Christmas is right around the corner. Hopefully by now you have purchased all of your gifts (if not check out our Holiday Gift packages) and are getting prepared for mountains of food and the wonderful company of family and friends.
You may be asking however, what to drink during all of the upcoming holiday festivities. We at WineCollective obviously recommend wine, but more specifically, some of the selections you received this past month in your December packages will make great companions to the Christmas memories you’re about to make.
1.) Decorating the tree
Hanging each ball and piece of tinsel can be time consuming, so why not enjoy a glass of wine during the process. In your December WineCollective package you may have received the 2010 Gouguenheim Merlot. While this wine can make a great pairing to pork tenderloin, it also sits quite nicely by itself considering the fruity aromas and flavours. This Merlot also has touches of sweet chocolate, so bust open that package of Lindor Chocolates and get decorating!
2.) Skating and sledding activities
While most people are mistaken that skating and sledding are for the young and accompanied best by hot cocoa, I would argue that these winter sports are suitable for anyone of the legal drinking age. If you happen to have a wine sippy-cup, fill it up with the light and fruity 2010 Anima Negra MUAC! This wine still carries wonderful aromas and flavours if slightly chilled so you don’t have to worry about it hanging out in the cold for a little while. This wine is bright and juicy with red fruits, which will also make it a great pairing to the traditional Christmas turkey dinner.
3.) Opening presents
When Christmas comes and it’s finally time to open presents, we recommend enjoying a glass of Undurraga Brut, made of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Or, if you received the Giolio Cocchi ‘Primosecolo’ Brut, made entirely of Chardonnay, enjoy it instead. Both of these sparkling wines are fresh and bubbly with layers of pink grapefruit and citrus. Regardless of the time, these wines will help ring in Christmas day. Mixing with orange juice is optional.
4.) Building a gingerbread house
Perhaps after opening gifts, your family shares the tradition of building a gingerbread house which typically, does not last for long. This month, we featured the 2012 Jasci & Marchesani Trebbiano. This wine was a rare and unexpected treat when we tried it in our WineCollective headquarters. With aromas of baked apples, nutmeg, graham crackers and caramel, you will nearly think you’re drinking Christmas itself. Even more, it’ll taste great with the gingerbread pieces you keep sneaking into your mouth.
5.) Christmas Dinner
To go along with the feast of the year, we recommend some big food wines including the 2010 El Bonhomme. This vintage is layered with dark fruits and spice that will make it a great pairing to smokey or spicied dishes. So, if your family strays away from turkey, this may be the wine for you. Otherwise, we would recommend the 2011 Tenuta San Guido Guidalberto, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot that needs an hour or so to decant before serving. The Guidalberto will work nicely with whatever food spread you enjoy, including rabbit, sausage, ham and even green or root vegetables.
We hope this list helps to guide you through the holidays. Of course many other package editions will carry great wines for any of the upcoming dinners or celebrations you have. Should you need a hand with pairings, feel free to give us a shout and our vino experts will be happy to share all that they know.
To all of our WineCollective members and friends, Merry Christmas and have a wonderful holiday.
Cheers,
The WineCollective Team.