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The best drink matches for Christmas mains

Read time 5 Mins

Posted 21 Oct 2022

By
Mitch Parker

A spectacular spread of food deserves spectacular drinks to go with it.

Whipping up an old family favourite? Or maybe you’re rolling the dice and trying something new this year. Whatever you’re planning for your main course we’re sure it’ll be spectacular — now you just need some spectacular drinks to match. To find out the best main course drinks we turned to Dan Murphy’s Camberwell Wine Merchant Kranthi Gudipati who talked us through his picks and what he’d serve alongside them.

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Oakridge Hazeldene Chardonnay with Roast Pork and Crackling

“The reason this chardonnay is particularly good with roast pork is because of that crisp, salty crackling. That salty element is a great match for the savouriness of the chardonnay. It’s not an overly buttery or sweet chardonnay but has more savoury components like flint, spice, and green olive flavours.”

Mack Isbjørn Lager with Crumbed Fish

“Lager is a great beer for matching with almost everything. But I think it works really well with anything that is crumbed and deep fried, like fish for example. The crisp, clean taste of this lager washes down the crunchy, salty fish really well. And it’s an easy-drinking style of beer which means you could easily stick with it for the rest of the meal.”

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The Gospel Solera Australian Rye Whisky with Honey Glazed Meats or Vegetables

“I like to sip slowly on whisky but another good idea for this rye would be to make the classic Manhattan cocktail but with an Australian twist. It would drink really well with something sweeter so I’d be matching with anything honey glazed. That could be your traditional glazed ham or turkey, or even some lovely roast vegetables like carrots.”

d'Arenberg The Peppermint Paddock Sparkling Red with Barbequed T-bone

“This sparkling red is another really versatile option that will match with a lot of Christmas dishes. There’s a lot of character in this wine, it’s by no means subtle. That means you want a strong flavoured dish like red meat to stand up to it. It would be lovely with a big steak like a t-bone or a tomahawk that’s been grilled on the barbeque and then sliced up for everyone to share.”

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Yering Station Pinot Noir with Duck

“You can’t go past the classic combination of pinot noir and duck — it’s a match made in heaven. And it doesn’t matter if you’re braising it, roasting it whole, or just grilling the breast — any duck dish would work. This Yering Station bottle is a classic Yarra Valley pinot noir, with a lot of fruit flavours like dark cherries and red currants. The savouriness of duck would really add to the balance of the wine.”
Shop related products
OakridgeHazeldene Chardonnay
Hazeldene Chardonnay
$39.29 each
 
IsbjornLager 330mL
Lager 330mL
$62.99 case (24)
 
GospelSolera Australian Rye 700mL
Solera Australian Rye 700mL
$89.99 each
 
d'ArenbergThe Peppermint Paddock Sparkling Red
The Peppermint Paddock Sparkling Red
$28.99 each
 
Yering StationPinot Noir
Pinot Noir
Member Offer
$35 per bottle Non-Member: $37.99 each
 
Authour image
Mitch Parker Mitch Parker is Melbourne-based writer, editor and advocate for always sitting at the bar.
Tags
LearnLagerWineFood pairingsPinot NoirSparkling RedAustralian productsChardonnayChristmasEntertaining
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