Verriq Christmas special

Wine with poached pears

Poached pears, stewed in red wine with cinnamon and sugar, are a Dutch winter tradition and appear on the Christmas menus of eefkooktzo.nl, miljuschka.nl and leukerecepten.nl.

Wine advice

Prices are indications per bottle; they vary by shop.

Smart up to €10

Sweet muscat

Muscat de Rivesaltes

Sweet and fragrant.

Generous €10 to €25

Riesling Auslese

Mosel riesling Auslese

Sweet with fresh acidity.

All out from €25

Noble sweet wine

Sauternes or Tokaji Aszú

Honey and apricot, with enough acidity.

Why this wine?

Poached pears are sweet with a fresh edge. The wine must be at least as sweet and have enough acidity not to feel heavy. A sweet white with fresh acidity works best.

What matters here

Sweetness in food makes wine taste less sweet and fruity, and makes bitterness, acidity and alcohol stand out.
Acidity in food softens the acidity of the wine, which then seems sweeter and fruitier. A sharp dish does need a wine with enough acidity.

Better not

A dry wine: next to the sweet pears it tastes sour and thin.

← All Christmas dishes

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Sources

Verriq · Last updated: 2026-10-19