Wines for Christmas dinner

Pork and Christmas dishes

Christmas is perhaps the time of year when we drink maybe more wine, the reason being that it is a  time full of meetings and parties  , where we sit down to dinner with family or friends to taste some of the most typical dishes of this time of year. of the year in Romanian gastronomy.

It all starts with the slaughter of the pig, also called Ignatius, which is celebrated on December 20, and in some areas even on Christmas Eve. Legend has it that on the night of Ignatius (St. Ignatius), the poor pigs dream of being slaughtered or not, and if they dream of a knife, it means that they will be sacrificed.

In Spain, on the other hand, in  rural areas they also celebrate the slaughter of pigs  , although, unlike in Romania, the day marked for slaughter is November 11, the day of Saint Martin. However, as in our case, the slaughter lasts for several days, usually during the coldest months of the year.

As we know, the pig is an animal from which everything is used, and during the festive weeks fresh meat is consumed in various recipes for Christmas dishes, while the rest of the pig is prepared, smoked or dried and kept for consumption throughout the year.

Although we doubt that you know, one of the most  typical Romanian dishes around Christmas is Pork Ointment  , a dish prepared from pork cut into slightly larger pieces and fried in lard. This dish is one of the oldest, with a long tradition and aimed to feed all those who had participated in the slaughter of the pig. Another typical dish that includes pork ingredients (pork legs) is the traditional Romanian soup. Then let's not forget the Belly Soup, which is also very appetizing and often prepared during the holidays.

Meals have the gift of bringing us together, but it's not all about food around Christmas. The holidays are about spending time with loved ones that I haven't seen in a long time. Nostalgia is knocking at the door and, little by little, these days everything is turning into joy. Holidays that begin with St. Nicholas, continue with St. Ignatius and do not stop until St. John.

How do I choose wine for Christmas?

Wine consumption increases during the Christmas holidays, whether it is still, white, rosé or red wines, or sparkling wines such as cava or champagne. We can't forget the dessert wines, the most coveted for their sweet and gourmet taste, which also have the gift of extending the meals with those long-awaited family discussions throughout the year.

But choosing wine for these days can be a bit tricky, so here are some tips on how to pair pork with wine or which is the best wine for Christmas. Pork is a very easy meat to cook, and when it is well cooked it is very tender and juicy. There are some traditional recipes, but also a multitude of new recipes made with pork, and some of them include red wine even among the main ingredients.

Although pork is the main meat consumed in Romania during Christmas, due to the Ignat tradition, lamb, chicken or beef are also consumed. How about fried sausages, a good beef tenderloin with polenta, or a portion of papanasi. Well, our mouths are already watering just thinking about these tasty combinations.

So, if you are looking for a wine that matches red meat in general, a wine for appetizers, for traditional sausages or a wine for the sweetest dishes, further discover our recommendations or visit our store.

If we opt for white wines, the Godello variety, with a medium acidity and a mild aroma, is ideal for dishes that include pork, but Godello is also very versatile, so it can accompany either a first or a second dish. If, on the other hand, we prefer red wine, any variety with a good structure will combine perfectly with both lamb and pork and red meats.

One of these varieties can be syrah, a wine obtained from this variety is one of those special wines that we like to discover, because syrah produces wines with a lot of flavor and also with a great body. Another red variety par excellence in Spain is Garnacha, one of the most planted red grapes in the world, with which very elegant wines are obtained.

We can not forget the star variety of Spain, Tempranillo, present especially in  Rioja  wines, wines with good acidity and a lot of character, which can not be missing these days from our table, any of these red varieties are perfect with all meats.

Our selection of wines for pork dishes

Atlantis Godello 2019 , from DO Valdeorras, with a beautiful yellow color and greenish reflections, this wine delights us with complex aromas of fruits such as apple and peach, but we also find notes of honey and floral notes, in the mouth has a wide entry and generous, and the taste is curious aromas like almonds, possessing a good structure, this white wine has a very good finish.

Mingua Rosé by Bodegas Fábregas, a very expressive syrah monovariety with a beautiful, clean and bright raspberry pink color, with sweet aromas of red fruits, such as strawberries, and a wide, fresh mouthfeel that encourages consumption, This wine also has a fairly moderate gradation, which is perfect to accompany from a soup or salad to a slightly more energetic dish.

Flor de Cayus 2018, de la Bodegas Ainzón din D.O. Campo de Borja, realizat în întregime din soiul de struguri Garnacha, este un vin care se poate asocia foarte ușor atât cu carnea de porc înăbușită, cât și cu carnea roșie la grătar, un vin cu un nas complex, plin de arome de fructe roșii, cu o culoare roșie vișinie foarte atrăgătoare și o intrare în gură caldă și interesantă, un vin de savurat în timpul mesei sau în liniște, înghițitură cu înghițitură, descoperind fiecare nuanță și bucurându-se de fiecare senzație.

Marqués de Murrieta 2016, from Bodega Marqués de Murrieta, a reference point for quality wine, a winery that is constantly looking for perfection and that continues to maintain the traditions that always evolve in the foreground, this Crianza wine is considered one of the best classics in La Rioja, Made with grapes from Finca Ygay, one of the best properties of the house and the one that surrounds the winery, this wine spends sixteen months of aging in American oak barrels and then rests in glass for a few more months before it goes on sale, being without a doubt a perfect choice for any Christmas dish you put on the table.

Arrayan Selección, from Bodegas Arrayan, is an elegant and distinguished wine, it is also one of those wines that we call high altitude, because its grapes, a blend of merlot, syrah, cabernet sauvignon and petit verdot, are planted at over five hundred meters above sea level, a wine with a lot of personality, with a beautiful ruby ​​red color, with aromas of ripe fruit and spices, very fresh in the palace and with a long and persistent finish.

And not to mention desserts, also in our online store you have a section of sweet wines that are spectacular and can be associated with both traditional desserts such as cozonac, but also with creamy desserts, more elaborate. But the best combination for any of the wines you choose will be good company.

We wish you beautiful holidays with your loved ones, hearty meals and inspired associations.

Dis&Dis Team