HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR WINE FOR CHRISTMAS DINNER

We know that picking a wine for Christmas dinner can often be tricky, regardless of whether you’re the host or the guest. Would they prefer a red wine? A white wine? Should I get several types and styles and let them choose? We’ll help! 

It feels like there’s an extra level of difficulty with all these doubts when it comes to picking a wine for your Christmas meals, right? Maybe because this is a special time of year when we want everything to be just perfect. 

So, we’re going to clear up any doubts you might have and give you the tips you need to pick out the perfect wine for your Christmas meals. We’ll look at all the different options that you’ll need to take into consideration. Don’t miss it! 

The best way to choose the right Christmas wine is to know what’s on the menu. 

For hosts, or guests who can find out what’s cooking, the best thing to do is to choose the wine based on the dishes that will be served at your Christmas lunch or dinner: Take note of all the best options: 

In some Christmas meals, the nibbles take centre stage. Is that the case for you? 

If you spend more time on the appetizers than on the main Christmas meal, go for a rosé. Rosés like El Coto Rosado are great for these moments since they go well with basically any canapé. 

Another option is a good white, such as our 875 m Chardonnay. This is incredible if you have ‘heavier dishes’ among the appetizers, like smoked salmon or cod, cheese or even as the perfect pairing for foie gras. 

If the main dish is going to be meat or a roast, (like the traditional suckling lamb, goat or piglet in Spain), don’t think twice about pairing it with an intense wine like our Coto de Imaz Reserva. 

Another really special option that will blow all the guests at your table away is our Coto Real Reserva.This goes really well with game, duck breast, pigeon and, of course, red meat. 

With a different kind of main course, there's a better option for Christmas meals with more seafood in them. In this case, we think it’s better to go with verdejo or viura white wines. 

Did you know that Viura is the most characteristic white grape of D.O. Rioja? Our El Coto Blanco is made mostly from this grape and goes perfectly with grilled or baked seafood. 

You could also try our El Coto Blanco Verdejo, made from the most emblematic grape in the D.O. Rueda region. This wine has fine and intense aromas of tropical fruit, fennel and aniseed. 

Both options are perfect with seafood, so you can’t go wrong! 

Get it right when you go off the beaten path with a dessert wine. Few people think about having wine with dessert, so it’s a fantastic addition to your menu or as a gift. 

To top off Christmas dinner, nothing beats a sweet or semi-sweet wine like El Coto Semidulce, with citrus and pineapple aromas. 

For those who love dark chocolate, don’t forget that an intense wine like a Gran Reserva could be the best pairing for your dessert. 

Want more information on how to choose a good wine? Take a look at this article! 

You might also be faced with the situation of having to pick the wine without know what’s on the menu. This often happens when you want to bring a little gift for an evening at a friend or relative’s house. 

If that’s the case, take a look at these recommendations. They could come in very handy. 

If the person organizing the meal is from a region of Spain with local wines – and there’s a lot of them! – take a bottle from that Denomination of Origin. 

That way, they’ll feel like you’ve thought about them, and you can raise a toast at any point in the evening with a personal touch. 

When choosing wine for Christmas dinner, it is also important to find a wine that fits any menu and that everyone likes. In other words, it’s always better to go for wines that are easy to drink and that most people like. The best example of this is our 875 m red, made with tempranillo grapes from the 2018 vintage. 

This wine has lovely aromas of cherries and red fruit, plus notes of mocha and cacao. It’s perfect for those just starting out in the wine world or if you want a wine that is intense yet fresh and elegant, and sure to be a crowd pleaser. 

When you’re feeling particularly uncertain, the best choice is to err on the side of caution: if you don’t know who’s coming to a Christmas meal or what’s on the menu, try picking a good red or wine to bring along. You can’t go wrong! 

We recommend asking the experts at your local store or specialist wine shop, or you can go for a fail-safe option like our El Coto Crianza. 

Lastly, if you already have a wine you love, and you think it will go down a treat, don’t think twice about bringing it! 

The other guests may have different tastes, or it might not pair perfectly with the dishes on the menu, but you’ll definitely enjoy sharing your new tastes and wine discoveries wine with the other guests at your Christmas meal. 

Before you go, have a look at this article on what to give someone who loves wine: