Chilean New Year's Eve 2026: 7 Traditions and the Wines to Pour

At midnight on December 31, the bay of Valparaíso explodes into one of the biggest fireworks shows in South America, a display that once set a Guinness World Record with 16,000 fireworks. On the hills above the harbor, families are doing something quieter: eating twelve grapes, one for each month, with a glass in the other hand. A few hours earlier, many of them sat down to a bowl of lentils, because in Chile lentils on New Year's Eve mean money in the year ahead.

That mix of ritual, family dinner and a party that runs until sunrise is a gift for anyone planning a New Year's Eve menu in the United States. This guide walks through seven Chilean New Year's traditions and the wine that fits each one, built around Cremaschi Furlotti from Chile's Maule Valley, with a Spanish Cava for the midnight toast and an Italian Moscato for the late-night sweet. Every tasting note comes from the wineries' own technical sheets.

Key Takeaways

• New Year's Eve 2026 falls on a Thursday, with New Year's Day on Friday: expect a four-day holiday weekend and more dinners at home.
• Americans pour roughly 360 million glasses of sparkling wine on New Year's Eve (WalletHub), but the dinner before midnight needs still wine too.
• Chilean lentils for prosperity call for Carmenere; the seafood starters want Sauvignon Blanc; the main course belongs to Cabernet Sauvignon.
• Save the bubbles for the twelve grapes at midnight, and the Moscato for the fruit bread after.
• Retailers and restaurants: build the program by course, not by country, and book inventory before December.

What are some traditions celebrated in Chile on New Year's Eve?

Chile rings in the year with a long list of good-luck customs, and most of them happen at the table. The best known:

• Twelve grapes at midnight, one per chime, each with a wish. Some say a sweet grape means a sweet month.
• A plate of lentils for prosperity and abundance.
• A walk around the block with an empty suitcase to guarantee a year of travel.
• Yellow underwear for luck in love.
• A gold ring dropped into the sparkling wine, sipped while the ring is still in the glass.
• A big family dinner first, then the street parties and fireworks, which in Valparaíso and Viña del Mar go on until dawn.

The fireworks show itself lasts around twenty minutes, launched from barges along the bay so it can be seen from almost anywhere on the coast. For a host in Miami, Houston or New Jersey, those customs are a ready-made menu, and a wonderful conversation starter.

7 Chilean New Year's traditions and the wines to pour with them

1. The appetizer hour: Cremaschi Furlotti Reserva Chardonnay

The evening starts early and lasts long, so open with something generous. The Chardonnay Reserva comes from the family's Peñasco vineyard, ferments for 21 days in stainless steel, goes through 100% malolactic fermentation and spends six months in French and American oak. Golden in the glass, it shows ripe pineapple, mango, toasted oak and vanilla, then baked apple, pear and a hint of butterscotch. That creamy texture is made for a cheese board, crab cakes and warm empanadas.

• Serve at: 50 to 55°F. Straight from a 38°F fridge, the texture disappears.

2. Chilean-style seafood starters: Reserva Sauvignon Blanc

Chileans love shellfish, and a New Year's spread often includes clams baked with Parmesan (machas a la parmesana), shrimp, or a bright ceviche. The Reserva Sauvignon Blanc was rated 90 points by JamesSuckling.com. It is fermented in stainless steel with no malolactic fermentation, at 12.5% alcohol, so it stays crisp and citrusy. It is also the perfect bottle for the day after, when Chileans cure the late night with fried fish or a seafood stew.

3. Lentils for prosperity: Reserva Carmenere

Whether it is a full lentil stew with sausage or a spoonful eaten just before midnight, this is the dish that carries the most meaning. Carmenere, Chile's signature grape, is the natural partner. The Cremaschi Furlotti Reserva Carmenere comes from the Peñasco vineyard in Loncomilla, planted in 2004: deep garnet, with blackberry, plum, green pepper and spice, then ripe cherry, blackcurrant and cocoa over velvety tannins. The earthy lentils and the wine's peppery note meet in the middle.

4. The big dinner before the party: Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon

Chilean families eat well before heading out, because the night is long. For a beef tenderloin, a rib roast or grilled steaks, pour the Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon: 100% Cabernet, six months in French and American oak, with blackberry, black cherry and vanilla, then blackcurrant, plum, tobacco and dark chocolate. It scored 90 points from JamesSuckling.com and won a 90-point Bronze at the 2023 New York International Wine Competition.

