Nochebuena 2026: 6 Chilean Wine Pairings for Tamales, Pernil and Lechón

On December 24, millions of American homes stay up past midnight. The tamales were rolled days earlier by an assembly line of aunts and cousins, the pernil has been in the oven since morning, and somebody always asks the same question at the counter: what wine actually goes with all of this?

Nochebuena is one of the most important food nights of the year for Hispanic families in the U.S., and Hispanic Americans are now nearly one in five people in the country. Holiday intent is strong too: a HispanicAd report from September 2026 found that 31.4% of Hispanic shoppers plan to spend more on the holidays this year, against 23% of the total market. Big producers have noticed. In October, J. Lohr launched its first bilingual national holiday campaign, with recipes and pairings in English and Spanish.

Our answer for this table comes from Chile. Chilean wine is built for the foods of Nochebuena: generous fruit, fresh acidity and soft tannins that do not fight with chile, citrus, garlic or crackling pork skin. Below are six pairings from the Cremaschi Furlotti range, grown in Chile's Maule Valley and in stock in the U.S.

Key Takeaways

• Nochebuena food is rich, spiced and citrusy: pick wines with fresh acidity and soft tannins, not heavy oak.
• Red chile pork tamales love a medium-bodied Chilean red; green tamales want a crisp Sauvignon Blanc.
• Pernil and lechón with mojo pair best with Pinot Noir or a juicy red blend.
• One white and one red cover a whole multi-dish table. Buy more than you think.
• For restaurants and retailers, December 24 is a planning date, not a single night.

What Wine Goes With Tamales?

There is no single tamal, so there is no single answer. The filling and the sauce decide the wine, not the masa. A good rule: match the color of the sauce. Red sauces made from dried chiles (guajillo, ancho) go with reds; green salsas built on tomatillo, jalapeño and cilantro go with whites.

1. Pork tamales in red chile sauce + Cremaschi Furlotti Carmenere

This is the classic tamal of a Mexican-American Nochebuena, and Chile's signature red is a natural fit. Carmenere brings dark fruit with a savory, peppery edge that echoes the dried chiles, and its tannins are gentle enough not to turn bitter against the heat. Serve it slightly cool, around 60 to 62°F, so the fruit stays bright next to the spice.

2. Chicken or cheese tamales verdes + Cremaschi Furlotti Sauvignon Blanc

Tomatillo salsa is sharp, green and citrusy, which is exactly what Chilean Sauvignon Blanc does well. The wine's acidity matches the salsa instead of being flattened by it, and its herbal notes pick up the cilantro. Rajas con queso tamales (poblano strips and cheese) are an even better match. Serve well chilled, 45 to 48°F.

What Is the Best Wine With Pernil?

For Puerto Rican, Cuban and Dominican families, the centerpiece is roast pork: pernil marinated overnight in garlic, oregano and adobo, or a whole lechón asado with sour orange mojo. The meat is rich, the skin is salty and crisp, and the marinade is loud with garlic and citrus.

3. Pernil + Cremaschi Furlotti Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir is the safest red you can put next to pork. Its bright red fruit and high acidity cut through fat, and its light tannins never clash with garlic or oregano. If your table runs from pernil to arroz con gandules to pasteles, this is the bottle that works with every plate. Serve at 58 to 60°F.

4. Lechón asado with mojo + Cremaschi Furlotti Red Blend

Sour orange, garlic and cumin need a red with energy and plenty of fruit. A Chilean red blend gives you both, with enough body to stand up to the crackling skin. It is also the friendliest wine for a crowd: easy for guests who rarely drink red, interesting enough for the uncle who does.

What Wine Goes With Latin Holiday Sides and Seafood?

Nochebuena is never one dish. Many families serve bacalao, shrimp cocktail or a seafood course before the pork, and Venezuelan homes build the night around hallacas, which bring olives, raisins and capers wrapped in plantain leaves.

5. Hallacas, bacalao and seafood + Cremaschi Furlotti Chardonnay

Chardonnay has the weight to handle salt cod and the roundness to balance the sweet and salty mix inside an hallaca. Its texture also holds up to creamy sides like yuca con mojo or potato salad. Serve chilled but not ice cold, around 50°F, so the fruit comes through.

