Wine & Food Pairing for Christmas with Sinéad O’Reilly AIWS, Dicey Reilly’s, Ballyshannon.
On these colder nights with the fire roaring there is nothing more warming than a delicious glass of wine! With Christmas just a few weeks away, it’s time to stock up on wines so we caught up with Sinéad O’Reilly of Dicey Reilly’s who shares some wine pairing advice and expertise:
Apéritifs
Drinks before dinner have a really important purpose: they get the appetite stimulated. This should be a very simple, dry, fruity, crisp and light wine that is easy to drink.
- Bella Modella Pinot Grigio €9.99 www.diceys.com
Deliciously crisp Pinot Grigio with a fine, floral perfume and juicy crisp flavours of melon, lychee and pear. Lovely clean and fresh finish.
- L’Or du Sud Sauvignon Blanc €9.99 www.diceys.com
A dry, fruity and crisp Sauvignon Blanc with beautiful citrus and tropical fruit
aromas and flavours. A well balanced wine that is exceptional value for money.
- Dr Loosen Riesling €16.99 www.diceys.com
Perfect introduction to wine. Lower alcohol at 8.5%. Refreshing and fruity with peaches, grapefruit, apple and lime balanced artfully with tangy acidity.
- Juvé & Camps Gran Reserva Cava €27.99 www.diceys.com
Bone dry and well refined, this could easily be confused with a good quality Champagne without the price tag. Superb value for money.
Starters
Salad based starters work well with most dry whites; Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, crisp Chablis or Unoaked Chardonnay. Soup suits medium bodies Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, or riesling. Smoked salmon with its strong flavour and oily texture, requires a crisp acidic wine such as Chablis. A lighter style of Sauvignon Blanc would work better with prawns.
- Le Versant Sauvignon Blanc €13.99 www.diceys.com
A beautiful more subtle Sauvignon Blanc with lots of gooseberry and nectarine aromas. Really pleasant on the palate oozing lime, peaches and gooseberries.
- Cielo Pinot Grigio €12.99 www.diceys.com
Refreshiing wine with intense aromas of breadcrumbs and green apple, fresh and so easy to drink.
- Little Rascal Chardonnay €14.99 www.diceys.com
Delicious flavours of mango and pear which are nicely balanced by a gorgeous citrus acidity on the palate and a touch of mineral on the finish.
- Moreau Chablis €26.99 www.diceys.com
This Chablis is fresh, flinty and lively with lemon and green apple with a lovely twist and a zesty finish.
Turkey/Ham/Goose/Lamb/Beef
Turkey and ham go well with a very wide range of wines, red and white. A good powerful southern Rhone, a merlot based Bordeaux, Burgundy or a soft Pinot Noir. If you prefer white wine go for a rich Chablis, Chardonnay, Albarino or a Sauvignon Blanc. If you are having goose, a German Riesling, however a Pinot Noir would be my first choice. The combination of earthy fruit and acidity will cut through the richness of the goose. If you are having lamb Bordeaux is the obvious choice. With roast beef Chateauneuf du pape, and in fact all robust Rhone reds come into their own.
- Bordet Premier Cru Chablis €36.99 www.diceys.com
A crisp and searing Chablis with delicious flavours of zingy kiwi and honeyed apple. Perfectly balanced richness, elegance and finesse.
- Foncalieu Albarino €15.99 www.diceys.com
Gorgeous aromas of white fruit with honey and coconut notes. Full of tropical fruit, citrus and melon with a juicy, slightly mineral finish.
- I Love Mosel Riesling €21.99 www.diceys.com
You taste Mosel tropical and lime fruits with lots of acidity ending with honeyed fruit and loads of freshness.
- Le Versant Pinot Noir €13.99 www.diceys.com
Beautiful rich Pinot perfume with lots of black fruits, perfectly balanced with a hint of oak. Over delivers for its price.
- Forrest Estate Pinot Noir €23.99 www.diceys.com
Raspberries and strawberries, black cherry, plums with hints of violet, coffee and savoury spice. Super smooth and silky with excellent crisp acidity. Full, complex and delicious.
- Sabon by Roger Sabon €17.99 www.diceys.com
Super rich with loads of brambly raspberry, cherry and blackberry fruits. Medium to full bodied with soft tannins, savoury notes and peppery spice, chocolate and liquorice.
- Salentein Pinot Noir €18.99 www.diceys.com
Full bodied and super smooth. Endless delicious blackberries, cherries, redcurrant, chocolate and subtle hints of soft tobacco and oak. Soft and round with the yummiest lingering finish.
- Ch Fongabon Bordeaux €22.99 www.diceys.com
Powerful aromas and flavours of dark cherry, blackcurrant, smoke and spice. Lip smacking delicious layers of fleshy ripe blackberries.
Christmas Cake/Pudding/Trifle
Christmas isn’t the same without a bottle of something sweet and sticky. Whether with pudding, Christmas cake, trifle or blue cheese, a glass of something fortified or dessert wine is an essential part of Christmas Day. Dessert wine will keep for up to a week in the fridge, Port and Sherry will last a few weeks.
- Quinta de la Rosa 10 year old Tawny Port €29.99 www.diceys.com
Delicate, soft and creamy. Rich and elegant with powerful dried fruit, figs, honey and almonds.
- Castelnau de Suduiraut Sauternes ½ bottle €18.99 www.diceys.com
Seductive orange blossom, spices and fudge. Smooth with a delicate and soft sweetness.
- Hidalgo Pedro Ximenez €19.99 www.diceys.com
Full flavoured, very sweet, almost syrupy delicious wine. Sweet treacle, figs, raisins and apricots in a lingering finish. Devine with fruit cake or poured over ice-cream.
- Elysium Black Muscat €16.99 www.diceys.com
A delightful sweet wine that is incredible with a dark chocolate brownie, poured over vanilla ice-cream or with a strong blue cheese. Rich dark cherry and dried fruit, a must try.
GIFTING…
Looking for a festive gift? Dicey Reilly’s Off Licence have a large selection of eclectic wines, whiskies, craft and world beers, gins, cocktail ingredients and delicious pastas, sauces, chutneys, crackers, cheese and chocolate for the perfect present! Hamper gift trays, boxes and baskets can be bespoke to suit any budget this Christmas! Available in store and online at www.diceys.com
