Two Delicious Christmas wine & food menus
Get inspiration for your Christmas wine and food pairings with two menus curated by us, featuring one Italian-inspired menu and one… total hodgepodge.
Liz’s Menu: A Total Hodgepodge
BRUNCH
On the menu:
Christmas wine pairing: Bricco Quaglia’s Moscato d’Asti. The creamy bubbles and sweetness of the wine are to die for with the sweetness in the ham. You can also try our Christmas Sangria recipe.
APPS
On the menu:
- Caprese Christmas wreath
- A massive charcuterie board (don’t forget the adorably ridiculous cream cheese penguins)
- Crab rangoons
Christmas wine pairing: Belle Glos Pinot Noir Dairyman or Clark & Telephone. One of my most favorite Pinots of all time. A lighter substitute: Lini 910 Lambrusco.
DINNER
On the menu:
Christmas wine pairing: Nickel & Nickel’s John C. Sullenger Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon. Or frankly any Cab Sauv from Nickel & Nickel or Far Niente.
DIGESTIF & DESSERT
On the menu:
Just the wine, guys.
Pop a little Vermouth di Torino Rosso post dessert. Consider making it into a spritz.
Finish off with some 20-year Tawny Port from Ramos Pinot or Graham’s.
Tina’s Menu: Italian-Inspired
ANTIPASTI
Christmas wine pairing: Craggy Range Sauvignon Blanc. The fresh, vegetal, and juicy Sauvy B is a lovely pair with the earthy and slight bitterness of the eggplant.
PRIMI
Homemade spaghetti in a cherry tomato/pesto with a dollop of ricotta cheese
Christmas wine pairing: Dobbes Family Estate Grand Assemblage Pinot Noir. Pinot Noir is always a top contender for any tomato sauce. Cherry tomatoes are often sweeter, which is a nice pairing with a fruit forward Pinot like this guy.
SECONDI
Slow-roasted pork loin with molasses and balsamic glaze
Christmas wine pairing: Cantina Zaccagnini Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. This pork loin is DECADENT. The acidity in this Italian red helps cut through some of the fat and juiciness of the pork and has notes of vanilla, berries, and fresh herbs like oregano and dried herbs that pair incredibly with the molasses and balsamic glaze.
Let us know in the comments if you’ll be cooking up any of these recipes or trying any of these wines this year for the holidays. Follow us @millennialsdrinkwine for more food and wine pairing ideas. xxx
Liz + Tina
