You can’t please everyone, but maybe a light red or a buttery chardonnay is the ideal bottle to see you through the whole main event? And champagne naturally complements almost any festive food …
If you’re into pairing wine with food, you probably like the idea of finding a bottle that will sing with a particular dish or course. For me, that’s part of the fun of planning a meal, but I accept that at Christmas it may be a hurdle too far. So why not relax, just pick a wine you like and drink it right through the meal? Easier said than done, admittedly, especially if there’s a crowd of you, all of whom are likely to have different preferences (although they could always bring along their own bottle, couldn’t they?). But it really makes sense if there are just two or even one of you.
If it’s got to take on all comers, what type of wine should it be, though? Some are more accommodating than others. I wouldn’t go for a wine with an outsized personality, such as gewürztraminer or amarone, and expect it to go with everything. But smooth, creamy whites such as unoaked chardonnay, Gavi di Gavi and pinot blanc are pretty easy-going, while Alsace pinot blanc, in particular, is a much underrated white that can easily do duty for a white burgundy; oaked white rioja is useful, too, and well priced.
For more by Fiona Beckett, go to fionabeckett.substack.com
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