The holiday hush has descended upon the world. The tree twinkles in the corner. The family is gathered around the table, eagerly awaiting the Christmas feast. 

And you, sensibly, are far more focused on the wine. Which is why we pulled together a range of interesting and delicious wines to pair with three holiday dinner classics: beef Wellington, ham, and goose. 

Wines to Pair with Beef Wellington

2022 Poggiosecco Chianti ($18)

The perfect food-friendly crowd-pleaser for a large party. 90 percent Sangiovese with a splash of Malvasia Nera, all biodynamically farmed, and aged in concrete tanks for purity of fruit. It’s fresh, bright, and floral, with notes of red cherry, pomegranate, tomato leaf, clove, and well-integrated, earthy tannins. Generous and approachable—there’s no mouth-puckering acidity here. - Sarah Parker Jang

2023 Forge Cellars Railroad Cabernet Franc ($34)

Cabernet Franc’s virtue is that it pairs with almost everything, but it simply sings along with the red meat and rich pastry of Beef Wellington. The grape is quickly becoming the Finger Lakes’ signature grape, and this elegant example can stand next to those from the Loire Valley. Savory green pepper and forest notes are balanced by notes of red berries and a core of dark minerality. - Jason Wilson

2022 Maître de Chai Gala Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($58)

Pair a classic with a classic style. Though this is a newer producer (launched in 2012), the sensibility of this wine is very much old-school Cali Cab. From a northwest-facing vineyard on Mt. George, cooled by San Pablo Bay breezes. Fermented in small oak and stainless steel, then aged for 18 months in neutral oak. It’s powerful and structured, with firm, well-knit tannins and notes of cassis, black plum, blackberry, cedar, black pepper, and coffee. An incredible value to boot. - SPJ

2019 Catherine & Pierre Breton ‘Les Perrieres’ Bourgueil ($60)

I will say it until I’m blue in the face: Cabernet Franc solves nearly every pairing dilemma. Catherine & Pierre Breton are well-known for their natural wines, but this top Bourgueil bottling skews more classic than natty. It’s a grand, expansive wine from a 40-year-old vineyard, with dark, ripe, fruit, notes of dried herb, tobacco, a hint of leather and pencil shavings, great structure and a long finish.- JW

2020 Bartolo Mascarello Langhe Nebbiolo ($100)

Pure, open, gorgeous. The prettier side of Nebbiolo—roses and violets, cherries, finer tannins—for sure. But there is enough of a presence of mushroomy and truffle-y notes to play off the duxelles in a Wellington. While the acidity is far more in check than you’d get from a young Barolo, there’s enough of it to cut through the richness of this dish. This bottling is (annoyingly!) much harder to find than Maria Theresa Mascarello’s rightly-beloved Barolos, and many U.S. shops only have it in six-bottle cases. All I can say is: if I hadn’t suitcased several bottles of this back from Italy earlier this year, I’d buy a case for sure—and while I haven’t yet drunk up all those bottles, I still might. It’s the holidays. Treat yourself. - Jon Fine

1989 Chateau Cantemerle ($170)

Straight-up classic aged Haut-Médoc, with a structure that’s shaped by Cabernet and built for something with the richness and layered flavors of a Wellington. Secondary and tertiary at this point—pencil shavings, cigar box,  and late-autumn forest with twigs crunching underfoot rather than red and black currants—and with ample acidity to keep it fresh and moving. Revel in the majestic silences of these lazy days around Christmas. - JF

Wines to Pair with Holiday Ham

2023 Gut Oggau Theodora Weiss ($40)

Both Grüner Veltliner and Welschriesling pair well with ham—so why not a blend of both? From famed Austrian natural winemaker Gut Oggau, this has big floral and earthy aromas here, with notes of gaudy and tropical flowers. On the palate, it’s light and crisp, with complex texture and layers of ripe apricot and tangerine. - JW

2018 Domaine Christian Binner Scarabee Skin Touch ($59)

A festive and hazy bright salmon in the glass, so even before tasting this starts with serious eye candy for a holiday meal. Mouth filling and interesting, with lots of exuberant fruit—in a fun way, as opposed to a bludgeoning way. Ripe peaches, a pink grapefruit zing riding atop to cut through the fatty sweetness of the ham, and a very crystalline finish. Not what you’d expect from a skin contact wine, and really enjoyable. 60 percent Gewurtztraminer, 30 percent Riesling, then some Muscat, from a vineyard that the Binner family has been farming for generations. - JF

2014 Cristom Vineyards Pinot Noir Eileen Vineyard ($65)

Fully mature Pinot from a justly-acclaimed Oregon domaine that’s been at it for more than 30 years. Incredible grace and precision—restrained but perfectly evolved fruit, excellent minerality, perfectly framed. Above all, it has the harmoniousness and correctness that some say you can only get from... well, a certain region in France known for its Pinot Noir. - JF

NV Christophe Mignon ADN de Meunier Rosé de Saignee Champagne Extra Brut ($85)

This full-bodied rosé Champagne will complement a glazed, spiced ham with its notes of red and citrus fruit and sweet baking spices. (And the pretty, deep pink color will look beautiful on the holiday table.) 100 percent Meunier, with 20 hours of maceration. An intense nose of rose petals, raspberry, sweet orange, sweet spices, toasted nuts. Lively bubbles, with a dry, mineral finish. - SPJ

2020 Thierry German ‘L’Échelier’ Saumur Blanc ($95)

Rich, ripe Loire Valley Chenin Blanc is a classic winter white. This bottling, from a top Saumur producer (also known as Domaine de Roches Neuves), is super complex. A nose of white flowers, honeysuckle, and an herb garden of tarragon, sage, and rosemary; on the palate, there’s great structure, with notes of yellow apple, underripe pineapple, and a long salty finish. But it’s the thrilling acidity that makes this such a great companion to the fatty, salty-sweet Christmas ham. - JW

Wines to Pair with Goose

2021 Johannes Trapl Blaufränkisch ($25)

With fowl like goose, I like a red that veers more glou glou. This light, pale Blaufränkisch does the trick, with juicy acidity, notes of cranberry, raspberry, and subtle tannins. But beware: This is dangerously drinkable and you’ll probably need more than one bottle. - JW 

2020 Antico Broilo Ribolla Gialla ($36)

This Friuli white, aged in stainless steel, has the muscles and acid to stand up to the gamey goose. Deep golden, with a spice bazaar on the nose, full of saffron, turmeric, and cumin, as well as fragrant floral aromas. The spice carries onto the palate, where it’s balanced by ripe yellow apple, warm citrus, and quince, with an undercurrent of umami. - JW

2023 Julien Sunier Fleurie ($39)

A Burgundian style of Beaujolais is a winner with heartier fowl. Julien Sunier caught the wine bug working in Christophe Roumier’s cellar, and that influence shows in this wine. Hand-harvested and fermented in concrete, it spent 11 months in old Roumier barrels. It’s elegant, perfumed, silky in texture. Purple flowers, rhubarb, black cherry, redcurrants. The tannins are structured and lithe, well-suited for dark meat, and the acid and fruit will cut right through the fatty goose.- SPJ

2020 Jerome Galeyrand Antonin Bourgogne Rouge ($59)

One of those red Burgundies that go straight to the pleasure centers in your brain. Great purity of fruit, , forest floor, excellent typicity, deeply pleasurable. You will be very happy. Your guests will be very happy, whether they already love wine or not. A real ‘joyous Noel to all’ kind of wine, one that’s great for game birds and pretty much anything else. - JF