Georgian Wines for Christmas Dinner: What to Pour with Turkey & Mince Pies
Georgia offers a rich selection of festive bottles for your holiday table—from clay-fermented amber wines to complex reds and intense dessert wines. Whether you're planning a traditional Christmas dinner with roast turkey and stuffing or reaching for festive desserts such as mince pies with dried fruit and spice, or rich classics like sticky toffee pudding, there's a Georgian wine for every course.
But before we start with pairings, here’s a festive bonus: did you know Georgia celebrates two Christmases? Orthodox Christmas falls on January 7th, and local traditions include the Alilo carols procession, family feasts with a lot of food and homemade wine, and sharing sweet treats such as gozinaki or churchkhela. So if you missed December 25th, no worries—round two is possible!
Starters & Nibbles: Amber Wines with Character
Start Festive with a Pop!
How about kicking off the festive fun with a bottle of pet-nat, made from the aromatic Kisi grape? It is zesty, floral, and bone-dry—ideal as a party opener or with nibbles like cheese straws or smoked salmon. A modern Georgian take on bubbles that still feels rooted in tradition.
Dakishvili Kisi Pet-Nat 2023 – crisp, citrussy, with orchard fruit and light spice.
More serious party starter: a Qvevri-fermented Kisi
Structured amber wines made from Kisi bring dried fruit and spice notes—perfect for rich pâtés, blue cheese, or sausage rolls.
Find a great variety of Kisi here!
The Main Event: Turkey & Cranberry Sauce
Recommended Pairing: Shavkapito
Turkey is lean, so skip the heavy wine options. An elegant wine with moderate tannins, decent fruit, and a subtle touch of spice will complement both meat and sauce.
Try one of those:
Guramishvili’s Marani Shavkapito
Cheese Course: Complex Whites & Sweet Reds
Recommended Pairing: amber Rkatsiteli or semi-sweet red like Khvanchkara
A Stilton or aged Cheddar loves the depth of qvevri-fermented, skin-contact Rkatsiteli. For sweeter pairings, Georgian semi-sweets like Khvanchkara (a blend of Aleksandrouli and Mujuretuli) deliver velvet, berry, and pomegranate.
Try both!
Kinkladze Wines - Rkatsiteli Qvevri
Shumi Khvanchkara
Dessert Time: Mince Pies & Christmas Pudding
Recommended Pairing: Georgian Icewine
With aromas of dried apricots, candied citrus peel, and honeyed walnuts, this rare icewine is a perfect match for festive desserts such as mince pies with dried fruit and spice, or rich classics like sticky toffee pudding. Its natural sweetness is beautifully balanced by acidity, making it ideal for pairing without overwhelming the palate.
End on a High Note: Chacha!
For those who like to finish dinner with something stronger, this elegant chacha is an excellent digestif. Distilled from high-quality Rkatsiteli grapes, it was aged in oak barrels that have been traveling the sea for 9 months, covering more than 114,000 km via Turkey, Singapore, Australia, Brazil, and Spain. It offers subtle vanilla, dried fruit, and spice. Refined and warming.
