At The Blue Dolphin Store we are big fans of Christmas. With Christmas comes the time to get together with our beloved, some of whom come from far and wide to share a table. It is the time to sit down and enjoy all kinds of delicacies with family and friends. If this year you don’t want to drink alcohol, you may be wondering, how do non-alcoholic wines pair? Here you will learn pairing with non-alcoholic wines.
The wrong pairing of non-alcoholic wines often spoils the work, time and products used in the preparation of Christmas menus, so here we recommend the alcohol-free wines that go best with Christmas menus.
Appetizers
Christmas meals start with a good ‘aperitivo’: dishes with a wide variety of ingredients: cheese, cold meats, sausages or smoked fish.
Sparkling wines are always a good choice: smoked foods go very well with a non-alcoholic sparkling wine, such as Prosecco, like Oddbird Spumante, made from 100% glera grapes from the Italian province of Treviso.
Although the general opinion is that cheese should be drunk with red wine. Not really, the expression dar con queso (literally “giving with cheese” meaning “to deceive”) comes from an old ruse. Long ago, in order to sell rancid red wine, La Mancha winemakers used to offer novice buyers a plate of tasty Manchego cheese in oil. Its strong flavour prevented the unwary customers from distinguishing between a good red wine and rancid one.
When serving cheese, offer always a non-alcoholic white wine such as Lussory White or a smooth alcohol-free rosé wine like Kolonne Null Rosé. For Iberian cured meats, always a light red wine, such as Pierre Zéro Signature Red, made with Garnacha grapes, a wine without organic alcohol; and no added sugars, preservatives or sulphites.
Seafood and fish, the perfect pairing with non-alcoholic wine
Seafood is the star of many Christmas tables. It goes very well with a fresh, light white wine that helps to cleanse the palate. You can serve the wine used with the appetizers, or, if we want something different, we can offer a Pierre Zéro Signature White, an ultra-premium, organic, non-alcoholic white wine made from 100% Chardonnay grapes. This same wine will also work wonderfully with most white fish, but if we are thinking of slightly more oily and grilled fish, such as hake or sea bream, perhaps something with more body such as Kolonne Null Verdejo is needed.
Poultry and white meats
The same full-bodied white wine is also perfect for poultry such as turkey, capon or pork. Its low fat content and non-invasive aroma do not go well with a strong red wine. If serving duck, a light and fruity red wine such as Oddbird Low Intervention Organic Red, a 100% organic non-alcoholic red wine, a smooth blend of Merlot and Pinot Noir grapes, is best.
Red meat
For many families, the main course is still baked lamb or kid. In these cases, a non-alcoholic red wine is required: perhaps a cabernet sauvignon such as Sinzero Red or Zero Zero Red, which also contains Merlot grapes and subtle hints of oak on the palate. The same wines are recommended for game or beef.
Desserts
With panettone and nougat, we will uncork the best non-alcoholic sparkling wines to toast with the family to what the new year has in store for us. It’s time for after-dinner drinks, and non-alcoholic cocktails and 0.0 cocktails are in vogue. Prepare the best gin & tonics with our selection of alcohol-free gin, alcohol-free rum cubalibres, alcohol-free vodka shots and alcohol-free coffee liqueur. Get the party started, with 100% fun and 0% hangover guaranteed thanks to our alcohol-free drinks.
