For the holiday meal, the food that goes on the table may be the most important thing. But festive beverages are key supporting players. Here are some recommendations for what to drink this holiday season, from the Globe’s beverage writers.
Wines that keep tradition in mind
Offer a sparkling chenin blanc, an old-school Rioja, and a dry sherry to your guests, and watch eyes light up. The producers of these bottles revere tradition, and craft some of the most delicious sippers around.
With scents of yellow apple and appetizing salinity on the palate, a François Chidaine Montlouis Sur Loire Brut is made in the manner of Champagne, but is crafted in the Loire Valley across the river from Vouvray. This bubbly bears the name of its maker, who worked for years with his father, Yves, and continues to farm old-vine chenin blanc biodynamically.
The fourth-generation winemakers behind R. Lopez de Heredia only source fruit from their family’s vineyards, mature those pours for a minimum of three to 10 years in American oak barrels, then age them in bottles. They insist on making wine the same way their great-grandfather did. Even the winery’s entry level Rioja red, a 2007 “Viña Cubillo’’ (primarily tempranillo and garnacha), offers vibrant fruit, maturity, and beautiful depth.
A dry fino sherry called “Inocente’’ from Bodegas Valdespino is made from single-vineyard palomino grapes. It would be easier to ferment in stainless-steel tanks, but this venerable Jerez producer uses traditional wooden casks. The straw-hued pour is fortified, then ages for 10 years in a series of barrels called a solera system, developing under a veil of yeast called flor. With savory flavors of almonds and brine, it is just the thing to make your holidays merry and bright.
François Chidaine Montlouis Sur Loire Brut Around $20. At Curtis Liquors, Weymouth, 781-331-2345; Pemberton Farms, Cambridge, 617-491-2244.
R. Lopez de Heredia “Viña Cubillo’’ 2007 Around $30. At Streetcar Wine & Beer, Jamaica Plain, 617-522-6416; Gordon’s Main Street, Waltham, 781-893-1900.
Bodegas Valdespino “Inocente’’ Fino Around $20. At Inman Square Wine & Spirits, Cambridge, 617-945-2902; Marty’s Fine Wines, Newton, 617-332-1230.ELLEN BHANG
Beers that complement food’s flavors
For years, European brewers have been using the term “table beer’’ to denote low-alcohol brews of many styles. So when Mystic Brewery founder Bryan Greenhagen was looking to name the Chelsea brewery’s 4.3 percent alcohol-by-volume saison, Mystic Brewery Table Beer was an obvious choice. This farmhouse ale is an everyday sipper, with notes of lemon and pepper that pair well with a variety of dishes. “It’s a good lunch beer that won’t put you to sleep before a holiday dinner,’’ says Greenhagen.
Ask a room full of American brewers to name a beer that has influenced their own work, and at least a handful will pinpoint Belgium’s Orval Trappist Ale. Initially brewed in 1931 to help finance reconstruction at Abbaye Notre-Dame d’Orval, the ale is dry and intensely complex. Active yeast changes the beer as it sits in the bottle, so drinkers may get barnyard funk and sour apple in addition to spicy, grassy notes. Drink this before dinner, to cleanse your palate, or during the meal to enhance the flavors on your plate.
You know you’re supposed to like sour beer, so here’s one you’ll actually enjoy, even if you aren’t quite there yet. Out in Michigan, Jolly Pumpkin founder Ron Jeffries makes nothing but sours, churning out beers with qualities that resemble wine as much as they do beer. A good starting point is Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales Bam Noir, a dark farmhouse ale with aromas of warm leather and sweet plum. Dark malts sweeten the brew and mask the tartness, giving way instead to brown bread and tart cherry. Pass it out to friends and family in small glasses, and marvel at how sophisticated you all are.GARY DZEN
Cocktails that please, with ease
Whether you’re entertaining two people or 12, it’s always a good idea to serve cocktails that don’t require a lot of measuring. And if you can offer drinks that aren’t part of the tired holiday canon, even better. This fall, Wine Enthusiast spirits editor Kara Newman released the book “Shake. Stir. Sip. More Than 50 Effortless Cocktails Made in Equal Parts,’’ filled with formulas that serve as a roadmap for streamlined entertaining. From its pages come two of the following recipes: an easygoing (read: not ultra-strong) rendition of the timeless martini, which guests can jazz up with a spread of savory garnishes, from olives to capers to citrus rind; and a bold yet approachable twist on the classic Negroni, which can be batched ahead of time. And because holidays aren’t holidays without something sparkling, also included is a simple and elegant offering from the Nonino family, which has been making amaro and grappa for generations. LIZA WEISSTUCH
THE 50-50 MARTINI (pictured)
Makes 1 drink
1½ ounces dry gin
1½ ounces dry vermouth
2 dashes orange bitters
Green olive, lemon rind, or other garnish
1. In a mixing glass filled with ice, combine gin, vermouth, and orange bitters. Stir well for 15 seconds.
2. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with olive, lemon rind, or other garnish.
Adapted from “Shake. Stir. Sip.’’
TOFFEE NEGRONI
Makes 1 drink
1 ounce aged rum
1 ounce Amontillado sherry
1 ounce Aperol
Grapefruit rind (for garnish)
1. In a mixing glass filled with ice, combine rum, sherry, and Aperol. Stir well for 15-20 seconds.
2. Strain into a rocks glass over a large cube of ice. Garnish with grapefruit rind.
Adapted from “Shake. Stir. Sip.’’
APERITIVO NONINO
Makes 1 drink
1 ounce Amaro Nonino
2 ounces prosecco
1. Into a flute, pour the Amaro Nonino.
2. Top with prosecco.
Adapted from Nonino
Ellen Bhang can be reached at bytheglass@globe.com. Gary Dzen can be reached at gary.dzen@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @GaryDzen. Liza Weisstuch can be reached at liza.weisstuch@gmail.com. Follow her on Twitter @livingtheproof.