Christmas Wine Selection

The festive season is just around the corner, and one of our favourite things about Christmas is all the wintry wines we can indulge in. Whether you’re a wine lover or not, Christmas is a time in which we can all enjoy wine. From the mulled wine at the Christmas markets to the Champagne in the Buck’s Fizz on Christmas morning to the glass of port after Christmas dinner, wine plays a bigger role in the festive season than you may initially think. It’s for this reason that we’ve put together this handy Christmas wine guide so that you can enjoy wine just as much as us this festive season. Christmas Wine List In order to kick off our Christmas wine recommendations, let’s start by listing some of our favourite wines for the festive season: • Pinot noir • Zinfandel • White Burgundy • Sauvignon Blanc • Tawny port • Sparkling Moscato These wines have been specifically chosen to complement all the foods we love to indulge in at Christmas, including turkey, cheese, and desserts. We’ll go on to discuss this in further detail below. Christmas Wine Pairing Arguably, the main event of Christmas Day is the dinner, so which wine is for Christmas dinner? When making this decision, you need to consider the staple of the meal, which is, of course, turkey. Unfortunately, turkey has a reputation for being dry, meaning it’s a good idea to opt for a bottle with plenty of mouth-watering juiciness. Cranberry sauce is the perfect pairing for turkey, meaning you want to select a wine that is reminiscent of this. As a result, a pinot noir or zinfandel is the ideal option. Not only do these wines boast a vibrancy that perfectly complements turkey, but they’re also light enough not to clash with any side dishes. Whether it’s on Christmas Eve, after Christmas dinner, on Boxing Day, or on New Year’s Eve, we often indulge in more cheese than ever during the festive season. The beauty of cheese is that it pairs well with so many wines. Since cheeses are so diverse, it’s almost impossible to pin down one wine that works well with all cheeses. As a rule of thumb, the harder the cheese, the more tannins it can cope with, while creamier cheeses require more acidity to neutralise the richness. For classic cheeses, such as cheddar, you want to opt for something like a white Burgundy, whereas soft cheeses pair best with something like a Sauvignon Blanc. It’s widely believed that red wine should be drunk with cheese; however, the refreshing nature of white makes it a perfect palate cleanser that brings out all the gentle nuances of your chosen cheeses. Traditional Christmas desserts include Christmas pudding, mince pies, Christmas cakes, yule logs, and more. Here, sweetness is key, which you want to play into with your wines. As a result, you might opt for a tawny port or a sparkling Moscato. Wine Christmas Gifts Christmas is all about gift giving, meaning not only do we drink wine, but we wrap it up and give it to other people. Wine is an incredibly popular gift, as it’s the ideal option for that person who’s notoriously difficult to buy for. Christmas Wine Shortage Last year, the UK faced a Christmas alcohol shortage due to the lack of HGV drivers. It’s during the festive season that Britons drink the most alcohol, with predictions that the nation will collectively consume nearly six billion units of alcohol between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day. This is equal to an average of 156 units each across six days, almost 10 times more than the average 16 units consumed on a regular night out. Therefore, there’s no greater demand for alcohol than during the festive season. Since the HGV driver shortage came to light, the government launched an initiative to provide funding for training and tests. The initiative consists of 33 actions, meaning we shouldn’t see this trend continue into the coming festive period. Store Your Christmas Wine Selection with Cranville Wine Racks As previously mentioned, wine is a popular gift to be exchanged at Christmas, leaving you with an endless number of bottles and nowhere to put them. Thankfully, Cranville Wine Racks is here to solve this dilemma with our wood and metal and double-depth wine racks. Browse our collection or get in touch with any queries or questions regarding our products. We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year from all of the team at Cranville Wine Racks!