IWSC shares festive wine matching tips

The International Wine & Spirit Competition has released its judges’ tips for top wine pairings to accompany Christmas dishes and other popular meals.

For the classic roast turkey, judges recommended the Asda Extra Special El Meson Rioja Gran Reserva 2004. For those eating roast goose instead this Christmas, the team suggested the Cono Sur 20 Barrels Pinot Noir 2012.

Either side of the main meal, the IWSC suggested Xanadu Next of Kin Chardonnay 2011 as an ideal match with poached salmon; for Christmas pudding, judges picked out the Sainsbury’s Winemakers’ Selection Muscat Saint Jean de Minervois NV.

Further festive recommendations included nut roast with Marks & Spencer Manzanilla Sherry, and chocolate pudding with Tesco Finest 10-Year-Old Tawny Port.

Turning to more general wine matching advice for some of the UK’s most popular dishes, judges picked out the acidity of Champagne as an ideal partner for fish and chips, the richness of an aged Riesling or Alsatian Gewürztraminer with a spicy Indian curry, and a full-bodied Côtes du Rhône or Australian Shiraz with sausage and mash.

Explaining the idea behind these suggestions, IWSC general manager Ewan Lacey said: “For most, one of the biggest dilemmas of the festive season is choosing the wine for Christmas lunch. The IWSC works with the world’s best drink experts and we wanted to share some of their top tips for buying wine and spirits.”