As they say, ‘tis the season to eat, drink, and be merry, and between all the parties, dinners, and events in the coming weeks, this phrase will pretty much be the theme of our lives until after the ball drops into the new year.

So, with Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and New Year’s Eve celebrations around the corner, we know there’s a lot to consider when it comes to choosing what to eat and drink during your festive gatherings. To help guide you, we’re sharing some of the best wines to pair with all the flavor combinations adorning your holiday table this season, as well as helpful tips for pairing food and wine with ease.

The Ultimate Guide to Holiday Food & Wine Pairings

Rules of Pairing Food and Wine

Before we dive into the best food and wine pairings for the season’s holiday feasts, you may be wondering: What is the #1 rule when matching food with wine? The simple answer is, there really isn’t one general rule. We always encourage drinking what you enjoy, however, discovering a great pairing can be a real game-changer. Since you’ll likely want to strive for pairing perfection again, we’ve put together some tips for matching food and wine with ease:

1. Match weights and textures

   It’s all about balance! Light, delicate dishes call for equally delicate wines to ensure neither overpowers the other. A crisp Sauvignon Blanc perfectly complements a light salad or poached fish, while a bold Cabernet Sauvignon is a natural fit for a hearty steak. Meanwhile, richer, creamier foods pair beautifully with wines that offer a similarly creamy, mouth-coating texture—think Chardonnay or a lush Viognier.

2. Seek out similar flavor profiles

   Enhancing a certain flavor in the food by finding a similar flavor in the wine, or vice versa, helps find a nice balance of complementary flavors between what you’re eating and drinking. Have a dish with earthy flavors like mushrooms? A Pinot Noir with earthy undertones makes an excellent match.

3. Consider acid and sweetness levels

   Try to pair acidic foods with higher acid wines, so the wines don’t end up tasting flat. Crisp whites, sparkling wines, and lighter reds are higher in acid, making them excellent companions to higher acid dishes. The same goes for sweeter foods; it’s important to pair dessert with a wine as sweet as, or sweeter than, the dessert, so the wine’s flavors don’t get destroyed by the sugar.

4. Think regionally

   When in doubt, consider the old saying, “What grows together, goes together.” This regionally-inspired approach to pairing food and wine is a nearly foolproof way of creating harmony on your plate and in your glass. After all, why reinvent the wheel when certain regions have been perfecting these combinations for centuries?

While the art of food and wine pairing is filled with nuances, these tips offer a solid foundation for creating excellent combinations this holiday season and beyond. Now, let’s get into the good stuff!

Best Pairing for Holiday Appetizers and Small Bites

Sparkling Wine

Regardless of where it’s from, sparkling wine remains a go-to during the holiday season. Not only is this effervescent beverage universally festive, but its bright acidity and refreshing profile offer a welcome respite from the salty, fatty fare often served at holiday fêtes. Try it alongside charcuterie, soft cheeses, salty popcorn, fried olives, caviar, and Dungeness crab cakes all season long.

Wines to Try: Iron Horse Winter’s Cuvee, Frank Family Blanc de Blancs, Mumm Brut Prestige, Argyle Spirit Hill Blanc de Noirs, Christophe Mignon Champagne

Best Pairings for Holiday Vegetable Dishes and Sides

Chardonnay

Chardonnay is one of the more versatile white grapes for pairing with food—holiday favorites included. Most Chardonnays make great companions to white meat like turkey or chicken, but when it comes to side dishes, oaked, full-bodied Chardonnays offer more richness than their unoaked counterparts. These tend to be prime candidates for creamy, rich side dishes so prevalent at the holiday table, including mashed potatoes, mac n’ cheese, sweet potatoes, butternut squash soup, and buttery rolls.

Wines to Try: Cakebread Chardonnay, Sangiacomo Eden Dale Chardonnay, Bien Nacido Chardonnay

Beaujolais / Gamay

Alternatively, a light-bodied red, such as Beaujolais, makes a fine companion to the flavor combinations in holiday side dishes, especially helpful in elevating the more earthy or red-fruited flavors in the food. We love Beaujolais with sausage stuffing, pasta salads, cranberry-forward sides, and bacon-wrapped, well, pretty much anything.

Wines to Try: Storm Gamay, Anthony Thevenet Beaujolais, Madson Gamay

Best Pairings for Thanksgiving Turkey or Ham

Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir is a light-bodied red wine that happens to be one of the most food-friendly varieties, as its red fruit flavors, earthy characters, low and soft tannins, and noticeable acidity make it a great match for all sorts of fare. Plus, it tends to have lower levels of alcohol than some other reds, so it won’t overpower your meal (or weigh you down while you eat it). While Pinot Noir is a natural match for the star of the Thanksgiving show—turkey—it’s also great with ham, duck, pork, salmon, and mushroom dishes. Given its versatility, many wine lovers claim it to be the ideal Thanksgiving wine. Psst: Check out this recipe for Apple Cider Turkey Brine from our friends at MacRostie Winery in Sonoma.

