From North to South, Christmas lunch is a moment of great celebration, and what is brought to the table, with great care, is the result of family and territorial traditions. One of the most prepared dishes during the holidays is capon. Let's see which wines are best paired with, in the different preparations.
Typical dish of Italian cuisine, in the various regions it finds a particular space from appetizers to second courses, especially during the Christmas period. But what wine is right to pair with capon? Let's see it together, in a few simple steps.
What, really, is capon?
The capon is a 6-7 month old chicken, castrated at around 65 days of age so that it reaches a greater mass, keeping the meat very soft. It belongs to white meat , together with veal, kid, lamb, turkey, ostrich, pork and rabbit.
How is capon meat?
Capon meat is characterized by a delicate and very pleasant flavour, and is rich in fat .
How does it match capon?
The combination of capon depends on various factors: the type of cooking and the presence of other ingredients in the preparation (in addition to the age of the animal).
In general, capon has good succulence and tenderness ; tactile sensations are characterized by the fiber structure of the meat. The delicate taste is determined above all by the animal's diet and the cooking method chosen (grilled, roasted, boiled, stewed, braised, steamed...).
Preparations with capon and wines to match
1. Tortellini in capon broth
A delicious, warm and inviting dish, with intrinsic succulence due to the broth, which contrasts well with a white wine of good freshness and alcohol content, a medium-bodied red or even with a sparkling wine. Try it with Lugana , Barbera or a Lambrusco , for a territorial combination that is a great classic of Emilian cuisine.
2. Capon stuffed with black truffle
Whether the truffle is white (Alba) or black (Norcia), this is a very classy dish, in which the flavor of the capon is enriched and characterized above all by the truffle, a mushroom with intense and penetrating aromas .
A refined dish, which pairs well, by analogy , with equally important, alcoholic and full-bodied reds such as Nero d'Avola or Aglianico del Vulture .
3. Roasted capon stuffed and with vegetables
It is a great Christmas classic, in Lombardy but not only: a dish with a strong flavour, tasty and fragrant also due to the presence of the filling, characterized by a certain fatness which requires pairing, by contrast , with a red wine with character , with tannin present but smooth; alternatively, fatness can be counteracted with effervescence. Definitely try it with Rosso di Montepulciano , and for a more curious and effective pairing... Champagne !
- Read also: 3 rules for pairing food and wine
4. Boiled capon with mustard
Boiled capon, with which the broth was made, is a dish often eaten with mustards, which give an intense spicy flavor to the capon. The spiciness of the dish requires a pairing by analogy , and therefore boiled capon with mustard goes perfectly with soft and spicy red wines, even those produced with long aging in wood. Try it with Cabernet Sauvignon or Sangiovese .
