A Catalan Christmas

Catalonia is home to some of Europe's, and the World's, finest wines. We caught up with two of our Catalan winemakers to see what they'll be eating and drinking over the Christmas period. Finca Mas D’en Gil "A real Christmas Tradition is to prepare the roasted milk-fed lamb altogether the 24 December on the barbecue (and to eat it with Coma Vella). As it takes time to prepare it the family enjoys being together and talk and laugh. A typical meal for Christmas is stuffed braised duck (with pine nuts and plums) together with our wine. If you’re interested, here’s our family’s recipe: Braised Duck INGREDIENTS

• 1 duck
• 1 garlic bulb
• 1 onion
• 1 tomato
• 1 bay leaf
• thyme
• cinnamon
• oil or lard
• 1 glass of cognac
• 50 g of pine nuts
• 12 prunes
• 1/2 l of broth or water

PREPARATION Cut the duck to 8 pieces season and brown it in a casserole dish with oil. Now add the chopped onion, the chopped tomato, the chopped garlic, the bay leaf, the thyme and the cinnamon. When it’s well fried, add the cognac and let it boil until the alcohol is evaporated. Then add the prunes, the pine nuts and the broth. Once it begins to boil, let it boil for 5 minutes more and then it’s ready." - Dorothee Holzinger, Finca Mas D’en Gil Vinyes Domenech "Normally for Christmas, we meet the whole family in my parents’ house; my father is in charge of cooking. He spends the weeks before choosing the right menu for that night. Every year he surprises us with amazing dishes from top chef friends of our wines. That night we open our best wines and compare with other wines we get as Christmas presents. Before Christmas time comes the family is doing the Christmas tree together as a welcome to the Christmas period. As I mention, every year is different as my father select different menus from top chefs, except for one dish that always reminds me of Christmas. Year after year, we eat meatballs with pasta that need to be cooked over 24h that one dish is always done by my mother." - Marc Domenech, Vinyes Domenech.