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- Ελληνικά
If there is one scent that attests to the arrival of Christmas in the frozen flea markets of Central Europe, it is certainly that of "Glühwein".
This warm flavoured wine, with deep historical roots stretching back to at least 1420, is for many more than just a drink: the palms wrapped in the warm mug create a feeling of warmth and allow laughing groups to celebrate Christmas around outdoor tables, or walking through the streets of Germany or Austria, when the mercury drops several degrees below zero. It is also a wine to be consumed slowly, so that the flavours emanating from the spices can "sprinkle" the festive atmosphere with additional magic. And if placed in a deep bowl with a sugar cone filled with rum, it can become a visual extravaganza when the host of the Christmas party lights the alcohol with a match and the blue flame rises.
The steaming red "Glühwein", to which sugar, cinnamon, cloves and orange peel - or even star anise and vanilla - have been added, is not the only "link" between wine and Christmas. Wine of various kinds, flavoured or not, is an ideal accompaniment to many of the festive treats of this time of year all over the world. APE-MPA invites you on a mental "journey" through the relationship between wine and Christmas, from Portugal to England and from Germany to Australia and New Zealand, starting with a short discussion with Konstantinos Lazarakis, the first Greek Master of Wine (MW).
The Wines of Christmas
"There are no particular Christmas customs associated with wine in Europe, but it is consumed in various forms these days: e.g, Glühwein in Germany or Austria and mulled wine in England. In England, port wine is currently consumed in combination with "Stilton"
cheese, which, if we wanted to "evolve" it, we could transfer it to the Greek reality by combining black laurel with Roquefort or other blue cheese.He adds that the drink of the celebration is undoubtedly champagne or sparkling wine, while winter is also the season of sweet wines. "It's great to start the festive table with champagne, or sparkling wine. Champagne is the ultimate aperitif wine. We can pair it perfectly with salmon or caviar, never with dessert. Then we can move on to a light white (e.g., muscovy or malagouzia), continue with a heavier white (e.g., barrel-passed asyrtiko), then a light red, then a heavier red, and finally choose a sweet wine. For me, the ideal festive table involves eight people drinking eight different wines in moderation," he says, explaining that it's a misconception that when you "mix" wines or even different drinks with each other, you get drunk more easily, since intoxication has to do with the alcohol content of a drink, not the type.
When asked by APE-MPA about which wines to pair Christmas dishes with, he explains that the way we eat in Greece, with all the food at the same time in the middle of the table and snacking for hours, he is not in favour of "marrying" wine with a particular food. "What I suggest is to follow a good order. We sit at the table hungry and thirsty, with heightened senses. So it is suggested that we start with the least aromatic and most watery foods. Then, after we have satisfied our hunger a little and if there is still an appetite, we move on to the more aromatic and heavier flavours and in smaller quantities. The same applies to wine," he explains, and as for sweet wine, with which to end a festive meal, he notes that its consumption in winter is linked both to the body and to psychology: in winter, with the cold and fewer fruits and vegetables in nature, we need more energy, which is increased in sweet wine. Moreover, there is also the psychological aspect, with sweet wine being suitable for long tables and conversations...
Cod, octopus and Rabanadas with wine in Portugal
But what about the rest of Europe? APE-MPA gathered data from various corners of the Old Continent. In Portugal, the Christmas Eve menu usually does not contain meat, but fish, and households prepare dishes with cod or octopus. Turkey is reserved for the Christmas Day table. Traditionally Christmas wine does not exist, but Portuguese people usually combine certain Christmas dishes with certain wines, traditional holiday desserts such as 'Broa Castelar' (made with sweet potato, almonds and orange peel)), 'Lampreia de Ovos' (sugar and egg cake in the shape of a fish) and 'Rabanadas' (toasted bread covered with sugar and cinnamon) pair nicely with port, Madeira and moscatel wines. And 'bolo rei' (a dessert of white dough, raisins, various nuts and candied fruit) often makes an ideal 'duo' at the Christmas table with a medium sweet Madeira Barbeito.
The medieval ritual of "Wassail" and the aristocrats' variant "eggnog" in the UK
In the UK, the warm equivalent of Glühwein, "Mulled Wine", flavoured with orange peel, cinnamon sticks and cloves, warms up the winter nights and festive season with aroma and flavour. Popular in the middle of the wet and cold English December is also the Portuguese Port and Sherry, which with their sweetness and increased density, but also with the complex aromas of caramel, cinnamon and bitter chocolate, are combined ... naturally with this time of year and create a sense of warmth to anyone who tastes them in the cold winter.
Also in the UK, "Wassail" is a medieval British drinking ritual during Christmas, which is traditionally thought to ensure a good cider harvest the following year. The word 'Wassail' is derived from the Old English phrase 'waes hael' , which means 'good health' and so 'Wassail' is always used as a greeting or toast. There is even a Christmas song called "Here We Come A-wassailing!"
Wassail is made from cider, citrus juice, ginger and spices, and sometimes cream. Also popular these days is "Eggnog": originally created to keep British aristocrats warm during their winter forays into the countryside - then made with milk, eggs, cream and sugar, to which cinnamon and nutmeg were added when served - and then drinks such as rum or brandy were added, making it a favourite festive Christmas cocktail in parts of the US and Canada.
Hungarian Forralt Bor, the specificity of cardamom in Glögg and Christmas wine ice creams in the ...other hemisphere
Variations of the German and Austrian hot "Glühwein" exist in Europe: "Vin Chaud" is the French version, while in other parts of Europe the flavoured wine is not necessarily drunk hot, nor is red wine always used to make it.
In Hungary, "Forralt Bor" is also made from dry white wine flavoured with peppercorns, ginger, cloves and cinnamon, which is sweetened with the addition of honey and creates a feeling of warmth and joy, increasing the conditions for more smiles on Christmas days. The Swedish "Glögg" differs in taste from other flavoured wines thanks to the cardamom and, after being slightly heated without boiling, can be enriched with raisins and almonds.
Christmas is not always accompanied by the cold weather that makes hot alcoholic drinks popular in Europe. In Australia, fruity white wines are also consumed cool at Christmas, while in New Zealand people even make wine ice-cream sundaes (yes, the alcohol levels and the mixture used allow them to be chilled) to make it easier to endure the heat under the hot Christmas sun...
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