Wines to Try: MacRostie Gap’s Crown Pinot Noir, Dutton-Goldfield Deviate Pinot Noir, Lumen Presqu’ile Pinot Noir, The Hilt Pinot Noir

Best Pairings for Hanukkah

Sauvignon Blanc

While sparkling wine is one of our first choices for potato latkes, you also can’t go wrong with Sauvignon Blanc. The bright acidity of Sauvignon Blanc contrasts with the rich, oily, crispy flavors in the latkes, offering even more refreshing balance when they’re topped with sour cream or applesauce.

Wines to Try: Silverado Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc, Dragonette Grimm’s Bluff Sauvignon Blanc, Clos du Val Sauvignon Blanc, Aperture Sauvignon Blanc

Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernets, particularly those from California and other New World regions, tend to have concentrated black fruit flavors, lush tannins, powerful structures, and earthy and dusty characters, with a noticeable amount of oak influence. Ideal for winter sipping, this robust, full-bodied varietal is a perfect partner for rich, flavorful foods that match the weight and intensity of the wine, from braised beef short ribs to roasted rack of lamb, roast beef, and, yes, beef brisket—a mainstay during Hanukkah.

Wines to Try: Fantesca Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon, Clif Family Kit’s Killer Cabernet, Seven Hills Cabernet, Matthews Columbia Valley Cabernet

Best Pairings for Christmas Dinner

Syrah

Syrah is a rich and powerful red known for its expressive notes of black fruit, tobacco, black olive, and black pepper, with cured and smoked meat nuances. Though it can be big and inky, other styles can be downright ethereal, offering velvet-like texture and seamlessness on the finish. A natural fit with bold flavors, we enjoy pairing it with duck, venison, and lamb—whether roasted, braised, or grilled—as well as Christmas favorites like prime rib.

Wines to Try: Shafer Relentess Syrah, Melville Estate Syrah, Kukkula Noir, Rasa Veritas Syrah, Ojai Mountain Syrah

Zinfandel

Zinfandel is a medium- to full-bodied red wine noted for its ripe fruit-forward flavors (often described as jammy), black pepper and exotic spice notes, and high alcohol content. Simply put: Zinfandel is no shrinking violet, so you’ll want to serve it with fare that packs just as big of a flavor punch. Roasted beef, rack of lamb, roasted duck, and cassoulet are all great options, but Zinfandel is also well-suited for spicy dishes and cuisines, from Moroccan to Mexican (we’re looking at you, Christmas tamales!).

Wines to Try: Dry Creek Vineyard Old Vine Zinfandel, Seghesio Old Vine Zinfandel, Williams-Selyem Bacigalupi Zinfandel, Overshine Wine Co. Maple Vineyard Zinfandel

Best Pairings for Kwanzaa

Riesling

Riesling often gets lumped into the ‘sweet wine’ category, which doesn’t do this impressive varietal justice as sweetness is only part of its story. Incredibly aromatic and food-friendly, this versatile grape can produce white wines ranging from lean and minerally with refreshing acidity, to off-dry with balanced sweetness, not to mention aged dessert wines that showcase wonderful complexity. For these reasons, Riesling is an ideal wine for celebrating Kwanzaa. A dry version will complement collard greens, while an off-dry Riesling is a prime choice for spicy gumbo, as it won’t accentuate the heat in the food but rather coat your mouth to balance it. Sweeter, late-harvest Rieslings, on the other hand, are what you’ll want to serve with sweet potato pie or peach cobbler.

Wines to Try: Smith-Madrone Estate Riesling, Tatomer Kick-on Ranch Riesling, Trisaetum Ribbon Ridge Riesling

Best Pairings for Desserts

Sweeter Sparkling Wines

While Extra Brut and Brut styles of sparkling wine remain our go-to choices for hors d’oeuvres, we love pairing sweeter styles of bubbly, like a Demi-Sec or Doux, with holiday desserts, such as souffle, bread pudding, and apple pie. As mentioned earlier, the sweetness of the wine needs to be at least as sweet as or sweeter than the dessert or else the wine will taste sour.

Wines to Try: Domaine Carneros Verméil Demi-Sec, Gloria Ferrer Demi-Sec

Tawny Port

Tawny Port is a fortified wine from Portugal, but unlike Ruby Port, it’s matured in oak casks to give it more complex notes. It boasts flavors of nuts, caramel, and dried fruits, with a richness and structure that beautifully complement decadent desserts. Thanks to its higher alcohol content and layered profile, Tawny Port pairs effortlessly with treats like sticky toffee pudding, apple pie, pecan pie, crème brûlée, and even fruit tarts and fruitcake.

Wines to Try: Graham’s 20-Year Tawny, Quinta de la Rosa 20-Year Tawny