Which wines go with the Christmas meal?

The Christmas menu is set, the ingredients are bought — but which wine actually goes with which course? The wine selection is at least as important as the food itself. A well-matched wine enhances the flavours of the meal and transforms a good menu into an unforgettable experience. Yet at Christmas, when several courses are served, the wine selection can become a challenge.

No need to worry: in this guide you will learn exactly which wine goes with which course — from aperitif through starter to dessert. With concrete recommendations that work for different tastes and budgets. That way your Christmas dinner becomes a perfectly harmonised pleasure from start to finish.

The aperitif: Starting light and elegantly

The aperitif is more than just a drink — it is the official starting pistol for the festive evening. The rule here is: light, sparkling and not too alcoholic. You want to awaken the palate, not overwhelm it.

The best aperitif wines

Champagne: The classic par excellence. A Champagne Brut with its fine perlage and elegant freshness is perfect for the start. Ideally as a cuvée of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir — not too heavy but with enough character.

Price range: €30–60 for a solid Champagne, from €60 for branded Champagnes like Moët, Veuve Clicquot or Bollinger.

Crémant: The clever alternative for those without the budget for Champagne. A Crémant d'Alsace or Crémant de Bourgogne is made by the same method as Champagne but costs half as much. Fruity, finely sparkling and absolutely at festive-dinner level.

Price range: €10–20 for very good quality.

Estate sparkling wine: If you want to keep things regional, a German estate sparkling wine with traditional bottle fermentation is a wonderful choice. Look for the designation "Sekt b.A." (from a designated wine region) — this guarantees quality. Riesling sparklers in particular are elegant with a fine acidity.

Price range: €12–25.

Serving temperature: 6 to 8 degrees Celsius. Not colder, or the aromas will be lost.

How much aperitif to plan?

• Allow about 1 bottle (0.75 l) for 4 people
• Plan for roughly 0.1–0.15 litres per person (one to two glasses)
• Better to plan a little extra — a second glass is often welcome

Starter: Fine and not too dominant

The starter is often light and elegant — the wine should be too. This is where fresh whites come into play; they must not overpower the delicate aromas of the starter.

Which wine with which starter?

With smoked salmon, salmon tartare or seafood:

• Chablis: A mineral, fresh white from Burgundy, perfect with fish and seafood
• Dry Riesling: A dry Riesling from the Moselle or Rheingau with fine acidity and fruitiness
• Pinot Gris (Grauburgunder): Soft, straightforward and almost always a good fit

Price range: €10–25.

With goat's cheese salad or roasted vegetables:

• Sauvignon Blanc: Fresh, herbaceous, with an acidity that pairs perfectly with goat's cheese
• Grüner Veltliner: Austrian classic with a peppery note and freshness

With terrine, pâté or goose liver pâté:

• Mâcon Rouge: Light red from Burgundy, fruity and not too tannic
• Light Pinot Noir: A young, fruity Spätburgunder without too much oak

Price range: €12–25.

Sommelier tip: with multiple courses, the rule "from light to heavy, from dry to sweet" applies. The aperitif is lightest, the dessert wine heaviest and sweetest.

Main course: Now the big wines come

The main course is the highlight of the menu — and here the wines may also be powerful and full of character. Recommendations vary depending on the main dish.

With Christmas goose or duck (with dark gravy)

The classics:

• Bordeaux: A Bordeaux with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot brings structure, fruit and enough tannins to balance the fat of the goose
• Burgundy (Pinot Noir): Velvety, elegant, with fine acidity — perfect when you prefer something less imposing
• Barolo or Barbaresco: Italian greatness from Nebbiolo, powerful and long-lived
• Rioja Reserva: Spanish elegance with vanilla and spice notes from the barrique

Price range: €20–50 for very good quality, from €50 for great vintages and estates.

White wine alternatives: Yes, white wine goes with goose too — if it is full-bodied enough.

• Barrique Chardonnay: An oak-aged Chardonnay from Burgundy, Germany or Piedmont brings creaminess and can hold its own with the goose
• Wachauer Smaragd Riesling: One of the world's fullest-bodied whites — powerful and complex

Price range: €20–40.

With game (venison, deer, wild boar)

Game is intense, dark and needs a wine with power and structure.

