Holiday Wine Pairing

Do you feel a little lost at the liquor store come holiday season? You’re not alone. Finding the right wine to suit your dishes and please your guests is far from an easy feat. Keep reading for some expert-grade wine pairing tips, courtesy of Preety Keith of Apothic Wines.

When it comes to wine pairing, you want to match the weight of your food with the weight of your wine. 

For Your Apps

Holiday appetizers tend to be heavier, (think: cheesy soufflés, stuffed mushrooms, and baked potatoes), so your safest bet is to pair it with a crowd-pleasing red, which should balance out flavorful dishes. You want a red that’s flavorful, but subtle enough to pair with a range of holiday starter dishes without reeling havoc on your palate, so a light red wine, such as a Pinot Noir, would be your best bet.

For Your Main Dish 

It’s a common misconception that you can’t have a nice white wine with your non-fish-based main course. While full-bodied reds do compliment juicy holiday meats well, the saltiness of ham, for instance, can also be well-suited to an acidic, fruit-forward white wine. You can’t go wrong with a sweet and salty combo!

For Your Dessert

One important thing people often don’t realize is that your dessert should never be sweeter than the wine you serve it with. So, if you want to serve a dessert wine, opt for a less sweet dessert, such as fruitcake, tarts, or date cake.