There are plenty of wines that go well with vegetarian foods, with the best options for Christmas depending on the dishes you plan to serve.
Mushroom Wellington
You could serve a white wine, but mushrooms love red wine, and this substantial dish with rich pastry will go perfectly with a pinot noir or a Chianti Classico, both of which can have a slight earthiness. A Chianti is likely to have some drying tannins which will work perfectly with the mushrooms.
Mushroom risotto
A much-maligned dish, but I love it if done well. The mushrooms would push me towards a lighter red wine, probably a Valpolicella, pinot noir or Beaujolais of some sort. With a lighter risotto such as butternut squash or primavera, I might go for an Italian white wine; a Fiano, Gavi or Soave.
Nut roasts
Nut roasts had a bad name at one stage, but if properly made they can be very good. Nuts go very well with red or white wine, and if the recipe has lots of cheese and/or mushrooms, you should be in for a treat. Again, you could serve a pinot noir, but I would try something richer, a merlot, Bordeaux or a more powerful Côtes du Rhône.
Gratins
Creamy cheesy vegetable gratins go really well with white wines, which generally have the acidity to cut through that richness. A textured chardonnay, viognier or godello would be best with a cauliflower, sweet potato and other root vegetable gratins.
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Mediterranean vegetables
Roast peppers and aubergines make a great match for lighter red wines. Add in tomatoes and you might be better off with a white wine. If your dish includes pulses, then I would go for a red wine, maybe a Chianti Classico.
So overall, vegetarian food goes well with rich textured white wines such as chardonnay and lighter reds such as pinot noir. As these are also frequently served with Christmas shellfish and turkey, you can happily serve and enjoy the same wines across a wide variety of menus.
Remember to check whether your wine itself is vegetarian. Most are, but don’t always have it on the label. It is usually easy to find out online.
