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Hosting a Christmas party isn’t just about putting delicious food on the table; it’s about creating an atmosphere of warmth, sophistication, and joy. Selecting wines that elevate your Christmas meal can help you create a memorable night for all your guests. However, the right wine service will ensure that spirits remain high through the evening and every guest leaves with a smile.
Wine is a versatile companion to Christmas feasts, offering a world of flavours that complement the richness and diversity of the dishes served during the holiday season. Whether you’re a seasoned Christmas host or curating a holiday dinner for the first time, understanding the nuances of serving wine can significantly enhance the experience for your guests.
From correct service temperature, and type of glassware to accurate pouring technique, wine etiquette plays an important role in enhancing the overall experience. Here are five tips to help you create an unforgettable Christmas wine dinner:
Serve Wine at the Right Temperature
Serving wine at the right temperature positively impacts the drinking experience. If the wine is too warm, the alcohol in it might overpower its other aspects. If the wine is too cold its nuanced aromas and flavours will be unable to express themselves fully. The serving temperature of wine differs based on the variety. Here are the correct service temperatures to keep in mind:
- Sparkling Wines: 6-10°C
- White Wines: 8-12°C
- Red Wines: 15-18°C
Make sure that your wines are chilled to the correct service temperature before the party begins so that the guests don’t have to wait long for their first drink. Don’t forget to have a wine cooler or ice bucket handy to keep your wines chilled throughout the evening.
Also Read: Indian Wines Under 2K For Ultimate Christmas Party
Use Appropriate Glassware
Drinking wine is a multi-sensory experience, as we appreciate the beverage with our eyes, nose and mouth. The right glassware will enhance your appreciation of the wine, allowing you to observe all its minute aspects. A glass used for drinking wine should ideally:
- Be clear so that you can see the wine properly
- Have a stem so that the heat from your hands doesn’t warm the wine
- Have a wide bowl and a narrow rim which gives you enough space to swirl the wine and release its bouquet
- Have an inward sloping rim that concentrates the aromas of the wine within the glass
- That’s why the wine glass is shaped the way it is, as every feature serves a purpose. A high-quality glassware, such as the one made by reputed glassware makers like Reidel will add a touch of luxury to your guest’s experience.
Pick wines that pair with Christmas Dishes
Dinner is the focus of every Christmas party and you must keep that in mind while picking wines for the evening. Choose wines that will let the festive foods shine on the dinner table by complementing their flavours, instead of overpowering them. For instance, choose a flavourful chardonnay or a juicy and refreshing pinot noir to pair with a turkey roast, so that the wine brings out its subtle flavours. However, if you pair the dish with an intense and bold red like cabernet sauvignon, the wine will completely overpower the food. Click here for more Christmas wine and food pairing tips.
Order more wine than you’ll need
A standard pour of wine is 150 ml. Since a bottle of wine contains 750 ml of the beverage, it will serve five glasses; which can be shared by two people. Use this math to order wine for your Christmas party. Some of you may feel your guests will need more than two glasses of wine; after all, it is the holiday season. Nonetheless, this calculation will help you understand how much wine you must order so that you don’t run out of it midway through the party. Also, it is easier to go overboard while pouring a glass of wine, so take charge of pouring wine to your guests to ensure they are not getting too little or too much wine
Choose wines to suit guests’ palate
We all want to impress guests with our wine selection, but it is important to keep in mind that we have curated the evening for them. Instead of serving expensive labels or wines with complex flavour profiles, go for easy-drinking wines with fruit-forward flavours that every guest can appreciate. Also, serve a variety of styles so that there’s a wine for every palate.
Are you looking for award-winning wine recommendations to make your holiday wine shopping fuss-free? Click here and check out the India Wines And Spirits Award 2024 winners’ list.
