Host With The Most: What Should You Serve This Christmas?
One of the best things about celebrating Christmas in Australia (besides the amazing produce) is the warm, sunny weather. Aussies love to fire up the barbecue, have long leisurely lunches or picnics alfresco, and take advantage of those long, sweet summer days. Embracing the holiday spirit, many also indulge in the tradition of gifting Christmas-themed alcohol gifts, such as fine wines, artisanal beers, or festive spirits, to add a spirited twist to the season.
Naturally, the cuisine can differ a little from the festive feats enjoyed on the other, colder side of the globe, instead highlighting fresh salads, cold cuts and seafood for Christmas. We’re talking oysters, prawns, cold cuts of leg ham and turkey, barbecue sausages and veggies, and let’s not forget the Christmas pudding, pavlova and fresh cherries.
Planning Makes Perfect: Mapping Out Your Christmas Meal
Before hitting the stores to grocery shop for your Christmas dinner, the most important thing to do is to plan your menu. Think of it like creating a map of the flavour journey you want to take your guests on, from appetisers to desserts. This will give you an indication of what bevs will pair best with your meal choices. Once you have your dishes planned out, then comes the fun part...
From cocktails or cold beers to sweeter sherries or dessert wines, finding the perfect beverage to accompany your Chrissy meal is fun and simple with the help of BW-uS (see what we did there?). We recommend scoping out the drink preferences of your guests before you shop so you have a general idea of what you are after. It's also a good idea to ensure you have non-alcoholic* or lower-alcoholic* options available to ensure all guests are catered for. Luckily, BWS is a one-stop shop for all things drinks, from beers, wines, spirits, premixes and seltzers to vegan, alcoholic, zero%* alcohol, organic, and preservative-free drinks. You name it, we've got it.
What Food Pairings Match Well With A Christmas Feast?
To start:
Set the tone of your Christmas dinner with quality appetisers and drinks right out of the gate. If ever there was a day to pop open a bottle of fancy Champagne, this is the time to do it.
Our pick or starters? Fresh oysters. These briny bites are a classic Christmas starter that your guests will love. Pair them with white wines high in acidity and minerality, bubbly Champagnes that provide a textural contrast, or a gin martini or classic gin & tonic to complement their delicate flavour and cut through the richness.
Other great appetiser options are prawns, charcuterie boards, smoked salmon canapes, guacamole, or bruschetta. Champagne and crisp whites are a match made in heaven with seafood options, or a frothy ale or light chilled pinot noir is the perfect pair to cheeses. If you're feeling super festive this year, a margarita or spritz with your guacamole or nibbles is the perfect celebratory starter.
The main event:
If it's a classic Christmas vibe you're looking for, you can't go wrong with roasted turkey or off-the-bone leg ham. Reach for an elegant chardonnay, grenache or dry rosé to compliment the sweet-and-salty flavours of the glazed ham, or grab an earthy pinot noir, juicy zinfandel or fruit-forward sangiovese to complement the saltiness of the turkey.
Is fresh summery seafood more your style? Lobster, prawns, salmon or grilled barramundi are all delicious delicacies, perfect for celebrating with family and friends. Crisp and vibrant white wines like vermentino and rieslings accompany fresh, juicy prawns and light fish dishes. Their crisp texture enhances freshness, while fruity notes bring out the natural sweetness. For richer seafood dishes like buttered lobster, an oaked white will add depth and complexity to the dish, while the acidity will help to cut through the richness. Sparkling whites or a fruity rose is a classic pairing for smoked salmon, whereas a light and flaky barramundi calls for a refreshing sauvignon blanc to highlight its delicate sweetness.
Meat lovers, this one's for you. Succulent roasted lamb, sizzling sausages, and juicy steaks deserve a bold companion to match at Christmas. Cabernet sauvignon's robust tannins and dark fruit stand up to the richness of a juicy steak or flakey meaty pie, and a shiraz's deep fruitiness and spice are a match made in heaven with juicy lamb. Beer fan? Craft beers like pale ales or IPAs are a tasty, hoppy counterpoint to the smoky flavours of barbecue meats.
Feel like vegging out? Grilled vegetables like eggplants, spinach and cheese stuffed mushrooms and roasted and stuffed capsicum are a great match with wheat beer, fresh bright whites, gin or vodka tonic with cucumber, and lighter sparklings. Creamy chardonnays go beautifully with a mushroom risotto or roasted pumpkin salad, or why not mix things up with an Aperol spritz and fresh Caprese salad?
Dessert:
Sweet tooth's rejoice, Christmas is GIVING. No matter your dessert preference, from Christmas Pudding to pavlova, Mince Pies to cake, there's a delightfully delish drink to match.
Try a 'stickie' – the affectionate name Aussies give their sweet wines – from Down Under if you really want to go (Christmas) ham on the traditional side of things. Sparkling reds are sure to impress your guests if you want to turn up the fizz factor, or feel free to add a delicate sparkling rose to the mix. For a classic pairing, indulge in aged Tawny Ports or rich Madeiras alongside Christmas Pudding or Mince Pies, or pair a traditional trifle with sweet sherry or a botrytised Australian Semillon. Choc fans, try Bailey's Irish Cream-based eggnog, whiskey, or coffee liqueurs. Or why not experiment with trending cocktail recipes like the Tiramisu Martini, The Grasshopper, or a Daiquiri? These decadent concoctions will take your Christmas host status to an eleven out of ten.
Shop For Christmas Drinks At BWS
BWS is your one-stop shop to guide you through Christmas hosting with ease. From bubbly champagnes to bold reds, crisp whites, beer gift sets, top-shelf spirits, and everything in between, we've got something to tantalise every taste bud. At BWS, we also stock a wide variety of options like vegan, preservative-free, organic, low-carb, and low-sugar, or Zero%* or lower-alcohol* options so you can find something to suit all of your guests. With over 1,400 stores across Australia, it's easy to pop in and grab your faves in store. Or why not skip the holiday stress and opt for home delivery or in store pick up and let us handle the rest so you can focus on the festivities? Make yours a very merry – and tasty – Christmas with BWS.