{"id":4054,"date":"2021-12-22T08:00:56","date_gmt":"2021-12-22T13:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wtso.com\/blog\/?p=4054"},"modified":"2021-12-22T09:40:54","modified_gmt":"2021-12-22T14:40:54","slug":"the-expert-holiday-food-and-wine-pairing-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wtso.com\/blog\/the-expert-holiday-food-and-wine-pairing-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"The Expert Holiday Food and Wine Pairing Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

Planning your holiday meals? Impress your guests and ensure they get the most out of each dish with our expert guide<\/a> to holiday food and wine pairing; our 2021 Holiday Catalog<\/a>!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

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It\u2019s our favorite time of year\u2014the time of celebration, gathering, love, and plenty of delicious food and incredible beverages! After this year, we all deserve the best when it comes to our menus for the holidays. Let’s delve into the world of food and beverage pairing!<\/span><\/p>\n

Today we\u2019ll discuss some of the best partnerships when it comes to holiday foods and their wine matchups. Discover the magic of the holidays with our expert holiday food and wine pairing guide. You won\u2019t want to miss these tips\u2014read on!<\/span><\/p>\n

3 Key Pairing Tips<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Understand Acidity<\/span><\/em><\/h3>\n

If you\u2019re trying to sound like a sommelier this Thanksgiving, then you\u2019ll need to understand acidity. This is one of the key aspects to look out for when it comes to pairing and comprehending why one wine may not work with a specific food. We have a previous blog explaining how a wine\u2019s <\/span>acidity affects its flavor<\/span><\/a>, and that should give you a base understanding.<\/span><\/p>\n

In general, you want to choose a wine that has enough acidity to match the acidity in the food.<\/span><\/p>\n

Match Your Sweetness and Intensity<\/span><\/em><\/h3>\n

Similarly, when it comes to the sweetness of the wine, and in regard to the overall intensity of it, you\u2019ll want to match it equally with the food. If all you think about during the holidays is dessert, then order a variety of sweet wines to go with it (Tawny Port, Sherry, or Ice Wine, for example).<\/span><\/p>\n

When it comes to flavorful dishes, pick a wine that can handle that intensity. If it\u2019s a flavorful piece of meat, then a Zinfandel will match.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Think About Ingredients<\/span><\/em><\/h3>\n

Another great tip for our holiday food and wine pairing guide deals with the ingredients in both the wine <\/span>and <\/span><\/i>the food. Specifically, pair wines with ingredients that grow in the same region\u2014what grows together, goes together, especially regarding specific flavor profiles. Take a look at where your wine comes from, and see if that helps you pair!<\/span><\/p>\n

Our Favorite Matches<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

Now comes the good stuff\u2014the actual pairings! We\u2019ve laid out some of the staples on the holiday table. These should provide you with a good start on pairing for any other intricacies you may have. Take a look!<\/span><\/p>\n

Meats<\/span><\/em><\/h3>\n

Depending on the meat you have, you\u2019ll either want heavy tannins or light and acidic. Red meats often <\/span>pair best with tannins<\/span><\/a>, and dishes with chicken or turkey often go a bit better with lighter whites.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ham pairs with Zinfandel or Ros\u00e9<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Ham has a particular sweet-and-salty richness to it, so you want to pair it with wines that have a touch of sweetness, bold flavors, and plenty of acidity. If you want a red, go with Zinfandel. If that\u2019s too heavy, go for almost any Ros\u00e9.<\/span><\/p>\n

Turkey pairs with Dry Riesling or Pinot Noir<\/strong><\/h5>\n

There are actually quite a few wines that pair well with turkey. We like how Dry Rieslings mesh with the flavor of the meat and how Pinot Noir is on the same level without overwhelming. Both are solid options if you lather on gravy as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

Potatoes<\/span><\/em><\/h3>\n

Many people are potato lovers come the holidays, so we made sure to list a few different options. Remember the tips from above if your family\u2019s potato choice isn\u2019t listed below.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mashed Potatoes pair with Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Good ol\u2019 mashed potatoes! Whether you leave the skins on or get them nice, creamy, and lump-free, an oaked, dry Chardonnay will mesh beautifully. If you want to stick on the red train, go for a rich Cab.<\/span><\/p>\n

