Beronia Rioja at Christmas with Libby Brodie | Beronia

Celebrating Christmas In The Company Of Beronia Rioja

I am hosting Christmas again this year and already running through my meal planning for the horde of family and friends descending. We have full carnivores, vegetarians, gluten and lactose-free among us, so I shall be creating a multitude of dishes over two days and I need a wine that will pair with much and please everyone.

When searching for a beloved wine country with centuries of classic winemaking knowledge that also offers excellent value wines, Spain is an obvious choice – and Spain’s most popular wine is, of course, Rioja. So, it is here that I have turned.

Many may think the white meat of turkey and goose would pair with a white wine, and of course, there are many options, but given Christmas’s trimmings: the pigs in blankets, the piquant cranberry sauce, the goose-fat roasted potatoes and rich chestnut stuffing, you need a wine that offers strength in its versatility. It is also deep mid-winter, making a cosy comforting red far more appealing right now. Enter stage left, Beronia’s Crianza.

I won’t judge your cooking, but my own turkey can sometimes be on the dry side. A festively bright cherry colour, this soft, juicy wine with its balanced fresh acidity will compliment any slightly dry bird with the red berry flavours acting like the fruity cranberry sauce in drinkable form. This wine is a crowd-pleaser, perfect for sipping or swigging depending on how your in-laws are behaving and an instantly happy hit around the table. I shall be pouring with aplomb!

By the time the pudding is done, and the cheese board is out, it is time to slip into something more serious as evening descends.  Here, I shall reveal the luxurious Beronia Gran Reserva. Made using their very best grapes and with more than two years aging in French oak barrels this is a deep complex wine with satin-soft tannins that will suit my aged English cheddar and nutty Manchego cheeses. With its rich, plummy flavours and whispers of Christmas clove, it is the kind of wine that my oenophile Uncle will happily swirl in his glass, savouring the long, silky finish as we all settle down for another classic, “It’s A Wonderful Life”.

Boxing Day brings more family and friends with the classic buffet of leftover cold turkey, cheeses and, of course, my go-to favourite, Coca-Cola roasted ham. This is a dish that all my family love, the slow-cooked roasted pork topped with baked black treacle and cloves creating a mouth-watering savoury and sweet combination. It needs a wine to match.

Beronia’s Reserva is as close as I have found. It has the rich concentration of plush dark fruits from vines over 40 years old, teamed with structure and sophistication. However, it has also been aged in both French and American oak, giving it these beautiful, slightly sweet-spice notes of cinnamon, chocolate and hazelnut. A stunningly balanced wine, this is one to open for Boxing Day and keep the celebration going.

Whatever you are cooking this Christmas, and whoever might be around your table, Beronia’s Riojas are reassuringly good choice for food-pairing, toast-making and general jolliness, ensuring a very Merry Christmas all round!

Libby is City A.M.’s dedicated wine columnist, a freelance writer, presenter, judge and creator who was recently listed in the Top 100 Most Influential in Drink list. Director of Bacchus & Brodie Consultancy she works with private clients to hosts tastings and events and curate and source wine as well as co-founding The Wine Collective UK, working with companies and wine regions on their social media strategy to engage new and more diverse audiences and improve the visibility of women in wine. A passionate communicator or as she sees it, ‘translator’ of the world of wine Libby works across a variety of media platforms in particular her instagram @libbybrodie and her youtube channel @libbybrodiewine.