The Best Wines to Pair with Your Christmas Dinner

Because of its fatty richness, prime rib pairs best with bold, tannic red wines with rich fruit flavors. Select a punchy red that can stand up to the meat’s succulence, like a cabernet sauvignon, shiraz or Bordeaux blend. Cabernet sauvignon is widely considered the king of red wines for its popularity and complexity; you can never go wrong with a bottle of cab on your holiday table! 

Ham is a salty, lightly sweet protein (especially if glazed) that pairs best with an acidic, but not tannic wine. Pinot noir is a famously food friendly wine for its low tannins, balanced acidity and juicy fruit flavor. If you and your guests favor white wine, go for a riesling, a versatile white German wine that’ll cleanse your palate of salt between bites and complement the ham’s subtle sweetness. 

If you’re planning to host a Feast of the Seven Fishes, a traditional Italian-American Christmas Eve meal featuring at least seven seafood dishes, 1: hopefully it turns out better than that one episode of The Bear, and 2: you’ll also need a feast of light, refreshing white wines to go with it. Varietals like sauvignon blanc and Albariño are crisp, acidic and citrus-forward wines that pair swimmingly (hardy har) with all seafood dishes. 

For families who enjoy turkey long after Thanksgiving, choose a wine that will complement your turkey’s butter-basted flavors, like pinot noir, chardonnay or even a Chablis from the Burgundy region of France. These wines don’t go full throttle with boldness or acidity, which makes them sippable enough to enjoy with turkey, regardless of how you’re cooking it or what you’re cooking it in. 

This is where the pairings get fun. If you’re enjoying lamb or any other type of game this Christmas, pair it with a wine that can balance its gamey richness with the right mix of fruit, spice and roasted meat flavors. For that, we recommend syrah or Rhone blends. These wines might not be common table wines, but they’re unique and complex enough to become new holiday favorites. 

But wait, you might say, ham was already covered! Wouldn’t I pair roasted pork with the same wines? The answer: nope! While the same protein, ham and roasted pork are prepared in entirely different ways, which is what matters when choosing a wine pairing. Roasted pork plays nicely with fruit-forward, medium-bodied red wines with less oak flavor and more refined tannins. We’d reach for a zinfandel, malbec or a dry Italian red blend with tart dark berry notes. 

Vegetarians and vegans, we didn’t forget about you! For a table brimming with sweet and savory vegetable dishes, select a lighter sparkling wine or refreshing white wine to enhance the vibrancy of the vegetables and cleanse your palate between bites. Prosecco is always a delightful, celebratory sip for great value, but you can also go for an off-the-beaten path white wine to kick off the dinner table conversations. 

Once you’ve picked the perfect wines for your Christmas table, round out your menu with these festive cocktails your guests will love.