Great dinners - such as the classic roast - deserve great drinks to go with them.

But knowing which ones to pair with which meats isn't as straightforward as you might think.

Below, we've listed the very best drinks to serve with the best roasts to celebrate British Roast Dinner Week, sponsored by Colman's.

The Mirror has teamed up with British Roast Dinner Week to celebrate one of the nation's most popular dishes - plus find Britain's Best Roast Dinner. Nominations for this year's competition have now closed, with the winner set to be announced on October 2.

So does white wine always have to go with white meat - or can you get away with serving a rosé with roast lamb?

Here, food and drink writer Chris Wilson gives his verdict on the finest pairings for the nation's most popular roasts. Cheers!

Roast Chicken

Roast chicken doesn't always have to be served with white wine (

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Getty)

White meat = white wine, right? Yes, but there are a couple of light-bodied reds that work just as well with roast chicken, such as Pinot Noir or Beaujolais.

To celebrate British Roast Dinner Week with chicken, these fruity, light-bodied reds work brilliantly with a richly roasted, buttery bird. If you're sticking to white wine, go for a full-bodied grape such as Chardonnay or Voignier as good roast chicken takes on a deep, hearty flavour that is a perfect match for these masculine, generous whites.

Blonde beers and hoppy English bitters also work well, marrying perfectly with any herb and garlic characters in the roast.

Roast Pork

Slow roast shoulder of pork with baked apples

Ahh roast pork, a classic roast that combines light and dark meat, as well as chewy, umami-rich crackling.

There are plenty of options; including crisp European lager to cut through the fat in the pork and cleanse the palate, and beers made using the Citra hop - a high acid hop with a strong floral and citrus character that can work like a sharp apple sauce to match perfectly with the roast.

On the wine front look for whites that offer some floral, citrus and green fruit characters such as Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc.

As for reds, Chianti Classico is a great bedfellow offering some acidity to help with the fat, but a soft Rhône red is just as good; juicy and firm.

Roast Lamb

Rolled lamb roast with root vegetables and rosemary (

Image:

Getty)

The deal here is pretty simple: rich, full-bodied red wines are the perfect match for this winning roast dinner.

Next time you settle down for a roast in your local - which could win the national crown if you nominate them - try fruit-driven red blends from Bordeaux or Australia (think Cabernet-Merlot or Grenache-Syrah-Mourvédre) are a great foil for the intense flavours of roast lamb, but Rioja and straight-up Shiraz will work just as well.

If it's spring lamb – which has a more delicate, herby flavour – you could try a lightly-chilled Beaujolais or even a dry rosé.

If you're looking for a beer match, look no further than a dark Belgium beer or a black IPA to accompany the rich, gamey flavours.

Roast Beef

Roast beef with all the trimmings

Contrary to popular belief, roast beef isn't as rich and full-flavoured as lamb so it can be matched with medium-bodied reds like Chianti or Pinot Noir, as well as full-bodied reds like Syrah/Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon.

A lot depends on the sauce; if the gravy is rich and intense, go for a full bodied red, if it's a thinner 'jus' type sauce go for something lighter.

On the beer front, a dark ale or porter is a great and rather under-appreciated match. A great rule of thumb here is to match roast beef with the kind of drinks you'd enjoy with a juicy steak. Simple!

  • What do you drink with your favourite roast dinner? Have you found a match made in heaven that we haven't mentioned? Let us know in the comments section below!