Published on December 2, 2022
The DWUK Christmas Menu
Do it! Sort your menu out now!
With many of us gearing up to host the perfect Christmas parties, we often feel like that ‘tis not the season to be jolly, rather to be stressed and tired. Organisation is key and getting your wine list, pairings and serves ready ahead of the holidays will save you time and energy on the big day. Having a set menu with accompanying wines is a great way to limit waste and save your team time to deliver even better customer service.
STARTERS AND CANAPÉS
The delight of canapés is the variety of small bites that allows you to try all the different flavours on the menu without getting too full before your main course. However, this makes it extremely difficult to pick a wine pairing as the wine you pick will have to work very hard to keep up.
Avoid heavy flavours and strong, full-bodied wines at this stage in the menu. The traditional Christmas dinner is a marathon and you still have a long way to go. Think of this stage as a warm up to the main event and look towards sparkling wines to offer a refreshing taste. See Clive Barlow’s, MW, recommendations on the previous blog.
With the traditional pink prawn cocktail, a lovely pink wine will do the trick. Try the Californian Rosebud Zinfandel Rose which pairs perfectly with this dish as delightful aromas and flavours of red berries dance on your palate, the hint of citrus accompanies the seafood with a crisp, succulent finish.
Bella Giuliana Pinot Grigio has a vibrant blend of citrus and orchard fruit that can accompany any food due to its crisp acidity and balanced flavour. Therefore, when presenting canapés and platters of small delights, this white will accompany them perfectly.
MAIN COURSE
No matter what you are eating, everyone’s plates are going to be full. However, the star of the food show needs a co-star that will really elevate the taste and mouthfeel. If you are going towards the traditional route – turkey with all the trimmings – try Borsao Rubic Tinto Garnacha which is ideal for poultry as it delivers a bright plum and berry fruit aroma. The soft tannins from this Spanish wine will match pigs in blankets and Brussel sprouts as it gives a rich and welcoming palate of ripe cassis and bramble characters.
Leaning towards red meat for you menu? A deep red is perfect to accompany beef or veal. Alameda Merlot offers intense aromas of red fruits and plums, overlaid with pleasant notes of wood. You need a wine with a bit of energy, and this fruity merlot has a delicious acidity delivering a long, delightful finish with plenty of mature fruits. The weightiness of this red will elevate your meat even further.
When featuring a fish with full flavours such as salmon, the Solar Teules Rioja Blanco will balance the flavour with strong citric tastes. This is also a great pairing for a nut roast or roasted vegetable, lifting the expressive, young flavours on the palate. The zing of the lemon will perfectly pair any of these dishes with a bit of oomph.
DESSERT
Christmas is a grand affair, and you are so close to the end so keep up the pace! You will need to pick something equally sweet to make the final sweeter course a true success. Dessert is a perfect time to bring the sparkling wine out again if your prefer to refresh your palate. However, you are looking to achieve a sweetness as well as a freshness in all wines you choose for this course.
Vistamar Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc has a great aromatic intensity to combat the spices and density of the traditional Christmas Pudding. The stone fruit and natural acidity pair nicely with the dried fruit flavours and are able to cut through the intensity on the palate.
A sexy, luscious Cabernet Franc that is the definition of elegance. The Raats Cabernet Franc harmoniously integrates flavours of blackberry, black cherry and plum mingle with tobacco, cinnamon and spice. Tannins are soft and gentle on the palate, and hints of dark chocolate and minerality on the long finish, perfect for a chocolate pudding such as a gateau or yule log.
The cheeseboard is a Christmas staple and deserves the ideal drink to accompany it. The Kopke Late Bottle Vintage Port is great for a robust and vintage cheddar or a particularly strong blue cheese. Add some nuts and dried fruit to your cheeseboard to go brilliantly with the cheese and these will also compliment the port with similar flavours. This port also matches a classic mince pie as well!
Why not end the evening with a mulled wine offering? Try Maple Falls Mulled Wine to make your evening particularly special and give your guests the perfect warming feeling before they leave.
ALL STOCKED AT DWUK
Delightful aromas and flavours of red berries and hints of citrus, with strawberries and cream on the palate with a crisp, succulent finish.
Vibrant blend of citrus and orchard fruit. Ripe and flavoursome whilst balanced and elegant with crisp acidity and persistent length.
This Grenache has bright plum and berry fruit aromas with a rich and welcoming palate of ripe cassis, bramble characters and soft tannins.
Fruity on the palate, with rounded tannins, which, together with a delicious acidity, make up a long, delightful finish with plenty of mature fruits and aromas of plums.
Brilliant pale yellow.
Citric fruits with melon reminders. Refreshing citric fruit flavours,
young clean and expressive.
Great aromatic intensity, with stone fruit and floral hints a long sweet finish balanced by its natural acidity.
Harmoniously integrated flavours of blackberry, black cherry and plum mingle with tobacco, cinnamon and spice. Tannins are soft and gentle on the palate, and hints of dark choclate and minerality on the long finish.
Opaque and deep ebony colour with full body showing good acidity, fresh tannins as well as a long rich finish. The nose is dominated by notes of ripe dark stone fruit and chocolate.
Maple Falls Mulled Wine is an aromatic wine infused with the rich flavour of orange, lemon, red berry fruits, and the traditionally festive spice including nutmeg and cinnamon.
Share this article
About the author
Chloe Lewis
Chloe looks after all copywriting and proof-reading for Drink Warehouse UK, working with the Marketing team to deliver educational content to all our customers. She has spent many years in the hospitality sector, moving from behind the bar to now helping venues to stock their own. You can find more from Chloe about beer, cider, spirits, wine, non-alcoholic, soft drinks and RTDs all over our blogs, website, social media and Set The Bar magazine.
Click here to receive the latest and greatest promotions, new products, competitions and so much more straight to your inbox.
