The 12 Wines of Christmas: Pairings for the Holidays (Plus Recipes!)

We will be spending Christmas—straight through El Dia de los Reyes—in Spain this year, and our favorite thing is that Christmas really does last 12 days there. Feeling the holiday spirit full on, here are 12 wines for Christmas, paired with classic Latin dishes.

Croquetas are a favorite at Christmas and throughout the year. Whether you fill yours with pollo or jamon, Chardonnay from South America is a good match. We are especially fond of Marques de Casa Concha Chardonnay 2011, which has just a touch of smoke showing through tropical fruit and Gala apple flavors. We’re also enjoying Trivento Golden Reserve Chardonnay 2012 (left), whose flavors of pineapple and citrus are backed by a light touch of vanilla. Both have just the right amount of oak to hold up to cheese or béchamel.

If you’re serving enchiladas this season, especially Green Enchiladas or Enchiladas with Tomatillo Salsa, Sauvignon Blanc is the way to go. We’re heading to Chile for our top Sauv Blanc picks. Santa Ema Select Terroir Sauvignon Blanc 2013 (left) has crisp fruit flavors and bright acidity that pairs well with seafood, spices, and green herbs. Terrunyo Sauvignon Blanc 2011 has nice citrus notes and clean minerality and is ideal with spicy green salsa.

Next up, what to serve with paella and pernil…

Spaniards get to eat paella three times in 12 days: On Christmas, New Year’s Day, and Three Kings Day! We love Tempranillo with paella. When making it with shellfish and chorizo, look for a light Tempranillo like Faustino VII Rioja 2010, which spent 10 months in oak so it has enough spice to work with the chorizo and enough bright fruit to work with the mussels, shrimp and clams. With Lobster and Chanterelle Paella, Leda Viñas Viejas 2009 is an excellent choice. This limited-production Tempranillo is made from grapes grown on vines that are between 50 and 100 years old, and after 20 months in oak barrels its intense balsamic flavor will be a rich accompaniment to the elegant combination of lobster and mushrooms.

No holiday dinner is complete without pernil on the table. When it comes to pernil, we like it classic, as in Pernil Asado or with a citrus kick. Red wine from Portugal is a nice choice with crisped spicy pork. Assobio 2011 from the Douro DOC is made of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, and Touriga Franca. It is spicy with deep flavors of cherry and blackberry. Herdade Do Esparao Monte Velho Red 2012 (right), a blend of Aragonez, Trincadeira, Touriga Nacional, and Syrah, is oak-aged for only six months, so the zesty fruit flavors shine through, backed by notes of vanilla and toast.

Next up, pairing bacalao and tacos…

Bacalao is another holiday staple, and if you make it with tomato, olives, and chilies, Sangiovese is a good bet. Same goes for Bacalao a la Mexicana, which has capers in the mix as well. When it comes to Sangiovese and seafood, we are all over bottles from Morellino di Scansano, in coastal Tuscany.  

Look for Fattoria Le Pupille Morellino di Scansano DOCG 2011, which is aged in stainless steel, not wood, so the black cherry and raspberry flavors reign supreme. Marchesi di Frescobaldi Pietraregia dell’Ammiraglia Riserva 2010 (right) has flavors of plum and black currant mingling with clove and spice, ideal with any fish dish made with tomatoes.

Tacos are the ultimate party food, but you can gussy them up a bit by serving a fancy wine. If there’s beef inside or we’re getting fiery, Amarone will do the trick. Grapes are laid out on mats to concentrate the sugar prior to fermentation, giving a rich mouthfeel and strengthening the fruit flavors. Masi Agricola Costasera Amarone 2008 (left) offers flavors of cherry and plum preserves with touches of mocha, backed by bright acidity. Sartori di Verona Amarone 2009 is super food-friendly, with lush flavors of raisin, cherry pie, and a whiff of baking spice. (Or maybe that’s the Christmas cookies.)