Christmas Dinner Wine Pairings

When preparing to host Christmas dinner, choosing the wines to serve can often be time-consuming. Do you go with a bottle of fizz to begin with and white wine for the turkey or choose a bold red, and then what to do about dessert? We asked the Grand Residences Sommelier Laura Sanchez for her recommendations for this season.

“Start your meal with a champagne toast.” Laura says, “I’m going with Veuve Clicquot Brut this year. It’s made from seven varieties of grape grown in the Champagne area, but the flavors of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay predominate.

“I think that a glass of Rosemount Shiraz from Australia is the perfect pairing for roast turkey,” Laura explains, “The ruby red color and the rich fragrance and flavors of ripe black fruit – blackberry, plum and blackcurrant – with hints of vanilla and cedar, complement the complex flavors of the dish, the stuffing and the traditional trimmings.

“If you are serving a variety of desserts as we do at Grand Residences, I recommend a glass of Royal Oporto Tawny Port 20 Years,” adds Laura. “This excellent wine from the Douro Valley in Portugal is aged in oak barrels. With the passing of the years, the flavors associated with a young wine give way to subtle, smooth flavors and aromas: spices, licorice, nuts, vanilla, ripe fruit jam and oak. Its velvety texture and lingering finish make it an after-dinner favorite.”