Christmas: ten wines to pair with festive menus

A journey along our Peninsula with a diversion to France and Spain: here are ten perfect labels to pair with your Christmas menus. From bubbles - a must for toasting - to more complex and structured reds, we have selected ten ‘drinking jewels’, unique wines that go well with traditional recipes, from hors d'oeuvres to fish, from the most elaborate main courses to desserts.

SPARKLING WINES

De Vigili - TRENTODOC BRUT ART

Nestled in the vineyards at the foot of the Dolomites, the De Vigili winery in Mezzolombardo (TN) - whose winemaking activity dates back to the 19th century and is today carried on by the young Francesco - harvests and transforms the fruits of one of the most renowned wine-growing areas of Trentino into products of excellence. Proof of this is the Trentodoc Brut Art, an elegant and vibrant bubble obtained from 100% Chardonnay grapes grown on the Collina dei Sorni in Lavis with respect for the environment and the raw material. After vinification and preparation of the base wine, Art matures on the lees for about 36 months: a brut that reflects as much as possible the essence of Trentodoc and its being a mountain bubbly, elegant and fine, with a pleasant acidity and fullness of flavour. With its aromas of yellow-fleshed fruit, exotic and dried fruit, accompanied by more complex notes of bread crust and minerality, Art is perfect as an aperitif and to be enjoyed with shellfish, seafood salads, fish crudités and first courses such as spaghetti with clams or allo scoglio.

Binon Coquard - BRUT EXPRIT SOLERA

Esprit Solera by Champagne Binon - Cocquard is a bubbly that invites you to take a journey through time thanks to the special ageing technique used, the Solera method, which by ageing wines from different vintages together (distributed in pyramids of barrels) creates a perennial reserve, rejuvenated each year without losing its ageing notes. After resting for 7 years in steel vats and another 8 years in the bottle, this champagne made from pure Pinot Noir grapes unleashes a surprising freshness that on the nose is expressed in hints of citrus, almond, hazelnut, candied fruit and vanilla. On the palate, however, a slight truffle flavour stands out, making it the ideal accompaniment for poultry ravioli with truffle sauce or duck breast in sweet and sour sauce.

WHITE WINES

La Staffa - Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore

An expression of the territory in which it was born, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore La Staffa, from the organic farm of the same name located in the hills of Staffolo (AN), is an identity cuvée of this corner of the Marche region devoted to viticulture. Here, the clay and limestone soils are rich in calcium carbonate, which gives the wines a particular sapidity that makes them exclusive. This white wine with a strong personality is no exception, a sincere and artisanal interpretation of one of Italy's most important appellations. Fine and well-balanced, it is characterised by its clear and lively aromatic range, with floral aromas of hawthorn and broom enhanced by notes of hay, flint and suggestions of white pulp fruit. Dry, fresh, savoury, well-balanced and harmonious, this Verdicchio is ideal with fish and seafood dishes, but also to be served with fresh cheeses.

Candidaterra - PANDATARIA IL VINO DEL CONFINO

In Ventotene, in the archipelago of the Pontine Islands, young Luigi Sportiello, descendant of one of the island's oldest families, has restored the ancient winemaking tradition that disappeared in the late 1960s. In this enchanted land, Sportiello and his company Candidaterra are dedicated to the cultivation of Fiano, Greco and Falanghina grapes from which Pandataria Il Vino del Confino is born. A mineral wine that with its hints of citrus and Mediterranean scrub reflects in the glass the peculiarities of the island whose ancient name it bears. Here, then, the nose reveals aromatic herb aromas with touches of white peach and citrus fruits, while in the mouth freshness and minerality are well balanced in an elegant and deep sip. An organoleptic profile that reveals the uniqueness of Candidaterra's grapes, which grow on tufaceous matrix soils of volcanic origin, caressed by the savoury, uncontaminated sea breezes and golden from the sun. Ideal with white meats, fish dishes and typical island seafood recipes, such as scorpion fish carpaccio.

RED WINES

Tenuta Sella - LESSONA OMAGGIO A QUINTINO SELLA

Tenute Sella's Lessona Omaggio a Quintino Sella is a red wine of refined elegance, the flagship wine of the Biella winery, which boasts a long winemaking tradition dating back to 1671. The wine dedicated to Quintino Sella, finance minister of the Kingdom of Italy, is made from Nebbiolo (85%) and Vespolina (15%) grapes grown in the municipality of Lessona and is only produced in exceptional vintages. Matured for 48 months in oak barrels, it develops a unique complexity and elegance. Garnet red in colour, the nose initially opens on mineral hints, then continues intensely on sensations of small red berries from the undergrowth, liquorice roots, vegetal and floral notes and spicy hints. The palate reveals itself to be decisive, full-bodied, enveloping and well-structured, with silky tannins and a balsamic finish that goes well with roasts, red meats, game and mature cheeses.

