There may be more riding on your holiday meal than on your average Sunday night family dinner, but that doesn’t mean the laws of nature cease to apply. Nor do the meant-to-be-broken laws of food and wine pairing. [level-members]
Which means you can forget the “red with meat, white with fish” trope when you’re making recommendations. That’s ancient history, of course. You should get your customers to focus more on how they’ve prepared their main dishes.
For a standby dish like turkey, I’d reach for a Pinot or Cab Franc depending on how you’ve prepared it. We also tried a cru Beaujolais with our smoked grilled bird at Thanksgiving. It was fantastic.
Going big with a red meat dish. Bordeaux and California Cabs, of course. There’s also Malbec and Chianti. Again, preparation matters more than the main protein.
And let’s not forget the whites. Citrus-based dish? Sauvignon Blanc is an old favorite that’s tough to beat. For those feeling more adventurous, Assyrtiko from Greece is a winner. Turkey? A bigger Sauvignon Blanc is a great choice.
But we’re not done yet – there’s still Chanukah to consider. Nothing pairs better with latkes than sparkling wines. Brisket? Zin is my wine of choice, but Bordeaux works here, too, as do California Cabs.
Enjoy the holiday no matter which holidays you’re celebrating.
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