Your December wine guide: celebrations, gifting & survival

 

December is that time of year when wine stops being a hobby and becomes a coping mechanism disguised as festive cheer. The parties are louder, the relatives are closer, and the expectations are higher than your credit card bill. Whether you’re navigating Christmas dinner in Burgundy, a rooftop soirée in Delhi, or a Dubai year end party where even the cake has a publicist, you’ll need bottles with backbone - wines that survive bad playlists, overcooked roasts, enthusiastic toasts, and the kind of holiday conversations that make you reconsider your life choices.

Let’s begin with Christmas, the festival of roasts, relatives, and mild emotional bedlam. The Western world insists on turkey, ham or goose - all of which can be made edible if paired with the right wine. Enter Pinot Noir: light enough that it won’t bully the bird, elegant enough to silence the bore who insists Bordeaux is the only red worth drinking.

If you’re in India or Southeast Asia, where December meals involve fragrant biryani, lamb cooked on a spit for hours, or spiced vegetables, Pinot still plays beautifully, especially those from New Zealand or Oregon. They’re fresh, precise, and have enough fruit to stand up to spice without collapsing into jam.

Then we have Riesling, the quiet genius of white wine. Alsace produces bottles with the aromatic charm and acidic snap to handle roast duck, paneer tikka, or whatever your family calls “fusion cuisine.” A good dry German Riesling is even more versatile - the vinous equivalent of the friend who keeps the peace while everyone else argues about the grape harvest in Tasmania.

December is a global sugar rush disguised as “festival tradition.” Gulab jamuns, pineapple tarts, baklava, rum balls - all waiting to ambush your palate. The secret here is not matching sugar with more sugar; it’s finding balance. Moscato d’Asti is your gentle option: bright, lightly fizzy, and unlikely to leave you feeling embalmed. If you want more depth, a 10- or 20-year Tawny Port delivers caramel, nuts, dried fruit and just enough warmth to get you through long family stories that should qualify as hostage situations.

When it comes to gifting dessert wines, do everyone a favour and skip the dry reds wrapped in shiny paper. Go for Sauternes, Tokaji or a late-harvest Chenin Blanc. They’re thoughtful, memorable, and suggest you actually know the person you’re gifting - or at least made the effort to pretend.

And now, New Year’s Eve: the global ritual where everyone promises self-improvement and then immediately pours another drink. Bubbles are non-negotiable, but Champagne is no longer the only answer. For similar sparkle without the surcharge, try Crémant from the Loire or Alsace, Prosecco Superiore, or an English sparkling wine. Yes, English. It’s good now, honestly. The biggest glow-up since British cuisine discovered seasoning.

If your evening playlist veers from Jagjit Singh to J.Lo., go for rosé bubbles. They’re festive, photogenic and versatile enough to handle sushi, kebabs and whatever late-night snacks you pretend you’re “not really eating.”

For New Year gifting, choose bottles with personality - biodynamic sparkling wine, a local Pét-Nat, or a label artistic enough to earn a place on someone’s shelf long after the wine is gone. People may not remember the taste, but they’ll absolutely remember how clever it made them feel.

If you’re travelling, do yourself a favour and choose screw-cap bottles. Nothing ruins dignity like asking hotel staff for a corkscrew at 2 a.m., unless it’s the realisation that your carefully stored bottle leaked into your luggage.

For gifting, think beyond the usual bottle-in-a-bag approach. A pair of good glasses - not crystal that costs a month’s rent, but not plastic either - instantly elevates your gesture. Bonus points if the recipient feels flattered and vaguely intimidated.

Ultimately, December is a global celebration in different dialects. Christmas brunches in Dubai, reunions in Hanoi, weddings in Jaipur - wine fits everywhere not because it’s traditional, but because it’s adaptable. It navigates cultures like a seasoned diplomat: polite when necessary, bold when encouraged, and always ready to start a conversation.

So buy the good bottle. Chill it properly. Pour with flair. But don’t let the wine steal the spotlight - December belongs to people, not tannins. If someone insists Bordeaux is the only respectable choice, hand them a Crémant and wish them personal growth in the new year.

The best holiday wine is never the one with the highest score. It’s the one you emptied faster than you broke your New Year resolutions.

Wine should be enjoyed. Drink responsibly.
Disclaimer: All links provided in this blog are based on my own research and are not paid or sponsored.