By As Christmas is a very traditional holiday and is full of spirits, there’s nothing better than a rich-flavored red wine on the table. What will go better with an amazing dinner set on a beautiful table, than a red wine full of tannins and flavor?
Wine extracted from Nebbiolo grape variety, aromas of roses and violets, along with cherry and plum flavors, firm tannins that go perfect with a heavy Christmas dinner. Giuseppe Mascarello S Stefano di Perno Barolo (2009) A very pricey wine, is a very exclusive, made by a fine producer and is a bottle of great vintage wine.
Barolo is expensive due to its high demand. Barolo wine is made from Nebbiolo grape, which grows in the Barolo region and is delicious, and the pure extracted gold is the king of red wine. (Barolo is located in the northwestern portion of Piedmont called Langhe, about seven miles southwest of Alba. 11 communes make up the wine-producing region of Barolo, including the five most prominent ones: Barolo, La Morra, Castiglione Falletto, Serralunga d’Alba, and Monforte d’Alba.)
Barolo village is a very special winemaking region. And you might ask, why is that so?
(The Barolo DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) is the highest classification for Italian wines and denotes specific production methods and a quality guarantee.
The wines are rich, full-bodied, and has a strong and powerful presence of acidity and tannins. Barolos are often compared to the great Pinot Noirs of Burgundy, due to their light brick-garnet pigments and bright acidity. Rose flower, tar, and dried herbs are aromas frequently associated with Barolo wines.
According to DOCG regulations, the wines must be aged for at least two years in oak and one year in bottle, with five years of age (three in oak) required for Riserva labeling, both with a minimum 13 percent alcohol content.
There are many interesting things that one should know about Barolo wine.
First of all, the wine is worth the wait, it takes up to 3 years of aging to get the consistency and the quality the wine is required to have. The best types of Barolo wines are aged and the desired product is not earlier than 10 years. More tasteful and higher quality Barolo wines are dated to be made in 1947, 1971, 1982, 1990, 1997, 1999, 2001, and 2004.
In the 1880s a chemist named Giuseppe Cappellano began making Barolo Chinato, a remedy for health matters, such as cold and digestive issues. It is generally confirmed to have healing features and is still considered a dessert wine, which is defined as elegant and bitter-sweet.
Let’s talk about the most important part, what do we pair Barolo with? As our topic for today is a Christmas wine, and a great wine to match the Christmas table, what kind of food can we pair it with?
“Combine the wine with what you like! Today we have people who can’t eat meat, are vegetarians – does that mean you can’t enjoy a Nebbiolo wine because traditional pairings are game or roast meats? No! Just make sure you use good ingredients and food you love. And, remember that Barolo is also a meditation wine. Drink it alone, relax in front of a fire in the winter. “
-Veronica Santero, Palladino, Serralunga, Barolo
Let’s break it down, Nebbiolo has a high amount of tannins, but the high acidity that it contains creates a harmonic balance.
“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?” – asked Alice. “That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat. “I don’t much care where-” said Alice. “Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the Cat.
Combine the wine with what you like! Today we have people who can’t eat meat, are vegetarians – does that mean you can’t enjoy a Nebbiolo wine because traditional pairings are game or roast meats? No! Just make sure you use good ingredients and food you love. And, remember that Barolo is also a meditation wine. Drink it alone, relax in front of a fire in the winter.
Veronica Santero, Palladino, Serralunga, Barolo
First, spicy food, especially very flavorful Asian food, can be a surprisingly perfect match. The Asian food is high in Tannis, spices, and flavors, thus it will enhance the wine. Besides, the red fruit and tantalizing aromatics match beautifully with Asian dishes.
Let’s not forget about Chocolate, personally for me, dryness and sweetness don’t pair well together, but for some, it’s an interesting way to play around with flavors. Maybe, the sweetness is perfectly balanced out with dryness and who knows? It’s all upon individuality, diversity, and taste.
Barolo like many dry wines is a perfect pairing with cheese and when I say it, I mean every type of cheese. So if you’re thinking of setting up a cheese board it is a perfect match. As a personal preference that I have heard from a lot of wine experts, Barolo wine pairs perfectly with a charcuterie board. The wine can open up and enhance the hidden flavors of the meat.
At last, I would conclude the fact that Barolo is one of the perfect matches for a Christmas table. Wine highly consisted of tannins, rich in flavors, will enhance the delicious food on the table. Barolo is not only great with meat but can be paired with anything an individual likes upon their taste. A bit pricey, but a veteran of traditional red wines, Barolo is one of it’s kind.
Stay tuned for more recommendations for Christmas.
Tamar Tsikhelashvili, is the Global Wine Editor for TheFutureOfPR.com. A wine enthusiast, and from a family of wine creators – she has always been interested in winemaking. She can be reached at tamuska.tsikhellashvili@gmail.com
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