What should I look out for when choosing wines at Christmas?

Christmas is just around the corner, the menu is planned, the guests are invited — but which wine actually goes with the festive meal? And how do I make sure I am not caught at the last minute with the wrong temperature or an unfortunate selection? Choosing the right wine at Christmas is about more than just taste. It is about setting the mood, complementing the food and making the evening unforgettable.

In this guide you will learn everything you need to know about wines at Christmas — from selection and the right serving temperature to practical tips that will make your life easier. Whether you are hosting a Christmas dinner for the first time or are already a seasoned pro: here you will find valuable insider tips that make all the difference.

Choosing the right wine: What matters?

Stick to classics that please everyone

Christmas is not the time for bold experiments. Your guests have different tastes, and you do not want to put anyone off. The solution? Classic, prestigious wines that command broad approval.

Tried-and-tested red wines for the festive season:

• Bordeaux: An aged Bordeaux brings elegance and structure with firm tannins — perfect for festive meat dishes
• Barolo: The king of wines from Piedmont, intense and long-lived with notes of roses and tar
• Burgundy: Velvety Pinot Noir from Burgundy is a true all-rounder — not too heavy but full of character
• Ribera del Duero: Juicy Spanish Tempranillo wines with plenty of fruit and pleasant spice
• Amarone or Brunello: For the grand entrance — full-bodied, powerful and impressive

The best white wine choices:

• Chardonnay in barrique: A Chardonnay aged in oak from Burgundy, Germany or Piedmont brings creaminess and complexity
• Riesling Spätlese: German Riesling classics from the Moselle or Rheingau with their fine acidity and fruitiness
• Pinot Gris (Grauburgunder): Mild, soft and straightforward — suits almost any situation

Sommelier tip: Choose at least two contrasting styles — an acidity-driven white like Riesling and a mild one like Pinot Blanc. That way you offer something for every taste.

Don't forget the aperitif

First impressions count. Start the Christmas celebration with an elegant aperitif that awakens the palate without overwhelming it.

Perfect aperitif wines:

• Champagne: The classic par excellence — Champagne Brut always works
• Crémant: The more affordable alternative from Alsace, Loire or Burgundy — bottle-fermented like Champagne but considerably more accessible
• Estate sparkling wine: A German Sekt with traditional bottle fermentation from a good winery shows regional class

The ideal serving temperature for sparkling wines is 6 to 8 degrees Celsius. Do not serve them colder than that or the aromas will be lost.

The right temperature: This is often underestimated

This is where most people go wrong. You have bought a wonderful wine, but then you serve it too warm or too cold — and the experience is ruined. Temperature has a huge influence on how a wine tastes.

How to serve every wine perfectly

White wine:

• Ideal temperature: 7 to 10 degrees Celsius
• Light, fresh whites slightly cooler (7–9°C)
• Full-bodied barrique Chardonnays slightly warmer (10–12°C)
• Important: err on the slightly cool side — the wine warms up quickly in the glass

Red wine:

• Ideal temperature: 14 to 18 degrees Celsius
• Light reds like Gamay or Pinot Noir: 14–16°C
• Heavy, tannic wines like Bordeaux or Barolo: 16–18°C
• Warning: "room temperature" does NOT mean 22°C from your living room, but roughly 15–18°C

Sparkling wine:

• Ideal temperature: 6 to 8 degrees Celsius
• Too cold and you taste nothing, too warm and the bubbles disappear

Dessert wine:

• Port wine, Beerenauslese, Sauternes: 10 to 14 degrees Celsius
• Well chilled, but not ice-cold

Pro trick: put the white wine in the fridge in good time — at least two hours beforehand. Store red wine at normal cellar temperature or move it from the warm living room to a cool room an hour before serving.

Calculating quantities: How much wine do you need?

One of the most common questions: how many bottles should I buy? The rule of thumb is:

• Per person: 0.5 to 0.75 litres over the whole evening (one bottle for every two people)
• Aperitif: About 1 bottle of sparkling wine or Champagne for 4 people
• With the main course: At least 1 bottle of red and 1 bottle of white per 2–3 people
• With dessert: 1 bottle of sweet wine for 6–8 people (small glasses)

Plan one bottle more rather than less — better to have something left over than run short.

When should you decant the wine?

Not every wine benefits from decanting, but for Christmas wines it is often a good idea.

Wines to decant:

• Young, tannic reds (Barolo, Bordeaux, Brunello)
• Aged reds with sediment (decant carefully to remove deposit)
• Full-bodied reds that still seem closed

How to do it:

1. Stand the bottle upright a few hours beforehand (for old wines)
2. Pour the wine slowly and steadily into the carafe
3. For young wines: decant 1–2 hours before serving
4. For old wines: decant just before serving (only to remove sediment)

Wines NOT to decant:

• Light, fresh white wines
• Old, fragile reds (can "fall apart")
• Champagne and sparkling wines

Planning your shopping: Act in good time

The biggest mistake you can make is leaving the wine shopping to the last minute. Good wine shops and online retailers are often sold out or overwhelmed before Christmas.

How to plan properly:

• At least 2 weeks beforehand: select and order wines
• For online orders: factor in delivery times (often longer before Christmas)
• At a specialist retailer: get advice — good wine merchants know their stock and can suggest alternatives
• Avoid supermarkets: for special occasions, the trip to the specialist is worth it

The best sources

• Specialist shops: Personal advice, often a curated selection
• Online shops: Hawesko, Vicampo, Wine in Black — wide selection and often good deals
• Direct from the winery: Estate online shops often offer exclusive bottlings
• Wine bars: Regional wines, often with tasting

The most important dos and don'ts

Dos:

• ✓ Choose classic, proven wines
• ✓ Pay attention to the right temperature
• ✓ Shop early
• ✓ Plan for more wine than you think you need
• ✓ Offer different styles (dry/fruity, light/full-bodied)
• ✓ Polish the glasses beforehand — detergent residue can affect the taste

Don'ts:

• ✗ Experiments with unfamiliar wines
• ✗ Cheap supermarket wine for the festive meal
• ✗ Serving red wine too warm (above 18°C)
• ✗ Serving white wine too cold (below 6°C)
• ✗ Leaving the wine shopping to the last minute
• ✗ Buying too little — one bottle more is always better

My personal tip

After years as a wine enthusiast, I have learnt: Christmas is the time for the great classics. I reach for a good Pinot Noir from Burgundy or the Palatinate — velvety, elegant and never overbearing. Alongside that, a Crémant from Alsace as the aperitif and a small glass of port with dessert. This combination has never let me down.

If you are unsure, ask at the specialist shop for a "Christmas menu package" — many retailers put together matching wine packages tailored to classic festive dishes.

Conclusion

Choosing the right wine for Christmas does not need to be complicated. Stick to proven classics, pay attention to the right temperature and shop in good time. With an elegant aperitif sparkling wine, one or two reds with the main course and a fine dessert wine, you simply cannot go wrong.

The most important thing: enjoy the evening and do not let yourself be stressed. The perfect wine is the one that you and your guests enjoy — not the one with the highest Parker score. With that in mind: Merry Christmas and cheers!