It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

During the holiday season, people get together to celebrate traditions and to create new ones. Loved ones gather under one roof to appreciate the bountiful blessings bestowed throughout the year.

A holiday meal represents the love and affection shared between friends and family. Wine, the drink of the soul, can elevate a humble recipe to a holiday memory. Family food traditions and recipes will vary greatly. With that in mind, here are some suggestions:

Hors d'oeuvres with Oakley 5 Reds

Hors d’oeuvres, or appetizers, are meant to excite the palate and prepare you for the impending dinner, and the wine should do the same. Oakley 5 Reds is a smooth blend of Merlot, Alicante Bouschet, Mourvèdre, Sangiovese and Zinfandel. Flavors of blackberries, black pepper and spicy berries make this wine an excellent accompaniment to finger foods and starter dishes.

Fish with Viognier

This lovely little white is perfect to partner with fish’s rich and buttery texture. Sparkling with a bright acidity and lush with a voluptuous mouth-feel of apricots and honey, Viognier is a pairing fit for Poseidon.

Turkey with Rosé

It’s best to choose a Rosé on the dry side, such as our Mourvèdre Rosé. This refreshing wine is a wonderful tradition of rosés found in France, Spain, Australia and South Africa, and when served slightly chilled is perfect with warm Turkey.

Tofu with Cashmere

For the vegetarians in your family, tofu is an easy substitution for Christmas dinner. Since tofu tends to absorb spices and sauces easily, wine pairing is challenging but not impossible. A blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre (GSM) is a soft, delicate red wine that plays with tofu’s velvety texture.

Ham with Pinot Gris

Christmas ham is a tradition that predates medieval times. Our Pinot Gris has crisp acidity that is met with floral characteristics that will compliment ham’s often sweet and salty flavors.

Roast Beef with Zinfandel

Zinfandel is naturally a fruit forward and exotic grape that pairs well with a variety of dishes. Beef is a great match for Zin because both offer the diner something juicy and spicy. Cline is currently selling five different types of Zinfandels, one of which will certainly pair with your great-grandmother’s secret recipe.

Lamb with Syrah

Lamb and Syrah are both integral to Australian culture, but that’s not what makes the two pair so perfectly together. Syrah is a bold and meaty wine, rich with an earthy dark texture that needs an equally robust meal to tame its wild ways. Considering that lamb is often served with mint jelly, either our Los Carneros Syrah or Cool Climate Syrah, both having minty top notes, will make the meal remarkable.

Dessert with Late Harvest Mourvèdre

Sugary foods were traditionally reserved for special occasions and holidays, and while desserts have become far more readily available now than they were in the 19^th century, that doesn’t make their place on the Christmas table any less important. An after dinner wine, like our Late Harvest Mourvèdre, will sweeten and sooth the soul, whether paired with your favorite tart or sipped slowly on its own by a roaring fire.