideal accompaniment for a spiced ham.

You can get wines made from these grapes in any Off-Licence and at some really good prices too.

Enjoy, Sláinte,

Patrick