The Zen of Panettone Gastronomico

Parents are working out how to fit the whole family into one room.
Children are checking (expensive) flights home.
Couples are buying lovely presents for each other.
Friends are deciding which of them will host the meal (and the party afterwards).
Ah, the Christmas season!

I may sound a little cold-hearted right now, but let me tell you this:
When I think of Christmas, I think of food and wine.
An awful lot of food!

I am a child of the Eighties. Something that perfectly represents my idea of Christmas is called Panettone Gastronomico. It is an homage to opulence – opulence in Eighties style.

Panettone Gastronomico

Imagine a savoury panettone. A soft bread in the shape and size of a panettone.
You then slice it horizontally and fill the various layers with savoury delights…

Mayonnaise and prawns? Very good!
Salami? A classic!
Grilled vegetables? Something healthy!

And so on, for, let’s say, between six and eight layers.
Afterwards, you take a very sharp knife and cut it, this time vertically, so that small triangles are formed. Small sandwiches.
The concept of the Panettone Gastronomico sounds a little over the top, but it is great fun and a dish with a real sense of family. Discussions about the fillings, hands reaching out to grab a piece, laughter over slices that went wrong. It is a communal affair. It is meant to be shared.

I’m sorry, I got a little carried away… Let’s talk about wine.

I cannot even count how many times wine has saved my life at family meals.
Family meals that amounted to a seated marathon around the dining table.
Sometimes pouring a glass was a pretext for getting closer to a family member you hadn’t seen for a long time.
Sometimes it was a welcome distraction from boring topics.
By the end of dinner, the wine was certainly one of the reasons why I had a broad smile on my face.

I would like to suggest a selection of wines that can accompany an entire dinner. Yes, even one featuring the Panettone Gastronomico!

Here is my feast of excess – made for sharing.

This time my list does not begin with the aperitif, but with the wine you can drink while cooking or while you are waiting for your guests. And here we go.

Cinque Campi Particella 128
From Emilia-Romagna with love.
Honest, direct, uncomplicated and yet incredibly fine.
A good friend whom you enjoy inviting round for a chat.
Simply open it while you cook and offer your first guests a glass. A wine that will also win over your grandfather, your wine-geek friend (“You like indigenous grape varieties, don’t you?”) and the nephew who only drinks pét-nat (yes, they weren’t invented in 2020…).

Tarlant Zero Rosé Brut Nature, Base 2018
Right, now everyone is seated at the table.
The vol-au-vents have been handed out.
It is time for things to really get going. There is no better way to kick off a celebration than by opening a bottle of Champagne.
Tarlant is a family estate in the heart of the Vallée de la Marne, in Épernay.
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier from vines around 40 years old, almost five years on the lees. That is all there is to it. “Zero” here means without dosage. This is a bone-dry rosé. It does not matter if you went a little overboard with the mayo or the butter in the puff pastry – this Champagne cleanses the palate with every sip thanks to its wonderfully clear acidity, while the delicate fruit of the Pinot Noir tickles the tongue. I guarantee you that more than one of your guests will admire its unique colour and bead.

Bret Brothers Pouilly-Fuissé Climat “En Carementrant”
After the excitement of the first bubbles, we should drink something to calm the palate (but not too much!). It is time for a warm, cosy feeling. Perhaps a filled pasta arrives at the table.
With it, a little Chardonnay. I bet you also have a friend who does not
like Chardonnay. So let us win them over with this one.
Hand-picked grapes from Burgundy, specifically from the top site of the Côte Mâconnais, Pouilly-Fuissé. A perfectly balanced wine between a creamy feel and minerality.
Juiciness and citrus notes dance together. The woody notes fade into the background, merely supporting the wine’s fine texture.

Vietti Barolo DOCG Castiglione 2020 1500ml Magnum
This bottle should be opened at least a few hours before serving. Perhaps take a sip straight after uncorking it. You will be able to entertain your guests with the incredible evolution of this wine.
Once this wine has been poured, it will probably go quiet around you. Do not worry, that is completely normal. The seductive power of this Barolo can enchant anyone.
The nose is already so complex that you need a few minutes.
Violet, sour cherry, plum, liquorice and nougat. Just to name a few
of the aromas. On the palate it is simply dreamy. Fresh, with perfectly integrated ripe tannins.
Perhaps the conversation now becomes a little more intimate and the feelings a little stronger.

Pinot Gris Clos Jebsal Trie Speciale Sélection de Grains Nobles 2006
All good things must come to an end. But our ending can be a sweet one.
Some cheeks are probably red by now, eyes a little watery. Someone is thinking about leaving, or about not drinking anything else.
Take this little gem out of the fridge now, show off its amber colour, and everyone will change their mind immediately!

Zind-Humbrecht is an absolute legend and demonstrates its full mastery with this sweet wine. Few sweet wines can match this complexity: a multi-layered nose of caramelised nuts, candied dates, dark tobacco, damp earth and more. But what is truly astonishing is the acidity and minerality that meld with the concentrated sweetness in your mouth.
There is still time for one last conversation and one last glass.

We wish you a wonderful Christmas & Hanukkah Sameach!

Text & wine expertise: Jonathan Gobbi
Illustration: Ananda Costca