Pairing Champagne & Sparkling Wine with Christmas Dinner

Bubbly isn’t just for an apéritif or after-dinner drink, it can be enjoyed throughout the whole Christmas feast!

The great thing about Champagne and sparkling wine is that it’s versatile, so try out some new pairings and experiment with bubbly from around the world. Here’s a few suggestions:

Canapés / nibbles:

As an opening drink, you can’t go wrong with a dry Champagne, Prosecco, Cava or any new world wine.

If you’re having smoked salmon, Champagne is a classic pair, however Prosecco also goes quite nicely with fish (try Prosecco Nino Franco Grave di Stecca Brut).

The saltiness of cocktail sausages, bacon, fried food and crisps go wonderfully with a dry Champagne (try Champagne Philipponnat Royale Réserve Brut)

Christmas dinner:

A traditional Christmas dinner contains different elements that can pair well with most sparkling wines, so you have a wide range to choose from. If you’re dish is quite sweet, for example with parsnips and cranberry sauce, it can nicely well with a sweeter Champagne/sparkling wine.

With the turkey as well, a rosé would go beautifully with all the combined flavours of the dish (try Champagne Laurent-Perrier Brut Rosé or English Sparkling Wine Exton Park Rosé).

If you want to make the most of the richness and saltiness of your dish, a dry (brut) sparkling wine or Champagne will compliment it best.

Dessert:

If you’re having a chocolatey desert, such as a yule log, rosé is a solid pair. Chocolate can be tricky, but often pairs well with sweeter Champagnes, such as demi-sec.

The same goes with Christmas pudding and mince pies – it’s best to have a Champagne or sparkler than can deal with the fruitiness of the pudding. A good quality fruity demi-sec will compliment it well (try Champagne Piper Heidsieck Cuvée Sublime).

Cheese:

There are so many different types of cheeses, they could all get their own individual pairing. However, in general, soft creamy cheese (such as Brie and Camembert) go well with a light and fruity sparkling wine. Prosecco, rosé or a blanc de blancs would work well (try Champagne J.De Telmont Grand Blanc de Blancs 2006).

A hard cheese (such as Gruyere) is complimented well by nutty and toasty Champagnes/sparkling wines. You want something dry and good quality (try Bolney Estate 2011 Cuvée Noir English sparkling wine)