• Châteauneuf-du-Pape: Powerful red from the Rhône, spicy and multi-layered
• Amarone della Valpolicella: Italian heavyweight made from dried grapes, extremely full-bodied
• Brunello di Montalcino: Tuscan greatness from Sangiovese, elegant and powerful at once
• Spätburgunder from Baden: German alternative for those who want to stay regional

Price range: €25–60.

With sausages and potato salad

The classic, uncomplicated Christmas meal deserves an equally uncomplicated wine.

White wine:

• Dry Riesling: Fresh, fruity, with restrained acidity
• Chardonnay: Soft and creamy if the potato salad contains mayonnaise

Red wine:

• Primitivo: Fruit-forward, soft, not too tannic
• Nero d'Avola: Sicilian red with fruit and character
• Dornfelder: German red, fruity and approachable

Price range: €8–15.

With fish (salmon, zander, cod)

Fish calls for fresh whites with vibrant acidity.

• Riesling: From the Moselle or Rheingau, dry and mineral
• Pinot Gris: Softer when the sauce is creamy
• Pinot Blanc (Weißburgunder): Elegant and restrained, lets the fish take centre stage
• Chablis: Mineral and fresh, perfect with pan-fried fish

Price range: €12–25.

Cheese and intermezzo: The underrated moment

If you serve a cheese course between the main and dessert, you need a wine that pairs with cheese — and that is not always red.

With soft cheese (Brie, Camembert):

• Fresh white or a light red
• Chardonnay or Pinot Noir

With hard cheese (Comté, old Gouda):

• Full-bodied reds like Bordeaux or Barolo
• Or: port wine — a classic with hard cheese

With blue cheese (Roquefort, Gorgonzola):

• Sweet dessert wines like Sauternes, port wine or Beerenauslese

Dessert: The sweet finale

The dessert needs a wine that is at least as sweet as the dessert itself — otherwise the wine tastes sour.

The best dessert wines at Christmas

With Stollen, gingerbread, Christmas biscuits:

• Eiswein: Concentrated sweetness with fresh acidity, a German classic
• Beerenauslese or Trockenbeerenauslese: Nobly sweet, complex and long-lived
• Sauternes: French sweet wine from Bordeaux, honey-golden and creamy
• Tokaji Aszú: Hungarian dessert wine, complex and sweet with apricot and honey notes

Price range: €15–40 for 0.375 l.

With chocolate desserts:

• Port wine: A Ruby Port or Tawny Port with chocolate aromas
• Banyuls or Maury: French sweet wines from the Roussillon region, perfect with chocolate

With fruity desserts (tarts, sorbet):

• Spätlese or Auslese: Less sweet than Beerenauslese, fruity and fresh
• Moscato d'Asti: Italian, lightly sparkling sweet wine, very approachable

Insider tip: serve dessert wines in small glasses (about 0.1 l per person). The concentration is high — more is not needed.

How much wine per course?

Rule of thumb per person:

• Aperitif: 0.1–0.15 l (1–2 glasses)
• Starter: 0.1 l (1 glass)
• Main course: 0.2–0.3 l (2–3 glasses)
• Dessert: 0.1 l (1 small glass)

Total: About 0.5–0.75 l per person over the whole menu.

Calculating bottles: For 4 people you need roughly:

• 1 bottle sparkling/Champagne (aperitif)
• 1 bottle white wine (starter)
• 2 bottles red wine (main course)
• 1 half-bottle dessert wine (0.375 l)

My personal tip

Do not plan too many different wines — that overwhelms your guests and yourself. I usually go for a lean concept:

1. Crémant d'Alsace as the aperitif (outstanding quality, affordable)
2. Dry Riesling with the starter (German, fresh, straightforward)
3. Pinot Noir from Burgundy with the main (elegant, suits almost anything)
4. Port wine with dessert (small, intense, perfect with chocolate and cheese)

This combination has never let me down and is easy to prepare in advance.

Conclusion

The wine selection for Christmas dinner does not need to be complicated. Stick to the rule "from light to heavy" and make sure the wine complements the food rather than overpowering it. With an elegant aperitif, a fresh white with the starter, a full-bodied red with the main and a sweet dessert wine, you simply cannot go wrong.

Buy in good time, store the wines at the right temperature and above all: enjoy the evening. The best wine is the one you and your guests enjoy. Cheers and Merry Christmas!