Christmas pudding is the grand finale of the British Christmas dinner, and also the hardest dish of the day to pair with wine. It’s rich, very sweet and full of spice, so most wines simply disappear next to it. The good news is that once you know the one golden rule, finding the right bottle is easy. Here’s what to pour with your pudding, your mince pies and your Christmas cake.
What is the best wine with Christmas pudding?
The best wines for Christmas pudding are rich, sweet and full of dried fruit and nutty flavours, just like the pudding itself. Here are our top picks:
- Best all-rounder: a 10 Year Old Tawny Port, with flavours of caramel, dried fruit and walnuts
- Best for a sweet tooth: a Pedro Ximénez Sherry, dark, sticky and full of raisins and figs
- Best for something different: a sweet Madeira, such as a Bual or a Malmsey
- Best lighter option: a Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise, fresh and perfumed
- Best value: a Moscatel de Valencia, sweet, fruity and affordable
Why is Christmas pudding hard to pair?
A Christmas pudding is packed with dried fruit, candied peel, spices and often a good splash of brandy or stout. It’s steamed for hours, then often set alight with brandy at the table. All that richness and sweetness overwhelms most wines.
The golden rule is simple: the wine should be at least as sweet as the dessert. If it’s drier than the pudding, it will taste thin, sharp and sour. That’s why a dry red or a glass of Champagne, however good, rarely works with Christmas pudding.
The best matches also share some of the pudding’s flavours, such as dried fruit, nuts, caramel and spice. This is where fortified wines shine.
What wine goes with Christmas pudding?
Tawny Port
Tawny Port is the classic match, and our favourite. It’s aged in small wooden casks, which gives it flavours of caramel, toffee, dried figs and walnuts that echo the pudding beautifully. A 10 Year Old Tawny is the perfect balance of richness and freshness, while a 20 Year Old brings even more complexity. Find out more about each style in our guide to Port.
Sweet Sherry
Sherry comes in many styles, from bone dry to very sweet, so choose carefully. Pedro Ximénez (often called PX) is the sweetest of all, dark and syrupy with flavours of raisins, figs, molasses and coffee. It’s a match made for the richest puddings. A Cream Sherry or a sweet Oloroso is a little lighter, with nutty, dried fruit flavours that work just as well. Avoid dry styles like Fino or Manzanilla, which will taste harsh and salty next to the pudding, and check the label for Oloroso, as it’s often dry.
Madeira
Madeira is a fortified wine from the Portuguese island of the same name, and the sweeter styles are wonderful with Christmas pudding. Bual is rich and medium-sweet, while Malmsey is the sweetest, with flavours of caramel, dried fruit and spice. Their fresh acidity keeps the pairing lively, even after a big meal. Our guide on how fortified wine is made explains what makes these wines so special.
Muscat
If you prefer something a little lighter, a sweet Muscat is a lovely choice. A Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise from the Rhône Valley is fresh and perfumed, with notes of orange blossom and apricot. For something richer, try a Rutherglen Muscat from Australia, dark and luscious with toffee and raisin flavours. And for great value, a Spanish Moscatel de Valencia is sweet, fruity and affordable.
Does the topping change the wine?
What you serve with your pudding can make a difference, so it’s worth thinking about the topping too.
Brandy butter and brandy sauce
Brandy butter adds extra richness, sweetness and a warming kick of alcohol. Choose a powerful, sweet wine that can stand up to it, like a Tawny Port or a Pedro Ximénez Sherry.
Custard
Custard brings creamy vanilla flavours and softens the pudding a little. A sweet Muscat or a Bual Madeira works beautifully, as their fresh acidity cuts through the creaminess.
Cream or ice cream
With cream or vanilla ice cream, the pudding feels lighter, so you can choose a lighter wine too, like a Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise. Or try a Spanish favourite: pour a little Pedro Ximénez over vanilla ice cream and serve the rest in a glass.
What wine goes with mince pies?
Mince pies share many of the flavours of Christmas pudding, with dried fruit, spices and a buttery pastry, so the same wines work well. A Tawny Port is always a safe choice, but try them with a sweet Madeira or a Cream or sweet Oloroso Sherry, whose nutty flavours love the pastry.
If you’re serving mince pies to guests as they arrive, a warming glass of mulled wine is a festive alternative.
What wine goes with Christmas cake?
Christmas cake is rich with dried fruit and often covered with marzipan and icing, so it needs a wine with plenty of sweetness and depth. A Tawny Port, a Malmsey Madeira or a Cream Sherry will all pair beautifully, with their caramel and nutty notes.
In Yorkshire, Christmas cake is traditionally served with a slice of Wensleydale cheese. The salty, crumbly cheese balances the sweet cake, and a Tawny Port works with both.
What about other festive desserts?
Not everyone finishes Christmas dinner with a pudding. For a chocolate Yule log, try a sweet red like a Banyuls, and find more ideas in our Yule log wine pairing guide. For a lighter panettone, a fresh and fruity Moscato d’Asti is perfect.
And if you’re planning the wines for the whole meal, our Christmas wine pairing guide has ideas for every course.
FAQ
Can you drink red wine with Christmas pudding?
A dry red wine will usually taste sour and bitter next to such a sweet dessert. If you’d like a red, choose a sweet one, like a Ruby Port or a Banyuls.
Does Champagne go with Christmas pudding?
A dry Champagne is too light and too dry for Christmas pudding. Keep it for the apéritif, or choose a sweeter Demi-Sec style with lighter desserts.
Does the wine need to be sweeter than the pudding?
Yes, the wine should be at least as sweet as the dessert. Otherwise, it will taste thin and sharp, and you’ll lose all its fruit.
What if you don’t like sweet wine?
Try a medium-sweet style, like a Bual Madeira or a Tawny Port, which feel less sugary thanks to their nutty flavours and fresh acidity. Serve a small glass, slightly chilled, and you might be surprised.
