CHRISTMAS AND WINE
The Christmas Season is already upon us! There are only nineteen days before Christmas! The term “Christmas” is short for Christ’s Mass which was a special Catholic Mass on the liturgical calendar in the “dead of winter” celebrating the birth of Jesus? During this Mass, a special red wine is used in this celebration. We celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ in many ways this Christmas, including serving wines during our Christmas feast along with the raising of a glass of wine as a toast to friends, family, and our Creator. Wine is always a good thing to celebrate with and is meant to be shared with others! Pairing wines with foods is always a good thing. We know that local foods always pair best with local wines. Texas has more than its share of award-winning wines with thousands, of medals earned by Texas wines in the last two years! In the recent Houston Rodeo Uncorked wine judging, Texas wines earned 590 medals including 27 Double Gold Medals and 94 Gold Medals. Texas wines are only getting better and better as each year passes.
We have a lot of different foods we feast on this time of the year. So, in preparation for the coming Christmas, I have selected several Texas wines to pair with these local foods on your Christmas Banquet Table:
• TURKEY –Becker Winery Viognier. Messina Hof Gewürztraminer. Saddlehorn Winery Blanc du Bois. Llano Estacado Viviana.
• SUGAR-CURED HAM – Messina Hof Angel Riesling, Landon Winery Yellow Rose. Whitley Vineyards Muscat Canella, West Sandy Creek Winery Dry Blanc du Bois. The Ferm Meadery Hwy 1 Mead.
• WILD GAME BIRDS – Becker Iconoclast Cabernet Sauvignon; Bernhardt Winery Merlot, Messina Hof Pinot Noir. B. E. Winnery Tannat. Messina Hof Gewürztraminer.
• SAUSAGE – Bernhardt Winery Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. B. E. Winery Escape Plan Red Blend, Messina Hof Cabernet Franc, Whiteley Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon.
• Steak – Fall Creek Meritus, Llano Estacado Viviano, Becker Winery Cabernet Sauvignon-Syrah Blend, William-Chris Winery Skelton Key. B. E. Winery Night Shift Red Blend.
• Venison – Messina Hof Pinot Noir, McPherson Sangiovese, Whiteley Vineyards Red Blend.
• Chocolate Desserts – Bernhardt Winery PORT. Messina Hof Paulo Port, Llano Estacado Chairman’s Port.
Whatever your choice of food, there are several choices of fine Texas wines to pair with that food. Remember, Texas foods always pair better with local wines from Texas.
If you are in the celebrating “frame of mind,” try celebrating with a Texas sparkling wine like Messina Hof Winery Messina Sparkling Almond, Texas, NV. This wine earned a Double Gold Medal at the Houston Rodeo Uncorked International Wine Competition several years ago. Another Gold Medal Winner is Landon Winery Sparkling White Wine. Either “sparkler” is a great wine to toast family and friends.
As you sip on your Christmas wines, remember that the week after Christmas is the last week of the year. I will provide some great recommendations of Texas Sparkling Wine for you to try and enjoy for New Year’s Eve. The first week in 2025 will be a contemplative week for me. It is a time for reflection for the upcoming year, making New Year Resolutions, and analyzing predictions for the year! Next week’s column will focus on celebratory wines for the New Year with the following week’s column being reflective on our Texas wine industry. Have a Blessed Christmas!