Roasted Potatoes pairs with Sauvignon Blanc or Zinfandel<\/strong><\/h5>\n

The spices you put on the potatoes will determine which bottle will work best for this pairing. If you\u2019re going for simple Italian seasonings, then the Sauvignon Blanc will partner well. If you\u2019re making the roasted potatoes a bit richer with some sort of gravy, then opt for Zinfandel.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sweet Potatoes pairs with Chardonnay or Beaujolais<\/strong><\/h5>\n

When it comes to sweet potatoes, stay away from very dry or light wines, as those could end up tasting thin and bland in comparison to the bursting flavors of sweet potatoes. Instead, go for an oaked Chardonnay or a fruit-forward Beaujolais.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sides<\/span><\/em><\/h3>\n

We know\u2014there are so many sides to choose from for the holidays. If we couldn\u2019t include your favorites, don\u2019t fret. These four options should give you a good idea of what to pair.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stuffing pairs with Gewurztraminer or Merlot<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Stuffing\u2014some people love it, and some people hate it. Either way, when paired with a drier Gewurztraminer (rather than sweet), you\u2019ll get the most out of both flavor profiles. If you\u2019d prefer to pour a red glass, go for a friendly Merlot\u2014it\u2019s fruity, mellow, and uncomplicated.<\/span><\/p>\n

Green Bean Casserole pairs with Riesling or Pinot Noir<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Pick up a bottle of medium-dry Riesling to mesh with the cream of mushroom in the dish. Of course, Pinot Noir is a sound red option if that\u2019s the route you want to take. Pick a fruit-forward option for the best pair.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mac & Cheese pairs with Chablis or Lambrusco<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Need your noodles for the holidays? Grab a Lambrusco\u2014the Italian sparkler that will mesh beautifully with baked, cheesy noodles. Or, if you\u2019d prefer something white and light, choose Chablis, the more acidic sister of Chardonnay.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cranberry Sauce pairs with Blanc de Noirs or Pinot Noir<\/strong><\/h5>\n

What to do with the consistently debated side of Thanksgiving, cranberry sauce? Whether you plop it out of the can or make a more exquisite dish, there\u2019s something to love about either, depending on how you pair it. Blanc de Noirs is a white Champagne made from the juice of black-skinned grapes.\u00a0 Its strawberry, white currant, and white raspberry flavors will accentuate cranberry flavors. Or you can play it safe with Pinot Noir.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sweets<\/span><\/em><\/h3>\n

If you remember the tip from above, then your sweet pairings will go well\u2014pair sweet with sweet. We laid out a few starter examples below.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pies pair with Late-Harvest Riesling and Tawny Port<\/strong><\/h5>\n

We know\u2014there are so many different types of pie out there! But in general, sweet pairs with sweet, so we suggest playing it safe with something like a Late-Harvest Riesling. Sweet as can be! Or if you\u2019re a pecan pie lover, go with the nuttier Tawny Port.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hopefully, our guide to holiday wine and food pairing gave you the start you need for a successful holiday season. For all your <\/span>wine needs<\/span><\/a>, turn to Wines \u2018Til Sold Out. We\u2019ll deliver the wine right to your door. From <\/span>high-end red wine<\/span><\/a> to <\/span>scrumptious sparklers<\/span><\/a>, we want to ensure that you have what you need. Shop our collections now, and you\u2019ll be sure to impress your guests!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Planning your holiday meals? Impress your guests and ensure they get the most out of each dish with our expert guide to holiday food and wine pairing; our 2021 Holiday Catalog!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":4057,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[344,345],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4054","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-holiday","category-pairings"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wtso.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4054","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wtso.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wtso.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wtso.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wtso.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4054"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.wtso.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4054\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5283,"href":"https:\/\/www.wtso.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4054\/revisions\/5283"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wtso.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4057"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wtso.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4054"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wtso.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4054"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wtso.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4054"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}