Most of us would agree that an important part of Christmas is the food and drink you serve on the big day and indeed throughout the festive season. If you like a traditional festive dinner with all the trimmings – or even if you don’t – then why not experiment a little when it comes to the wine?
At Go Brazil we offer a range of wines suitable for a range of festive occasions and palettes. Here is our guide to the best Brazilian wine to serve over Christmas.
The Best Sparkling Wine
Many people like to enjoy a pre-meal glass of bubbly to get them in that all-important festive mood! This doesn’t have to be Champagne, however, as there are plenty of other sparkling wines of similar – or sometimes even better– quality! We offer a range of Brazilian bubbly which is guaranteed to liven things up and which won’t take the edge off your appetite.
In particular we would recommend our Amadeu Brut 2017, pictured left, a classy Traditional Method fizz which is slightly dry, very refreshing and has crisp notes of green apples and pear. If you’re a rosé fan, the sister wine, our Amadeu Brut Rosé 2015, will be equally suitable.
The above wines are great for New Year’s Eve too, but for something extra special, why not try our award-winning and extremely refined Geisse Extra Brut 2016?
The Best Whites
Turkey is a white meat with a relatively low fat content, which means its flavour can be overpowered by powerful or heavy wines, especially those with higher levels of tannin.
Our recommendation would be to go for a relatively light but dry and aromatic white wine, such as our Sinais Itálico Riesling or Sinais Sauvignon Blanc. For ham or chicken dishes we would suggest our Don Guerino Reserva Chardonnay or Pizzato Plinio Semillon: both of these have been barrel-aged and are medium-bodied, with ripe, slightly tropical notes, which would pair well with these slightly more flavoured meats.
The Best Reds
Winter – and especially Christmas – is for many the time to enjoy a bottle or two of special red wine, especially when it’s served with a lovely roast or a mature, flavoursome cheese. As mentioned above, the traditional turkey is a delicate meat and can be easily overwhelmed by stronger flavours.
Our preference for a suitable red would therefore be our Don Guerino Reserva Pinot Noir – also suitable to match with duck or game birds – or alternatively our unoaked Sinais Merlot, a versatile and very fruity example of this popular grape variety, which would suit chicken dishes too.
For beef, lamb or venison lovers a bold and heavier red may be called for! Here at Go Brazil we have many candidates, but we would highlight our new Guaspari Vale da Pedra Tinto, pictured left, a 100% Shiraz, which packs a punch and is full of concentrated dark currant and herb flavours.
From the Campos de Cima winery, either their Três Bocas – an unoaked Malbec/Tempranillo blend – or their flagship Assinatura would hit the spot too. This latter is 80% Shiraz and has been aged in new French oak for 18 months, so again is smooth, very rich and shows typical dark chocolate and peppery flavours.
For the most adventurous red drinkers, look no further than our Pizzato Reserva ‘Nervi’ Tannat, a full-bodied, oaked and savoury red which pairs excellently with stilton, for example.
The Best Sweet Wines
If you have any room left over after the main course, then it’s time for a festive pud, mince pie or perhaps a slice of Christmas cake! To accompany any of these we would suggest our Sanjo Nobrese Sparkling Moscato, a clean, sweet but not cloying fizz, with just 7% ABV. Its orange blossom and citrussy flavours work well too with chocolate, meringues or even fruit salad – or simply drink it as an aperitif on its own!
Vegan and Vegetarian Wines
The trend towards veganism and vegetarianism continues apace and certainly this Christmas there will be more people than ever choosing not to tuck into chicken, turkey or beef at the Christmas dining table. In line with these trends, Go Brazil is offering a wide-ranging selection of appropriate wines which will go perfectly with non-meat dishes.
For salad or vegetable dishes, our unoaked Don Guerino ‘Vintage’ Torrontés would make a good match, being light bodied, slightly floral and with refreshing citrus flavours. For heavier, bolder or spiced dishes our Sinais Cabernet Sauvignon has well defined varietal fruit, while another recommendation would be our Don Guerino ‘Vintage’ Malbec. This is a super-smooth blackcurranty red, with aromas of violets, vanilla and even hints of tobacco. A complex but very approachable wine, and not coincidentally the bestseller on our entire range!
The Best Brazilian Wines for Christmas from Go Brazil
If you would like some advice on what to serve over Christmas, then we would be delighted to make recommendations about which wine would go best with which food. And if you are organising a festive get-together, then you can order all your South American party wine from us. Our mixed ‘Carnival’ case serves as an excellent introduction to all the best that Brazilian wine has to offer, and it should satisfy the most discerning of party-goers.
And remember wine makes an excellent Christmas present, so you can order a case to be delivered to Ipswich, Suffolk, across East Anglia or throughout the UK mainland. Follow this link to find out what we currently have in stock. Trade enquiries are welcome too.