Check out tips on how to harmonize wines with typical Christmas foods

Let’s face it, rarely does the wine is as much a protagonist on one occasion as on the other. Christmas dinner 🇧🇷 It doesn’t matter if the evening’s menu has more traditional dishes, such as turkey and ham, or unusual dishes for the date, such as pasta and red meat: most likely the wine will go with it.

The choice of labels, however, can become a headache for many people. To simplify, some tricks can help when pairing:

• Dishes and wines with the same flavor intensity: if the dish has a more delicate flavor, look for proportionally lighter wines.
• Pepper in food increases the feeling of alcohol. If serving a spicy dish, choose a less alcoholic and more refreshing wine.
• Red meats go very well with more full-bodied and tannic wines.
• To harmonize varied dishes, choose a joker wine, with less body and good acidity.
• When in doubt, try to combine dishes and wines from the same region.

It is important to consider that, when choosing the label that will accompany a certain menu, we must take into account all the preparation of the food and its accompaniments.

But, as we are talking about Christmas Eve, where attention is more focused on the fraternization itself than on a technical tasting, I will propose classic combinations that are more common at the Brazilian table.

Peru

O Peru as well as the Chester , has a more delicate flavor and little fat. Wines that are similar in delicacy as the sparkling wines, young whites and rosés will not overlap the plate. In case it is served with a creamier sauce, you can think of a white wine that has more texture as well, such as a barricaded chardonnay 🇧🇷

Chicken salami

O chicken salami it is a recipe that has a certain complexity, because it mixes chicken protein with some vegetables, fruits and even fat from mayonnaise and cream. Even so, it is a dish with a light flavor, and very aromatic. Choose a wine that has this richness in aromas too, like the White Torrontés, Alvarinho or Gewürztraminer.

shank

O shank follows a line similar to that of birds in terms of flavor delicacy. already the tend – which is the smoked pork shank – has a slightly more pronounced flavor. In both cases, in addition to the white and rosé wines already suggested, you can dare with light to medium-bodied reds such as Pinot Noir, Gamay and Merlot. If it is accompanied by a sweet sauce, the logic of pairing by similarity applies: choose fruity and slightly sweet wines.

Cod

Despite being a fish, the cod it has a lot of intensity of aroma and flavor, and needs a wine to match it. That’s why we thought of fuller whites passing through barrels or from warmer regions – such as a Douro Portuguese – or light to medium-bodied reds 🇧🇷 If we follow the logic of “wine and dish from the same region”, we have the classic combination with green wines of the most different styles, due to the more marked acidity that works well with the fat of the fish.

Lamb

A classic pairing for the lamb are the wines of bordeaux 🇧🇷 The combination of the aromatic richness of the Cabernet Sauvignon with the soft touch of merlot intensifies the flavors of the lamb. Other wines that have a similar profile, such as a Tempranillo, Malbec or Grenache will also add to the dish.

Panettone

Here, the principle of pairing with desserts still applies: the wine must be as sweet as or greater than the dish. In the case of traditional panettone O muscatel sparkling wine it is an interesting ally due to the fruity notes combined with the sweetness. If chocolate a fortified wine as a Harbor can be a great choice.

Check out the best panettone of 2022 for sale in São Paulo

*The texts published by Insiders and Columnists do not necessarily reflect the opinion of CNN Viagem & Gastronomia.

About Pri Matta

Priscilla is a journalist, sommelière and creator of the profile @deondevinho on Instagram. She makes it clear that she doesn’t talk about wines there, but about moments. It’s just that wine is in everyone!