The Right Wine For Your Christmas Dinner? This LA Expert Has You Covered

With Christmas coming Monday, you might be wondering what wine or sparkling alcoholic drink to serve with your holiday meal. Reading your mind, LAist reached out to a member of the oldest winemaking family in Los Angeles for some suggestions for pairings with traditional dishes such as turkey, beef and tamales.

Chris Riboli told LAist 89.3's Morning Edition host Susanne Whatley that he's happy to "spread some holiday cheer through wine." He is the Western Division vice president of Riboli Family Wines, which owns San Antonio Winery in downtown L.A. on Lamar Street and has been in business since 1917. Its California estate brands include Maddalena (named for one of the early owners), San Simeon, Opaque and Highlands 41.

Turkey

Riboli said poultry pairs best with Riesling, which is a white wine made from a single variety of grape originally grown in Germany. People often dismiss it as a very sweet wine, but Riboli calls that a common misconception. While Rieslings do tend to have a little bit of extra residual sugar, he notes there is a range of drier varieties that are common above the $10 price point.

"They're crisp, they tend to be mineral-rich and they're light bodied, so they go well with turkey, pork and other white meat," he said.

Different holiday wines to choose from.

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Susanne Whatley

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LAist

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Beef

If you're serving up red meat for the holiday meal, or a main course with red sauce, Riboli recommended leaning into Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon or red blends.

"They are going to have a little bit more body and tannins, and maybe warm you up a little more by the Christmas tree and the fire."

Tamales

Riboli suggested avoiding those bolder reds if you're serving tamales, which are popular at Latino (and other) family Christmas meals. He says if they're spicy, tamales paired with a really dry or tannic wine will make them more bitter.

Instead, he said Pinot Noir could do well as a match, but particularly recommends Moscato d'Asti from Italy, which is a light and effervescent white or rosé. He says its sweetness combats the spiciness of the tamale, and the bubbles "will help get some of that heavy masa and the sauce off your tongue really quick so you get ready for another bite." His family company distributes a Moscato d'Asti under the Stella Rosa label that sells in the $13 range.

An assortment of sparkling wine

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Sparkling wine

On the topic of bubbles, Riboli said there's no bad time for sparkling wine — morning, noon or night — and the holidays call for it. "The minute you pop open that bottle," he said, "it screams celebration and it's joy and holidays."

He advised those who are out to impress pay a bit extra and get Champagne. "You can't beat the toasty biscuit notes that you get from the heavy chardonnay presence in Champagne," he says.

"If you're looking for something that's a little lighter and crisper that tends to be more fruit forward or a bit more budget friendly, Prosecco, the Italian sparkler made with Glera grapes, goes great with all kinds of meals," he said. "You can also use it in your mimosas."

He also suggested the Spanish sparkling wine, Cava, but admited to being partial to Prosecco and the Stella Rosa varieties his family imports. Prosecco also tends to have a lower alcohol level than other wines, which can be a plus at family gatherings.