6. Midnight leftovers and the dessert table + Cremaschi Furlotti Cabernet Sauvignon

By the time the buñuelos, turrón and flan arrive, the serious eating is over and the long sobremesa begins. A Maule Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, with its structured dark fruit, is the bottle to open with the cheese plate, leftover pernil sandwiches and conversation that runs past midnight. Keep sweet desserts for coffee; dry reds and sugar rarely flatter each other.

How Many Bottles Do You Need for Nochebuena?

Nochebuena guest lists grow by the hour, so plan generously. A practical rule for a long dinner is one bottle for every two adult guests who drink wine, split roughly 60% red and 40% white. For twenty adults, that means about six bottles of red and four of white, plus a spare of each. We ran the full numbers for holiday hosts in our holiday party wine math guide.

• Small family table (8 to 10 adults): 1 Sauvignon Blanc, 1 Chardonnay, 2 Pinot Noir or Red Blend, 1 Carmenere.
• Big family table (20+ adults): build around the Red Blend and Sauvignon Blanc, the two most crowd-friendly bottles, then add one of each specialist wine for the tamales and seafood.
• Bring-a-dish night: ask the host what is being served and match the sauce, not the guest list.

For Retailers and Restaurants: Nochebuena Is a December Sales Window

For the U.S. wine trade, December 24 is not one night. Families shop for Nochebuena in the second and third weeks of December, and many restaurants in Florida, Texas, New York, New Jersey and California run special menus around tamales and roast pork. Three moves that work:

• Bilingual shelf talkers. "Para tamales" and "Para el pernil" next to the right bottle does more than any discount. J. Lohr's bilingual campaign this year shows where the category is heading.
• A two-bottle Nochebuena pairing. One white for seafood and green tamales, one red for pork. Simple to merchandise, easy to understand.
• By-the-glass Pinot Noir on holiday menus. It is the most versatile red for pork-centered menus and the easiest to pour for mixed tables.

We covered more year-round opportunities with Hispanic shoppers in our Hispanic Heritage Month guide for retailers and restaurants. And because our Chilean wines sit in U.S. warehouses, there is no import lead time to worry about this late in the year: Cremaschi Furlotti is in stock in the U.S. and ready to ship to all 50 states.

Prefer Spain at the Table?

Many Nochebuena tables mix Latin American cooking with Spanish traditions: turrón, jamón and a bottle of Rioja for the toast. As a five-generation family winery from Rioja and Navarra, founded in 1890, we bring both worlds to the U.S. Our Manzanos Gran Reserva Rioja 2015 earned 95 points from Wine Enthusiast, and the Manzanos Reserva Rioja 2018 earned 93 points. Trade buyers sourcing for the holidays can work with us directly as a Spanish wine importer with a Chilean, Italian and South African portfolio alongside.

Frequently Asked Questions

What wine goes with tamales?

Match the sauce. Red chile pork tamales pair best with a medium-bodied red with soft tannins, such as a Chilean Carmenere. Green tamales with tomatillo salsa, chicken or cheese pair best with a crisp white like Chilean Sauvignon Blanc.

Is red or white wine better with roast pork?

Both work, but a light, high-acid red like Pinot Noir is the most versatile choice for pernil and lechón. Its acidity cuts the fat and its gentle tannins handle garlic and citrus marinades. Chardonnay is the best white if your guests prefer white wine.

What is the best wine to pair with Mexican food?

Look for wines with fresh acidity, ripe fruit and moderate alcohol. Heavy oak and high alcohol amplify chile heat. Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and fruit-forward Chilean reds are reliable choices across most Mexican dishes.

Why choose Chilean wine for a Latin holiday dinner?

Chilean wines are known for generous fruit and freshness, which suits spiced, citrus-marinated and pork-based dishes. They also share a language and a food culture with many of the families gathering on Nochebuena, which makes them a natural conversation piece at the table.

Find Your Nochebuena Bottles

Ready to set the table? Explore the Cremaschi Furlotti range and use our Find Our Wines locator to see where our wines are sold near you, at retailers across the country including Total Wine & More, Spec's, Binny's and Sedano's. Distributors, retailers and restaurants looking to add Chilean and Spanish wines before the holidays can source directly through us.

¡Feliz Nochebuena!

Manzanos Wines USA is the premier importer of premium wines from Spain, Italy, Chile, South Africa, and France, serving all 50 US states through our nationwide distributor network. Learn more at manzanoswinesusa.com.

Please drink responsibly. 21+.