If the table leans Spanish, the Manzanos Gran Reserva Rioja 2015 (95 points, Wine Enthusiast) and the Manzanos Reserva Rioja 2018 (93 points, Wine Enthusiast) are made for the same roast.

5. Salmon for a lighter main: Reserva Pinot Noir

Chile is one of the world's great salmon producers, and roasted salmon is an elegant choice for guests who want to dance later. The Reserva Pinot Noir is brilliant ruby, with red cherry, raspberry and floral notes, then strawberry, cranberry and earthy spice. At 13% alcohol with six months in French oak, it has the acidity to cut the richness of the fish without weighing anyone down.

6. Twelve grapes and the gold ring: Berceo Brut Cava

At the first chime, the grapes come out and so do the bubbles. Cremaschi Furlotti does not make a sparkling wine, so we reach across the portfolio for Berceo Brut Cava, a traditional-method sparkling wine from Spain. It is a fitting choice: the twelve-grapes custom itself began in Spain. Drop a gold ring into the flute, make your wishes, and toast.

7. Fruit bread after midnight: Duchessa Lia Moscato d'Asti

Pan de pascua, Chile's spiced fruit bread with candied fruit and nuts, stays on the table as a late-night snack. A lightly sparkling, gently sweet Duchessa Lia Moscato d'Asti from Piedmont is the sweet note it needs, and its low alcohol is welcome at 2 a.m.

What kind of wine is appropriate for New Year's Eve?

Sparkling wine for the toast, but a good New Year's Eve is a whole evening, not just one minute. The classic rule is to move from lighter to fuller: crisp whites and bubbles with starters, medium-bodied reds like Pinot Noir or Carmenere with the middle of the meal, and a structured Cabernet with red meat. Finish with something sweet and low in alcohol. Planning by course keeps every bottle in its best moment.

What is the 20 minute wine rule?

Put red wine in the refrigerator about 20 minutes before serving, and take white wine out about 20 minutes before serving. A crowded, heated room on New Year's Eve can push a red toward 72°F, where the alcohol shows and the fruit flattens. Twenty minutes of chill brings the Cabernet and Carmenere back to their best.

For retailers and restaurants: build the New Year's program now

With New Year's Eve on a Thursday this year, December 31 to January 3 becomes one long weekend of entertaining. Decisions are made in October and November, so a few moves are worth locking in:

• Merchandise a "Twelve Grapes" New Year's display: a Chardonnay, a Sauvignon Blanc, a Carmenere, a Cabernet and a sparkling wine, each with a dish card. It answers the shopper's question in one glance.
• Offer a five-course New Year's Eve tasting menu that follows the Chilean traditions above. A lentil course with Carmenere is memorable and inexpensive to produce.
• Lean into Hispanic and Latin American communities, where these customs are already part of the night, in stores and restaurants across Florida, Texas, New York, New Jersey and California.
• Stock early. The full portfolio is in stock in the U.S. and ready to ship to all 50 states, so reorders during the peak week stay fast.

The family behind Manzanos Wines USA has made wine for five generations since 1890 in Rioja and Navarra, and our portfolio carries 600+ wines rated 90 points or more. Distributors, retailers and restaurants can source every wine in this guide through our national network. Talk to our trade team about holiday programming.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a traditional New Year's Eve dinner in Chile?

A generous family dinner before the night out, often with grilled or roasted meat, seafood starters and lentils for prosperity, followed by twelve grapes and a sparkling toast at midnight. Pan de pascua and other sweets stay out for the rest of the night.

What wine goes with lentils?

A medium-bodied, earthy red with soft tannins, such as Carmenere, Tempranillo or Garnacha. The Cremaschi Furlotti Reserva Carmenere's spice and green-pepper notes suit a lentil stew with sausage especially well.

Why do people eat twelve grapes on New Year's Eve?

Each grape stands for one month of the coming year, and you make a wish with each one as the clock strikes midnight. The custom started in Spain and is now part of New Year's Eve across Latin America, including Chile.

Where can I buy Cremaschi Furlotti wines in the U.S.?

Use our Find Our Wines locator to see retailers and restaurants near you. Availability varies by state.

Planning the rest of the holiday season? Find our wines near you, and see our guide to Chilean reds with holiday roasts for Christmas dinner.

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 enjoy responsibly. Must be 21+.