A South African Christmas lunch usually means a table full of different flavours: glazed gammon, roast turkey or chicken, lamb, seafood, salads and something sweet to finish. The easiest way to pair wine with all of that is to open a few different bottles rather than hunting for one perfect match. A crisp Sauvignon Blanc for starters and seafood, a textured Chardonnay for turkey and gammon, and a Syrah or Cabernet Sauvignon for lamb and beef will cover almost everything on the table.
Christmas is still two months away, but the best festive lunches start with a little planning. Here’s how to choose wines that make the day feel special.
What is the best all-round wine for Christmas lunch?
If you only serve one white and one red, choose a Chardonnay and a Syrah. Chardonnay has enough body for poultry, gammon and creamy sides, but still feels fresh in December heat. Syrah, with its dark fruit and gentle spice, sits comfortably alongside gammon, turkey, lamb and even cranberry or fruit-based sauces.
At Paserene, Elements Bright 2022 (Chardonnay) and The Dark 2019 (Syrah) are an easy pair to build a festive table around.
What wine goes with gammon?
Gammon is salty, sweet and often glazed with honey, mustard or pineapple, so it suits wines with ripe fruit and good acidity. A Chardonnay with gentle oak works beautifully, as does a medium-bodied Syrah. Avoid very tannic reds, which can taste bitter against the salt.
For a show-stopping table, the barrel-aged Paserene Chardonnay 2022, from cool-climate Elgin, brings richness and citrus freshness that stand up to a glazed gammon.
What wine goes with turkey or roast chicken?
Poultry is mild, so the sides and stuffing often decide the wine. With herbs, gravy and roast potatoes, a textured Chardonnay is hard to beat. If the meal leans towards cranberry sauce, sage and onion stuffing or a fruity glaze, a softer red such as Syrah works too.
What wine goes with Christmas lamb or beef?
Roast leg of lamb loves Syrah. The wine’s pepper and dark fruit pair naturally with rosemary and garlic. Our Union 2020 Syrah is made for this kind of occasion.
For roast beef or a fillet on the braai, reach for Cabernet Sauvignon. The Midnight 2022 offers structure and blackcurrant fruit, and the Marathon 2021 magnum is a generous centrepiece for a bigger table, perfect for a long, relaxed lunch.
What wine goes with seafood and salads?
Crayfish, prawns, line fish and summer salads call for freshness. A crisp Sauvignon Blanc like The Emerald 2025, with its tropical fruit and lime zest, is ideal for starters and seafood. For crayfish or prawns in butter, a Chardonnay adds a lovely richness.
What should you serve with Christmas dessert?
Christmas pudding, trifle and mince pies are very sweet, and most dry wines will taste sharp beside them. If you want to pour something with dessert, choose a dessert wine that’s at least as sweet as the pudding, or simply let guests finish their red with the cheese board instead.
How much wine do you need for Christmas lunch?
As a guide, plan on about half a bottle per wine-drinking guest for a long lunch, and a little more if the afternoon stretches into the evening. Most hosts find a split of roughly half white and half red works well in December, with extra white on very hot days. It’s always better to have a bottle left over than to run out mid-afternoon.
How should you serve wine on a hot Christmas Day?
Temperature matters more than people think in a South African December:
- Chill whites in the fridge and keep them in an ice bucket at the table.
- Give reds 15 to 20 minutes in the fridge before serving, so they’re refreshing rather than warm.
- Keep wine out of direct sun, especially on an outdoor table.
- Store festive bottles somewhere cool and dark in the weeks before. Our guide on storing wine through a South African summer explains how.
When should you order wine for Christmas?
Earlier than you think. Ordering in November gives you time to taste, choose and make sure deliveries arrive well before the festive rush. It’s also the perfect time to pick up gifts. See our guide to choosing wine as a gift.
Plan your festive table at Paserene
Taste the range before you buy at the Paserene tasting lounge in Franschhoek, open daily from 10am to 5pm, or order online and have your Christmas wines delivered.
FAQs
What wine goes best with a South African Christmas lunch?
Open a few styles: Sauvignon Blanc for starters and seafood, Chardonnay for gammon and turkey, and Syrah or Cabernet Sauvignon for lamb and beef.
Is red or white wine better with gammon?
Both can work. A Chardonnay with gentle oak or a medium-bodied Syrah suits gammon’s sweet and salty flavours. Very tannic reds are best avoided.
How many bottles of wine do I need for Christmas lunch?
Allow roughly half a bottle per wine-drinking guest for a long lunch. For 12 wine drinkers, that’s about six bottles, plus one or two extra.
Should red wine be chilled for Christmas lunch in summer?
Lightly, yes. Fifteen to twenty minutes in the fridge brings reds to a refreshing temperature on a