Faccinelli - VALTELLINA SUPERIORE GRUMELLO TELL

From an old terraced vineyard in Dossi Salati, in Valtellina, at 650 metres above sea level and with slopes up to 70%, where everything is done by hand, comes a wine that is the fruit of passion for this land hidden in the Alps. Here Luca Faccinelli is realising his dream of enhancing his territory and obtaining unique wines, such as Tell, an extreme wine made from Chiavennasca, Rossola and Pignola grapes, with an important character. In the goblet it catches the eye with its light ruby red colour with violet reflections, while the nose expresses itself with hints of red pulp fruit, dried flowers, nuances of spices enriched by balsamic and mentholated hints. In the mouth, the sip is full and dynamic, with a savoury and prolonged imprint. A red wine that goes well with roast veal, braised beef, donkey stew, mixed boiled meat, wild boar stew, Weelington fillet, cheese fondue, duck breast and truffle.

Brigaldara - AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CASE VECIE DOCG

Amarone Case Vecie takes its name from the vineyard of the same name located in the municipality of Grezzana (VE) at 450 metres above sea level in Valpantena: an extraordinary plot where altitude and exposure allow the grapes to ripen slowly and steadily, even in the most difficult vintages. A blend of Corvina (39%), Rondinella (31%) and Corvinone (30%) that matures two years in small oak barrels and a further two years in large oak barrels, resulting in an Amarone from the ‘Vigne Alte’ that exalts the natural characteristics of the high-altitude climate. Deep ruby red in colour, the nose reveals itself to be very ripe, almost toasted, with aromas of dried cranberries, cherries, figs macerated in sugar syrup and aromatic herbs. These scents are then followed by a fresher, more suave note, with clean, precise aromas of cinnamon, pepper and tobacco. A full-bodied, complex, elegant and velvety red wine with a lingering finish in the mouth in which a young, full-bodied but at the same time smooth tannic component stands out. To be enjoyed as a meditation wine, but also with braised dishes of Veneto cuisine such as pastissada de caval and stracotto d'asino, but also with game and mature cheeses.

Podere il Castellaccio - BOLGHERI ROSSO SUPERIORE DOC IL CASTELLACCIO

On the coast of the Etruscan Coast, in the heart of Livorno's Maremma region, the Podere il Castellaccio winery led by Alessandro Scappini produces a Bolgheri Superiore in which Cabernet Franc is blended with a small quantity of Pugnitello, an ancient indigenous variety recovered by Scappini in the wake of what his grandfather Luigi had been doing since the 1960s. The soil rich in schist and marl gives elegance to this red wine that, after racking, matures 12 months in French oak barriques followed by another 12 months in amphorae of ceramic mixture and a further 6 months in the bottle. Refined and complex, Il Castellaccio is a great drinking wine, with silky smooth tannins that give a touch of acidity, making it intense and pleasant to drink. On the nose, the aromatic bouquet is fine and varied with notes of red fruit, vanilla and spices, making it an ideal accompaniment to stewed red meats, noble poultry and game.

Quartomoro - ISOLA DEI NURAGHI CARIGNANO CRG

Blown by the sea wind, the Carignano grapes used to produce this IGT Isola dei Nuraghi come from free-range vines bred to the alberello system in the countryside of Calasetta in the province of Oristano. Part of a broader project to recover the purest expression of Sardinian grape varieties with their singularities carried out by the Quartomoro winery, CRG catches the eye with its deep ruby colour tending to garnet, while the nose is intense and complex, releasing iodine and balsamic notes and interesting hints of red fruits and spices. In the mouth it is savoury and structured, velvety and full-bodied: perfect to accompany important first courses, stewed and spit-roasted meat, grilled tuna ventresca, Sardinian sausage, various cured meats and semi-mature fatty cheeses.

PASSITO

Vinedos Verticales - NOCTILUCA

Born in Moclinejo, a small village of the Axarquía (Malaga), among secular vineyards that grow up to 1000 m/ slm on vertiginous slopes. An extreme and timeless place where viticulture is strongly anchored to primordial traditions, with mules working in harmony with winegrowers. In this scenery of rare beauty, the grapes of Moscato d'Alessandria from the Viña de Reyes (more than 130 years old and was one of the first to be replanted after phylloxera) vinified in purity give life to Noctiluca Dulce, a sweet wine with golden reflections that initially emanates aromas of white flowers and stone fruit on the nose, then leaves room for citrus and mineral notes. Intense on the palate, perfectly balances acidity and sweetness. Perfect not only as a dessert wine but to taste with cheeses and foie gras.