Which wines for the holidays? Aperitif, Christmas and New Year
Holiday meals are a run of rich dishes: the right wine at the right moment makes all the difference. A typical menu, course by course, and how many bottles to plan.
Updated 24 October 2026
For the aperitif: bubbles
A brut champagne remains the classic. A crémant (from Alsace, the Loire or Burgundy) is made the same way at a gentler price. Spanish cava also follows the traditional method; prosecco, fruitier and lighter, gets its bubbles in a tank. For a long aperitif, choose a brut, less sweet than a demi-sec.
Starters
- Oysters and seafood: a dry, mineral white such as muscadet, chablis or picpoul de Pinet.
- Smoked salmon: a dry riesling, a champagne or a Loire sauvignon.
- Foie gras: the classic is a sweet white (sauternes, jurançon, coteaux-du-layon). To avoid sweetness at the start of the meal, a champagne or a full, dry white works too.
Main courses
- Turkey, capon, poultry with chestnuts: an elegant, low-tannin red (Burgundy pinot noir, beaujolais cru) or a full white (Burgundy chardonnay).
- Game, civet, cranberry sauce: a more intense red, such as a northern Rhône syrah, a southern Italian red or a Douro red.
- Roast beef or lamb: a bordeaux, a rioja reserva or a Tuscan red.
- Fish in sauce: a round white (chardonnay, dry chenin).
Cheese and dessert
With cheese, whites often work better than reds; see our guide to wine and Belgian cheese. With a chocolate Yule log, a vin doux naturel (banyuls, maury) or a port; with a fruit log, a sweet white or a muscat.
How many bottles?
A 75 cl bottle fills about six glasses. For a festive meal, people often plan half a bottle per adult, plus bubbles for the aperitif — and always water on the table. And think of those who are driving.
Serving well
Bubbles well chilled (6 to 8 °C), whites between 8 and 12 °C, light reds around 14 °C and powerful reds around 16-17 °C: details in our serving guide.
Looking for a holiday gift? Give a box or a subscription, delivered in Belgium.
Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health. Please drink responsibly.