Verriq Christmas special

Wine with turkey

Turkey is in the top four of the Hart van Nederland Christmas panel (2022) and appears on the Christmas menus of miljuschka.nl and Allerhande. Often stuffed, with cranberry sauce.

Wine advice

Prices are indications per bottle; they vary by shop.

Smart up to €10

Young, fruity red

Beaujolais (gamay)

Lightly chilled, lots of red fruit.

Full white

Chardonnay from Chile or South Africa

Round and ripe.

Generous €10 to €25

Pinot noir

New Zealand pinot noir

Juicy red fruit, lovely with cranberry.

Off-dry white

Riesling Kabinett or Spätlese

A touch of sweetness copes with the cranberry sauce.

All out from €25

Red Burgundy

Burgundy premier cru (pinot noir)

Elegant and soft.

Full white from Alsace

Pinot gris grand cru

Rich, with gentle sweetness.

Why this wine?

Turkey is lean and mild; the stuffing brings salt, the cranberry sauce sweetness. Sweetness makes a dry wine taste less fruity, so choose a wine with plenty of fruit and soft tannins, or a full white.

What matters here

Sweetness in food makes wine taste less sweet and fruity, and makes bitterness, acidity and alcohol stand out.
Salt makes wine softer and fuller, and less bitter or astringent: salty dishes are easy to match.

Better not

A firm red with lots of tannin: it makes the lean meat feel dry.

← All Christmas dishes

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Sources

Verriq · Last updated: 2026-10-19