Ideal pairing for your Christmas dinner

The year is coming to an end, which means dinners, parties, and posadas have arrived. Many of you ask me how to find the best wine for the occasion, how to calculate how many bottles to buy, and other tips that are very useful during this time. I spoke with Mauricio Jiménez, Head Sommelier of Grupo La Castellana, and together we created this article for all your celebrations. When you have guests, there are several things you need to consider: the food or dinner you plan to serve, the type of wine that your guests or you enjoy drinking, and the number of guests. But let’s take it step by step… Food or dinner to serve: Traditionally, at Christmas events, there is some appetizer, then all the dishes are brought out at once, and finally, dessert is served. These typical Christmas dishes are the basis of today’s pairing menu: Citrus and herb stuffed turkey Bacalao a la Vizcaína Pork loin with three chiles Romeritos Chocolate cake with chocolate cream The type of wine For this point, Mauricio gives you several options to choose from: A) One wine for each dish: Turkey with GREG NORMAN CHARDONNAY (EDEN VALLEY, AUSTRALIA) aged in French oak for 8 months. Aromas of apricots, mandarin peel, almond, and vanilla. On the palate, there is balance between its acidity and the roundness of the body, with a long finish. Price at La Castellana: $348   Bacalao with SOLAR VIEJO VENDIMIA SELECCIONADA (RIOJA DOCa, SPAIN) 12 months in barrel, 12 months in bottle A great variety of aromas: plums, raspberries, rosemary, coconut, licorice, and caramel. Lively and fine on the palate. Price at La Castellana: $348 Pork loin with three chiles with EMEVE MALBEC (VALLE DE GUADALUPE, MEXICO) 11 months in French and Hungarian oak. In addition to spices: tobacco leaf, clove, white pepper, and caramel. Robust and full on the palate. Price at La Castellana: $499 Romeritos with GLORIA FERRER SONOMA BRUT (SPARKLING, CALIFORNIA) Delicate notes of white flowers, pear, and apple, with hints of cherry and toasted almonds. On the palate, lively citrus and toasted flavors with abundant and very fine bubbles. Price at La Castellana: $435 Chocolate cake with WARRE’S WARRIOR PORT FINEST RESERVE (OPORTO, PORTUGAL) Dark ruby red color, with aromas of berry compote and cassis. Upon tasting, its complexity, fine texture, and long flavor are evident. Price at La Castellana: $369 B) One White and One Red If you are only going to use two wines, Mauricio advises you to go with the Greg Norman and the Solar Viejo, as the typical Christmas dishes involve roasting and heavily spiced sauces. These two wines will pair very well. The white, having barrel aging, is a structured wine, and the red has a good balance of elements (acidity, alcohol, and body) for the dishes, without its tannins overshadowing the flavors of the sauces. C) One single wine: If you plan to serve only one wine, Mauricio recommends Gloria Ferrer Sparkling, as it will pair very well with the flavors of the turkey and bacalao, and it will beautifully enhance the romeritos and the loin. Quantity of wine according to the number of people: To calculate, consider that a person drinks between 2 and 3 glasses during your event (I suggest 3 to be safe). Each bottle yields 6 glasses (well served), so you need one bottle for every 2 people. -Example: If your meal is for 12 people, you need 6 bottles. It’s normal to drink more red wine than white, so you will need: 4 bottles of red wine and 2 bottles of white wine. This Christmas, I hope all your wishes come true; mine is to help you find the best wine. Here are the links to the recipes so you can find them easily: Turkeyhttp://www.kiwilimon.com/receta/carnes-y-aves/pavos/pavos-rellenos/pavo-facil-con-gravy Bacalao http://www.kiwilimon.com/receta/platos-fuertes/pescado/bacalao-a-la-vizcaina-estilo-mexicano Pork Loinhttp://www.kiwilimon.com/receta/carnes-y-aves/cerdos/lomo-de-cerdo/lomo-mechado-a-los-3-chiles Romeritoshttp://www.kiwilimon.com/receta/navidad/platos-fuertes-navidenos/romeritos/romeritos-tradicionales A chocolate desserthttp://www.kiwilimon.com/receta/postres/pastel-de-chocolate-con-crema-de-chocolate   About Mauricio Jiménez Escamilla: Mauricio is considered one of the best sommeliers in Mexico. He currently serves as Head Sommelier of Grupo La Castellana, is a professor for the Mexican Sommelier Association, has worked in the prestigious wine cellar of the Presidente Intercontinental hotel, and his wine travels include Spain, France, Chile, and Napa Valley, among others. He holds the MM1 diploma from the Court of Masters Sommeliers as well as diplomas in Viticulture and Food and Beverage Management from recognized universities in our country.   We invite you to visit his blog: http://www.cavadeblanca.com/