Behind the Vines

Holiday Meal Made Easy as Pie (or Bread Pudding)

by Farley on December 21st, 2007

Worried about what you’re going to eat and drink for Christmas? Tracey over at Foodie Obsessed came up with a really terrific holiday meal, and I’m going to provide the wine pairings.

I love this kind of thing, as I’m always the one with several glasses of wine in front of me to try different pairings. So the great thing about a big meal with family and/or friends is that you don’t need to feel guilty about having a bunch of open bottles on the table.

For the first course, Nigella’s yummy and spicy crab cocktail, thanks to the addition of wasabi and ginger. While I might suggest a Sauvignon Blanc with a more typical version, this one begs for something off the beaten path. I’m thinking a Vinho Verde, due to its low alcohol content (don’t want the heat in your wine competing with that on the fork) and its tendency towards spritziness, which could cut through the cocktail sauce. In addition, this wine often shows lime flavors that will match the juice used in the recipe. I recommend the 2006 Encostas do Lima Vinho Verde. It and others can usually be found for less than $10, another big plus.

The main course also sounds divine: crown roast of pork with onion and bread-crumb stuffing. With two pounds of chopped onions and cider vinegar, the stuffing will help coax from the pork its natural sweetness. But you also have to think about the herbal portion: the sage and marjoram and then the celery. One possible match could be the 2004 Escafeld Petit Verdot, after letting it sit for a while. When I had this wine a few months ago, I found enough sweetness (think Fig Newtons) to match that in the crown pork and enough earthiness (mushrooms) to match the herbs. And only $20! But since you don’t have time to order it online from Wine Q or the winery, and it’s in limited places elsewhere, you might need a back up. I’d also suggest a Loire Valley wine I had this summer. It had lovely fruit and sweet notes of vanilla leading us to think there was a good deal of American oak, but it also had the herbal qualities of Cabernet Franc and the depth of Cabernet Sauvignon. It was a 2003 Domaine de Nerleux Saumur-Champigny and cost only $16.

Of course, you can’t skip dessert, and why would you want to if it were Eggnog-Panettone Bread Pudding? With its sugar, eggs, rum, vanilla, and nutmeg, it needs something rich to wash it down. I’m thinking a botrytis-affected Semillon such as the Elderton or the Thomas Fogarty late-harvest Gewurztraminer. It could even go with some sweet bubbles, such as a doux Champagne (even sweeter than those labeled demi-sec).

And for a guide to beer pairings for this same meal, check out Chris and his suggestions over at Brew-Ha-Ha.

Cheers!

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POSTED IN: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Vinho Verde, dinner with my wine, holiday spirit