Our 11 Favorite Holiday Movies and Wine Pairings

Get excited: It’s holiday movie season! Celebrate the right way with these 11 holiday movies and wine pairings.

Holiday movies are the perfect way to kick off the festive season. And what better way to feel some holiday cheer than lighting a cozy fire, queuing up your favorite holiday movie, and pouring a perfectly paired glass of wine?

Curl up with a blanket and glass of wine and watch these 11 holiday movies and wine pairings. 

1. Elf

When Papa Elf adopts Buddy (a human) and brings him to the North Pole it isn’t long before Buddy soon notices he is not like the other elf children. Once Papa Elf explains to Buddy that he’s a human he sets out to find his real dad in the magical city of New York.

Along the way he discovers that New York isn’t like the North Pole and that Christmas Spirit is running out. What will Buddy need to do in order to save Christmas? 

Pair this hilarious holiday movie with a glass of sparkling wine. The bubbly wine will pair nicely with Buddy’s energetic spirit. 

Go with a glass of Bright Cellars Aromica sparkling wine. This bubbly and acidic wine has flavor notes of honeysuckle, lychee, and freshly baked bread. 

2. The Grinch

We all know this holiday movie. The Grinch is a weirdly hairy green beast who hates Christmas and wants to ruin it for the residents of Whoville. 

Pair this holiday movie with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc. Known for its sharp, green flavors, this acidic white wine will match the Grinch’s sarcasm and zippy one-liners perfectly. Plus, we think the fresh fruit flavors would have made him a little bit nicer!

We like to watch this movie with a glass of Watchkeeper Sauvignon Blanc. The flavors of lemongrass, green apple, and lemon all come together with this movie’s good vibes. 

3. The Christmas Story

This beloved holiday movie takes you on an adventure with Ralphie Parker whose only dream is to get a Red Ryder BB Gun for Christmas. When Ralphie isn’t daydreaming about his new BB gun he is dealing with his grumpy father, needy mother, or dodging the neighborhood bullies. 

Pair this movie with a wine that won’t shoot your eye out! A Pinot Noir is a great light-bodied red that wine newbies or experts alike will enjoy sipping. The flavor notes of clove, cherry, and earth light up your taste buds (just like the infamous leg lamp).

4. Love Actually

A movie about nine different stories that intertwine during the holiday season. But one things connects them all: Love. *swoon*

Pair this movie filled with love and drama with a rare but well loved varietal, Petite Sirah. Petite Sirah is mostly only grown in California, but it’s adored by many and well known. Petite Sirah has flavor notes of black pepper, sugarplum, and dark chocolate. 

We like to pair this holiday classic with a glass of Dark Turn Petite Sirah. This 100% biodynamic wine has flavor notes of black pepper, blackberry, and plum.

5. Home Alone

The McCallister family is planning a trip to Paris for the Christmas holiday. But when Kevin is unexpectedly left home alone he runs into some issues – including two burglars that he must stop at all costs. 

Pair this holiday classic with a Bordeaux Blend, in honor of the McCallister’s ill-fated vacation to Paris. This red blend of wines comes from the French region of Bordeaux and has flavor notes of chocolate, dried herbs, and graphite. 

6. It’s a Wonderful Life

Filmed in 1946 this classic holiday movie is about a man named George Bailey who is thinking his life really isn’t that wonderful at all. Right before he jumps from a bridge an angel saves him. This angel then shows George how wonderful life really is. 

A glass of Pinot Grigio pairs perfectly with this well known holiday movie. The flavor notes of crushed rocks, lemon zest, and white peach will elevate the feel-good flavors. 

7. The Christmas Setup (Lifetime)

When big shot New York lawyer Hugo comes back home to Milwaukee for Christmas his mom, Kate, plays matchmaker! Hugo “somehow” runs into Patrick, his high school friend and secret crush. They reconnect and soon find themselves back where they started…or is it something more? 

This Lifetime movie has everything you want in a holiday movie and then some! Pair The Christmas Setup with a glass of Zinfandel. The flavor notes of spice and fruit will bring this movie together. 

The Obscura Zinfandel is all about breaking up the traditional. This bold red wine has flavor notes of spicy black pepper, fresh strawberries, and juicy raspberries. 

8. Meet the Santas (Hallmark)

Nick Clause is just a normal man, until the Christmas season. Why? Well because he is Santa Claus, of course! But when he falls for a woman named Beth and goes home with her for the holidays he must face his soon to be in-laws while also not revealing his secret. 

A classic Hallmark movie plot goes with a classic glass of wine. Cabernet Sauvignon is what you want! 

9. Let it Snow (Hallmark)

Stephanie has never seen snow and absolutely hates all things Christmas. In fact all she really wants to do this holiday season is impress her stuffy boring father and boss by shutting down the Snow Valley Lodge. But after meeting the hunky Brady, something in Stephanie has changed. Maybe it was the Christmas spirit? 

Pair this romantic Hallmark movie with a glass of Chardonnay!

The Humdrum Chardonnay is a classically made Chard that will go great with a traditional Hallmark movie. The tropical fruit flavors will cut through the corny and sometimes cringy parts from this holiday movie. 

10. Holidate (Netflix)

Sick of hearing “why are you still single?” at EVERY family function? The solution? A “holidate”. Someone who you only “date” during the holidays, so then your relatives can start asking you instead “what do you do for a living?”.

Pair this super predictable yet funny love story movie with a glass of Cabernet Franc. A twist on a classic Cabernet Sauvignon, similar to the cheesy twist on a holiday movie love story. 

11. Happiest Season (Hulu)

This Queer rom-com is stopping traditional holiday movies right in its tracks. 

When Harper wants to take her girlfriend, Abby, home for Christmas there’s one catch: She isn’t out to her parents. What does this mean for Abby and Harper’s relationship? Will it last until New Year’s? You’ll fall in love with this comedic twist on classic holiday movies.

Pair this holiday movie with a glass of rosé! The flavors of honey, strawberry, and raspberry in a glass of rosé will elevate the happy feelings of cheer.

The Petal Press Rosé from Columbia Valley make a great pair for this holiday movie. The flavor notes of lemon, green apple, strawberry, and raspberry mixed with a bracing acidity bring this wine together. 

In Vino Finito

Which of these holiday movies and wine pairings is your favorite? Let us know in the comments!~ Right now is the perfect time to curl up with a good movie, warm blanket, and glass of wine.

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