English Wine For Christmas Dinner

Yes, there’s even an English Wine pairing for sprouts

Your Christmas meal is likely one of the most local, sustainable and delicious meals you’ll have all year. So don’t ruin it with a bottle that’s been shipped in from thousands of miles away. Choose English Wine to drink with your Christmas dinner.

English wine for Christmas dinner – Pinot Noir

English Pinot Noir and turkey are great companions. Wines from the warmer 2018 and 2020 vintages will likely be fuller bodied and maybe have a little more oak. Gusbourne 2020 for example. This style of wine will stand up well to a full Christmas dinner with all the trimmings.  Pinot from the cooler years, such as 2019 and 2021 will be a little more delicate. As a result these wines could be overpowered by all the flavours on your plate. But a wine like Oastbrook 21 will be a superb match for next day left overs, especially if you serve cold turkey with fruity chutney.

Recommendation: Gusbourne 2020, Oastbrook 2021

English wine for Christmas dinner – Chardonnay

English Chardonnay from the warmer 2018 and 2020 vintages is a perfect match for turkey with all the trimmings. This is because the grapes were riper in these years and could handle being aged in oak barrels. This results in medium bodied white wines with complexity and that makes them a good match for rich food.

Recommendation: Danbury Ridge Chardonnay 2020, Simpsons Roman Road Chardonnay 2020

English wine to drink with sprouts – yes really

It isn’t Christmas without sprouts, especially if you are vegetarian. But they’re one of those foods that can be tricky to pair with wine.  We’ve given them special mention here for precisely that reason. If you like them buttery they pair very well with Chardonnay. Or lean into their sulfurous flavours and serve with bacon and a glass of Orange Bacchus with hints of tropical fruit and lychee.

Recommendation: Gutter and Stars Orange Bacchus

Still not sure

Become a member of The Marasby Club and receive a wine and magazine subscription.  Taste, learn, enjoy and help support the trail blazing producers who are putting English wine on the map.

Final thought

We’re not saying give up on the Christmas classics. But English still wine is on the rise and worthy of a place at your table this Christmas.