Seeing Red This Christmas

By: Carl Hanson

Our wine guy ponders a red wine-friendly feast for the holidays.

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Expecting a crowd of thirsty folks for Christmas dinner? Here's some advice on how to keep your wine budget under control.

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Carl's Christmas Champagne Cocktail

Here's an idea for a fun and festive cocktail for your holiday party. Try an inexpensive sparkling wine like Prosecco or Cava.

Several cranberry sauce berries (recipe below)
2 Tbsp pear brandy
Chilled sparkling wine

Spoon the berries into the bottom of a tall champagne flute. Add pear brandy and fill with cold sparkling wine.

To make the cranberries, preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Stir together a 12-ounce bag of fresh cranberries, 1 1/2 cups of white sugar, 1/2 cup of brandy, and 4 1/2 teaspoons of orange zest in a shallow baking dish. Bake until the berries are soft and the liquid has evaporated, about 1 hour. Allow the berries to cool completely. Store covered in the refrigerator.

During the holidays, I like to keep a bunch of these cranberries on hand, using them in place of cherries in traditional Old Fashioned and Manhattan cocktail recipes.

Let me admit up front, I'm not a doctor. I'm not a scientist. I'm just a reader of newspapers. Which is how I came across a news story recently about a chemical compound in red wine that might actually slow the aging process.

I file encouraging wine stories like this under "B" for Bonus! And it’s a folder that's filling up fast, as the good news about red wine--drunk in moderation (always the key)--keeps rolling in. Did I mention I'm not a doctor, or even a scientist? I'm just a red wine drinker.

But reading good news like this makes me look forward to this year's Christmas feasting even more than usual. Because unlike Thanksgiving dinner, which can blow up red wines, the Christmas feast is a festival of red wine-friendly foods. The big roast. The crown of pork. The rack of lamb. The tenderloin of beef. These are the ultimate red wine companions. The time is right for opening up those warming reds: The Cabernet Sauvignons, the Merlots, the Zins, Barolos, Malbecs, and the like. It's tough to go wrong, frankly.

Whatever you choose, here’s to your health this Christmas!

Roasts and Wine Pairing Suggestions

Crown Roast of Pork with Sausage Stuffing: So perfect for Christmas dinner, the recipe even calls for chestnuts! The bacon and sage make me think of Pinot Noir, Merlot, or even Zinfandel.

Crown Roast of Pork with Sausage Stuffing

Garlic and Rosemary Rubbed Prime Rib: Rosemary is a very red wine-friendly herb. When I think Dijon and mushrooms, I think Pinot Noir. But you have many options here including Merlot, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Boneless Garlic and Rosemary Rubbed Prime Rib with Red Wine Mushroom Sauce

Foolproof Rib Roast: Another one for Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot.

Foolproof Rib Roast

Roasted Rack of Lamb: Take your pick. This recipe makes me think of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, or Zinfandel.

Roasted Rack of Lamb

Blue Cheese Beef Tenderloin: With the blue cheese sauce, I'm leaning toward Zinfandel or Cabernet Sauvignon.

Blue Cheese Beef Tenderloin

Thanksgiving Dinner Redux: If you’re having turkey and fixings for Christmas dinner, check out my recent recommendations for Thanksgiving wines--scroll to the bottom of the page to discover the surprising results.

Turkey Dinner Wine Pairings

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