The Perfect Tuscan Christmas Meal

For the perfect Christmas Day dinner why look ant further than those recommended from four of the leading wine producing families of Tuscany: Folonari, Antinori, Marchesi die Frescobaldi and the Mazzei family. In 2011 Wine Enthusiast magazine delivered the perfect Tuscan Christmas Day meal from anti pasti to dolci (one from each of the families) to share with its readers. The result is a four course meal for nobility, and good wine.

Here is a brief on the dinners to whet your appetite, or aprire il stomaco (go to the article for the full recipes)

Folonari Family 

The Folonari are among Tuscany’s most prestigious Tuscan wine families. The fancily history in wine began in the late 1700s and continues today with Ambrogio and Giovanni Folonari.  They're wines in Tuscany range from Super Tuscans, to Brunello, Bolgheri, Vino Nobile, Chianti Classico and some whites of northern regions.

Folonari Antipasti
The Folonari favorite for Christmas is pumpkin soup. Vellutata di Zucca Gialla. A hearty meal in itself that combines yellow pumpkin, potato, onion, croutons and even cookies.

Mazzei Family

Located in the heart of Chianti Classico, off the famous strada di vino 222 and 5 km from Castellina in Chianti is the Fonterutoli Estate. A hamlet that has been home to the Mazzei family and the vineyard Castello di Fonterutoli since the 1400's. Producing a classic Sangiovese wine is a long tradition matched by their excellence of olive oil.

Mazzei Primi Piatti
Timballo di Spaghetti alla Chitarra. Guitar string pasta with a rich cheese sauce.

Marchesi dei Fescobaldi

The Frescobaldi family is one of the most important producers of premium wines in Italy. With five estates, dei Fescobaldi is also the largest producer in Tuscany. Originally from Florence, the family still manage and own the many vineyards and estates since the 1300's. That's 30 generations of wine making.

Frescobaldi Secondo
Brasato Natalizio al Nipozzano. A traditional Christmas braised short rib using wine, and in this recipe, Frescobaldi's Nipozzano.

Antiniori

The Antinori name and brand is respected globally. Their wines filling the top shelf of stores around the world are centered in not only Tuscany, and the North and South of Italy but have stretched into the New World vineyards of Napa, Chile, Washington State, Hungary, Malta and Romania.

Dolci Antiniori
They have a traditional desert called a Monte Bianco. Chestnut and chocolate mounded desert topped with whipped cream to resemble Mount Blanc.