For the ultimate holiday meal, choosing the perfect drink is as important as selecting the food itself. While traditional pairings like champagne or red wine may be the go-to choices for many, why not explore something a little more unexpected this year? In the world of beverages, the options are plentiful, and when it comes to festive meals, variety can elevate your dining experience. Whether you stick to time-honoured classics or venture into bold and surprising combinations, these recommendations by top sommeliers and bartenders will inspire you to mix things up this festive season.
Classic Combinations
Pairing the perfect drink with a festive meal is no small task, especially when the food is rich and indulgent. Holiday feast staples like turkey and ham are often accompanied by substantial sides like stuffing, mashed potatoes, or glazed vegetables.
Lesley Liu, Odette’s sommelier, approaches this by creating contrasts between the dish and the drink. “I prefer cocktails with a drier flavour profile to cut through the richness and fattiness,” Lesley explains, noting that a Negroni, garnished with dried burnt orange, is a perfect match for turkey. The citrus tones of the garnish enhance the herbal dressings commonly used in turkey preparation, providing a delightful balance.
She also suggests that an Aperol Spritz, with its bubbly and slightly bitter profile, works well when paired with festive dishes like ham. “The bubbles refresh the palate, while the rosemary garnish adds a subtle earthy note that ties everything together,” she says. For wines, Lesley recommends robust reds, such as 2020 Montevertine Toscana ‘Le Pergole Torte’ from Italy. Made from 100% Sangiovese grapes, this wine offers earthy undertones, red fruit notes, and strong tannins that help cut through meat-heavy dishes. Its vibrant acidity also enhances the flavours of turkey or ham without overwhelming the palate.
Over at Manhattan, one of Singapore’s leading cocktail bars, head bartender Zana Möhlmann shares her approach to pairing cocktails with festive dishes. “Wine pairing is about finding complementary flavours, and cocktail pairing works the same way,” she says. Zana likes to use spirit-forward drinks with strong herbal or smoky notes to stand up to the rich, savoury flavours of holiday meats. A smoky mezcal Negroni or a robust Vieux Carré, she says, are ideal companions for turkey or Christmas ham, as their bold flavours create a balance that wine might not always achieve.
When it comes to dessert, Zana believes that cocktails can provide a refreshing contrast to the often-sugary nature of holiday sweets. “For spiced desserts like mince pies or poached pears, I recommend something zingy and fresh,” she explains. A Clover Club, with its blend of gin, raspberry syrup, and lemon, offers a bright and fruity counterpoint to the richness of traditional holiday desserts. Meanwhile, a Pisco Punch, with its lively citrus flavours, adds an extra dimension of zest to a Christmas pudding, lightening the palate while still complementing the spice.
Unexpected Pairings
If you’re looking to surprise your guests with something different, non-alcoholic drinks can provide just as much depth and flavour as their alcoholic counterparts. Kate Pascal, assistant manager and tea specialist at one-Michelinstarred Japanese restaurant, Esora, suggests using Japanese teas as an innovative alternative to traditional wines or champagnes. “One of the best ways to serve tea at a festive meal is to carbonate it, making it sparkling,” Kate advises. She compares the experience to drinking champagne, with the added complexity of tea’s delicate flavours. “Sparkling tea opens up the palate and pairs well with many types of food,” she adds.
Kate’s pairing of choice for festive ham is Hoji-genmaicha, a roasted tea with nutty flavours and sweet rice puffs that complement the meat’s glaze. For Christmas puddings, she recommends a black tea infused with vanilla or lavender. “The floral notes add a delicate sweetness that balances the heaviness of the dessert,” she explains. Kate also highlights a recent discovery: an Okumidori red tea smoked with Ichiro’s malt barrel. “When I tasted it, I immediately thought of pairing it with ham or turkey,” she says, noting how the whiskey notes in the tea bring a new depth to traditional holiday dishes.
Balancing Richness with Brightness
Meanwhile, Danial Rosman, bar supervisor at Christina’s, located within Mondrian Singapore Duxton, emphasises the importance of acidity and brightness when balancing cocktails with festive food. “I like to pair turkey and ham with cocktails that have bright, acidic elements like citrus or cranberry,” Rosman says. This contrast refreshes the palate and enhances the flavours of the meat without overpowering them. He suggests a cranberry-based cocktail or a citrus-forward gin fizz for the perfect balance of richness and brightness.
When dealing with spicy or heavily spiced holiday dishes, Danial’s strategy is to temper the heat with cooling ingredients like cucumber or mint. “It’s important not to intensify the spice,” he says, adding that the cocktail should support the dish rather than overwhelm it. One of his favourite holiday pairings is a mojito with mint and lime, which provides a cooling counterpoint to spiced meats or desserts.
Danial, who recently won Young Mixologist at the Young Chef Young Waiter Young Mixologist 2024 competition, also enjoys experimenting with unexpected flavour combinations. One pairing he swears by is Advocaat, a rich and creamy liqueur, mixed with coffee. “I think it pairs beautifully with mince pies or spiced cookies,” he says. The richness of Advocaat complements the sweetness of the desserts, while the coffee adds depth and warmth to the overall experience.
For any festive meal, Lesley believes that the goal is to find balance and “…to enhance the flavours of the food while bringing something new to the table.” So this year, don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone – you just might discover a new holiday tradition in the process.