Best Value
The Shy Pig Brut Cuvee NV
South Eastern Australia
$9.42per bottle
$113.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Food & wine pairing
Best wine for Christmas lunch
Ham, turkey, prawns and pudding: a few bottles that cover the whole table.
Sparkling & Champagne
Start with bubbles. Brilliant with prawns, oysters and the first toast.
- Lighter than the dish: best with a lighter version of it
- Fresh acidity lifts the flavours and cleans up each bite
Why it works Dish Wine
Weightrichness vs body
Aciditytang vs freshness
Fat / tanninfat softens grip
Sweetnessdish vs wine
Best Value
Stonegate Cuvée Brut NV
McLaren Vale, SA
$10.67per bottle
$128.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Best Value
Tumblong Hills Table of Plenty Prosecco 2025
Gundagai, NSW
$11.25per bottle
$135.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Best Value
Deakin Estate Azahara Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir NV
Riverina, WA
$13.67per bottle
$164.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Pinot Noir
The best all-rounder for glazed ham and turkey.
- Lighter than the dish: best with a lighter version of it
- Fresh acidity lifts the flavours and cleans up each bite
Why it works Dish Wine
Weightrichness vs body
Aciditytang vs freshness
Fat / tanninfat softens grip
Sweetnessdish vs wine
Best Value
Plus & Minus Pinot Noir NV
SA
$13.67per bottle
$164.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Best Value
Pete's Pure Pinot Noir 2025
Murray Darling, NSW
$13.67per bottle
$164.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Best Value
Deakin Estate Pinot Noir 2025
South East Australia
$13.83per bottle
$83.00 for 6 × 750ml
Cellars
Best Value
Tempus Two Silver Series Chardonnay Pinot Noir NV
South Eastern Australia
$14.67per bottle
$176.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Riesling
Bright and refreshing on a hot day. Great with ham and seafood.
- Lighter than the dish: best with a lighter version of it
- Fresh acidity lifts the flavours and cleans up each bite
Why it works Dish Wine
Weightrichness vs body
Aciditytang vs freshness
Fat / tanninfat softens grip
Sweetnessdish vs wine
Best Value
Angove Long Row Riesling 2025
McLaren Vale, SA
$11.17per bottle
$134.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Best Value
Reschke R-Series Riesling 2025
Limestone Coast, SA
$14.67per bottle
$176.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Best Value
Sister's Run St Petri's Riesling /2025 2024
Eden Valley, SA
$16.42per bottle
$197.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Best Value
Earthworks Riesling 2025
Barossa, SA
$17.00per bottle
$102.00 for 6 × 750ml
Cellars
Chardonnay
Rich enough for turkey and stuffing.
- Same weight as the dish, so neither drowns the other
- Fresh acidity lifts the flavours and cleans up each bite
Why it works Dish Wine
Weightrichness vs body
Aciditytang vs freshness
Fat / tanninfat softens grip
Sweetnessdish vs wine
Best Value
Winesmiths Premium Chardonnay 2000ml
SA
$7.94per 750ml equivalent
$127.00 for 6 × 2L
Cellars
Best Value
Rhythm and Rhyme Chardonnay NV
Riverland, SA
$11.00per bottle
$132.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Best Value
Angove Long Row Chardonnay 2024
Riverland, SA
$11.17per bottle
$134.00 for 12 × 750ml
Cellars
Best Value
Smith's Lane Estate Chardonnay 2023
North East Victoria
$12.00per bottle
$72.00 for 6 × 750ml
Cellars
Fortified (tawny, muscat, port style)
For the pudding and the cheese afterwards.
- Same weight as the dish, so neither drowns the other
- Fresh acidity lifts the flavours and cleans up each bite
Why it works Dish Wine
Weightrichness vs body
Aciditytang vs freshness
Fat / tanninfat softens grip
Sweetnessdish vs wine
Best Value
Bleasdale The Wise One Tawny NV
Langhorne Creek, SA
$23.67per bottle
$142.00 for 6 × 750ml
Cellars
Gardner's Vineyard Ruby Fortified
Eyre Peninsula, SA
$24.00per bottle
$144.00 for 6 × 750ml
Cellars
Sevenhill 'First Planting' Classic Topaque
Clare Valley, SA
$33.33per bottle
$200.00 for 6 × 750ml
Cellars
Valdespino Manzanilla Deliciosa Sherry 375ml
Jerez, Spain
$45.17per 750ml equivalent
$271.00 for 12 × 375ml
Cellars
Tip
Allow about half a bottle per adult. Buying by the dozen almost always lowers the price per bottle.
Best avoided
Heavy, high-alcohol reds on a 35°C day.
About Christmas lunch and wine
Today’s picks run from $7.94 to $45.17 a bottle, chosen for value from 1,805 matching wines across the Australian retailers we compare. Six-packs and dozens are shown as a price per bottle.
Questions
What wine goes best with Christmas lunch?
Sparkling & Champagne, Pinot Noir and Riesling are the best matches for Christmas lunch. Start with bubbles. Brilliant with prawns, oysters and the first toast.
What’s a good cheap wine with Christmas lunch?
Winesmiths Premium Chardonnay 2000ml is the cheapest of today’s picks at $7.94 a bottle from Cellars. Prices are checked every 4 hours.
What wine should I avoid with Christmas lunch?
Heavy, high-alcohol reds on a 35°C day.
