Wine to Dine

Drinks writer Peter Ranscombe picks five wines to pair with the Christmas banquet.

Christmas is a time for feasting – celebrating family and friendship over good food and good wine. Taking that feast outside into a location like The Secret Herb Garden in Edinburgh – as Scottish Field did for its December 2018 issue – makes the occasion extra special.

Dining outside means that we need wines with character that will retain their aromas and flavours in the open air, but which won’t overpower the ingredients in the dishes, especially anything that’s been foraged.

Food-friendly whites like gruner veltliner are great places to start if they have enough intensity to their fruit, while the fresh acidity in pinot noir makes it a great lighter red option.

Deeper red wines like Minervois from the Languedoc in the south of France are ideal winter warmers – whether indoors or out – and what better way to kick-start a feast than with some fizz?

I wish you a peaceful Christmas and Hogmanay – no matter which vinous treats you choose to accompany your feasts.