How to pair wines with your festive menu

The festive season is all about indulgence, from hearty roasts to decadent desserts. A well-paired wine can elevate these dishes, bringing out the rich flavours and turning any meal into a celebration whether you’re hosting a grand family feast or an intimate dinner, here’s how to pair wines with your festive menu—plus two foolproof recipes to impress your guests.

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How to pair wines with your festive menu

1. Match Intensity: Balance is key. Bold dishes, like slow-cooked lamb or gammon, pair beautifully with full-bodied reds, while lighter fare calls for more delicate wines.
2. Highlight Complementary Flavours: Consider the dominant notes in the dish. For instance, a wine with berry or spice undertones complements roasted meats with fruit-based glazes.
3. Contrast Richness: Use acidity to cut through rich, fatty dishes. A crisp white wine or a red with bright acidity can refresh the palate between bites of creamy sauces or cheeses.
4. Consider the Occasion: For casual meals, opt for approachable, versatile wines. For formal dinners, choose sophisticated options like single-vineyard selections.
5. Don’t Forget the Dessert: Pairing wine with sweets can be tricky. A general rule is to match sweetness levels, ensuring the wine is as sweet as—or sweeter than—the dessert.

Festive Recipes with Backsberg Wines

To elevate your December gatherings, Backsberg presents two delicious recipes created by renowned chef Sam Linsell, perfectly paired with the featured wines. Savour slow-roasted shoulder of lamb, ideally complemented by the bold Pumphouse Shiraz, or for those who prefer a white wine alternative, indulge in succulent roast chicken cooked with wine, herbs and garlic.

Thoughtfully crafted, these recipes aim to alleviate some seasonal stresses, allowing more time for what matters most – family, friends and exceptional wine.

Slow roasted shoulder of lamb with harissa & garlic

INGREDIENTS

1 shoulder of lamb on the bone – approx. 2.5kg

5 – 6 rosemary stalks

6 – 8 sprigs of thyme

3 – 4 bay leaves

2 whole heads of garlic cut horizontally

2 small red onion cut into wedges

2 Tbs Olive oil

2 Tbsp harissa paste

½ tsp cumin

½ tsp smoked paprika

250ml lamb stock (made from 1 cube)

Salt and pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 250°C/480F.
2. Place most of the rosemary (reserve a couple of sprigs), thyme, bay leaves, 3 of the garlic head halves and the red onion in the bottom of a high sided roasting dish. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
3. Place the lamb on top of the vegetables and herbs.
4. Prepare the lamb by slashing through any fat if there is, but not penetrating the meat.
5. Smear the harissa paste over the meat and sprinkle over the cumin and smoked paprika, season with salt and pepper.
6. Break up the remaining half head of garlic and bruise the cloves. Place them on top of the meat along with the remaining sprigs of rosemary.
7. Tightly seal the whole tray with heavy-duty aluminium foil ensuring it is completely sealed.
8. Place in the hot oven and cook for 10 minutes and then reduce the temperature to 180°C and leave it to roast for 4 hours. Do not open and check the meat. Just leave it.
9. After 4 hours take out the oven and remove the lamb and set it aside covered in the foil for about 10 – 15 minutes.
10. Strain the pan juice and the roast garlic and herbs through a fine sieve into a wide vessel. Press down to release as much liquid as possible. Allow the fat and juices to settle/ separate into distinct layers.
11. Either use a fat separator to skim the fat off the top. Alternatively, lay a sheet of paper towel over the top surface and lift it off with the fat. Repeat this another 4 – 5 more times until no more fat comes off and the towel starts soaking the pan juices.
12. Carve the meat, it falls off the bone. Shred the meat into large chunks. Reheat the pan juices in a microwave or on the stove top and pour this over the meat.
13. Serve it with home-made or store bought flatbread or pita with Tzatziki. Side dishes that would work well here is a herby cous cous salad, griddled seared zucchini, and a tomato and cucumber salad.

Pair with a glass of Backsberg Pumphouse Shiraz.

Roast chicken with wine, herbs and garlic

INGREDIENTS

1 free-range chicken

1 onion peeled and roughly chopped

1 medium carrot roughly chopped

1 few extra whole sprigs of herbs

½ lemon

3 tsp of Dijon mustard

4 cloves of garlic crushed

125 ml or 1/2 cup roughly chopped herbs such as parsley sage, rosemary, thyme & oregano

250 ml or 1 cup Backsberg Smuggled Vines Chardonnay

250 ml or 1 cup chicken stock

2-3 Tbs olive oil

salt and pepper

3 Tbs butter

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350 F.
2. Place the chicken on the chopped onion and carrot in a deep-sided roasting pan making sure it’s quite a snug fit.
3. Fill the cavity of the chicken with a few sprigs of herbs and half the lemon.
4. Mix the mustard, garlic, herbs, white wine and stock together (you should have just over 2 cups) and pour this marinade over the chickens and into the cavity. Drizzle over the olive oil and rub it all over the chicken and season with salt and pepper.
5. Roast uncovered for 1 1/2 hours or until the chicken is cooked. Roast the chicken with the breast side up for 30 minutes, then flip it over so the underside goes golden for the next 30 minutes, and then finally flip it back upright for the final 30 minutes. Baste the chicken with half the butter for the last 15 minutes. If the liquid has thinned out too much, top up with stock or water and a splash more of white wine halfway through or for the last 30 minutes.
6. Remove the chicken from the oven and baste with the remaining butter. Take it out the tray and set it aside on a serving platter to rest. Carve onto a serving platter disposing of the carcass or use this to make stock.
7. Strain the pan juices and vegetables through a fine sieve and serve this over the carved roast chicken. If necessary, reheat this on the stove or in the microwave.

Serve with roast potatoes, steamed greens or any other vegetables of your choice and of course Backsberg Smuggled Vines Chardonnay.

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Featured Image: Supplied