Let’s Celebrate! Guide to Pairing Wine with Christmas Party Food

Christmas is coming! Are you planning to have a party with your friends to celebrate this joyous occasion of the year? We have searched for you 4 popular Christmas party food ideas, including Cheese Platter, Oven-baked Beef Ribs, Smoked Salmon/Cucumber Canapés and Cheese Fondue. Let’s check out the tips about pairing them with the suitable wine, so that we can create a perfectly fun and relaxed Christmas party!

Cheese Platter x Sparkling Wine

Cheese Platter is one of the most popular party appetizers. Enjoying them with biscuits can bring out a variety of textures and flavours from the cheese. It is believed that cheese should pair with red wine, but in fact there are other options. Usually on a cheese platter, there are grapes, nuts, salty biscuits and a wide range of cheeses. For Blue Cheese which is of stronger flavours, we may pair it with sweet wine; for Cheddar Cheese or Goat Cheese which are milder, we may pair the Sparkling wine!

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Oven-baked Beef Ribs x Bordeaux Wine/ New World Red Wine

Marinated with herbs and spices overnight, oven-baked beef ribs are very tender, juicy and flavorful! What are the most suitable wines to pair with such meaty and delicious cuisine? We may pair it with Bordeaux wine, such as Chateau Sociando-Mallet Haut Medoc 2014, which has the appropriate level of acidity that can balance the fattiness of beef ribs; a good red from New World would be great too, as its rich and fruity flavours of berries and spice match perfectly with beef ribs!

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Smoked Salmon & Cucumber Canapés x Vintage Champagne

Combining saltiness of smoked salmon, natural sweetness of cucumbers, smooth texture of cream and crunchiness of biscuit, Smoked Salmon and Cucumber Canapés are petite yet of superbly high complexity. It is the best to pair with a vintage Champagne with fine bubbles and acidity. It can further enhance the freshness of the Canapés and its buttery flavours match well the cream as well.

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Cheese Fondue x Champagne with higher acidity

Traditional Swiss Cheese Fondue is usually served with potatoes and assorted cold meats and it is known for its rich and creamy cheese with the attractive flavours of white wine. Dry, swiss white wine is commonly used as the main ingredient but because of it, we might feel full easily even if are not having too much of it. We may opt for a Champagne with higher acidity. Its acidity, together with the lemon and a hint of pineapple flavours, can balance the creaminess cheese and lower the feeling of satiety.

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