What wine goes with reindeer stew?

Pour a red with ripe fruit and moderate structure. For venison, Wine Folly recommends rustic, medium-bodied reds, which make the meat taste less gamey, and we use that advice for reindeer. The classic Finnish dish, poronkäristys, comes with mashed potatoes and lingonberries. Porta 6 Reserva and Instinto Forte Supreme Red 14% are two of our reds that fit. We send to Finland.

What is reindeer stew in Finland?

The best-known reindeer dish is not a stew. It is poronkäristys, sautéed reindeer. Visit Finland calls it one of Finland's most iconic regional dishes, especially in the north. It describes thin slices of reindeer meat, slowly sautéed with onions and butter, often with a splash of beer or stock until tender. It is traditionally served with mashed potatoes and lingonberries. Visit Finland calls the dish both earthy and elegant.

If you cook reindeer as a stew, the idea is the same, with more time on the heat. thisisFINLAND gives a recipe for an elk sauté that simmers for one to one and a half hours with beer, dried mushrooms and juniper berries. We use the elk dish as our example of a slower, stew-like dish.

What does the dish ask from a wine?

Think about four parts of the plate.

• The meat. Wine Folly calls venison rich, sometimes gamey and pretty lean. We use venison as our guide for reindeer. That is our judgement.
• The butter and onions. Wine Folly says tannic wines balance fatty food. A little tannin helps, but the dish is not heavy with fat.
• The lingonberries. Visit Finland describes lingonberries as tart and red, and suited to savoury dishes. A red with ripe fruit meets them better than a dry, hard one.
• The weight. Wine Folly says the wine should have the same flavour intensity as the food. For lean red meat it suggests lighter wines with slightly higher acidity, and for venison, rustic medium-bodied reds.

So the target is a red with ripe fruit, fresh acidity and moderate tannin. For a slow stew with a richer sauce, move up one step in structure.

Which reds suit a sauté?

Each detail comes from the product page.

• Porta 6 Reserva: a dark ruby colour, with an intense aroma of wild and black berries, spices and a slight touch of chocolate. The mouth is fruity, with structure. We suggest it for the sauté.
• Instinto Forte Supreme Red 14%: a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Alicante Bouschet. The page describes ripe black fruits such as plum and cherry, a full-bodied structure with well-integrated tannins, and a persistent finish. It adds subtle mentholated notes and says each grape is fermented separately at 25 to 29 °C before the blend.

Which reds suit a slower stew?

Two of our pages name stews or game.

• Porta 6 Red 3L: a bag-in-box. The page calls it a full-bodied red with real character and says it pairs well with grilled meats and hearty stews.
• Quinta dos Poços Grande Reserva: a deep colour with a violet tinge, firm and concentrated, with ripe black fruit, balsamic and spicy notes from oak, balanced acidity, ripe tannins and a long aftertaste. The page names fine meats, game and strong, intense cheeses.

The Instinto Forte Supreme Red 14% page also names hearty stews, along with grilled red meats and aged cheeses.

Our guide to red wine for Finnish food covers elk and mushrooms, and our guide to full-bodied reds for the Finnish winter lists more firm reds. You can see them all in the red wine collection.

How should you serve the wine?

Follow the page when it gives a temperature. The Instinto Forte Supreme Red 14% page says 16 to 18 °C, and suggests decanting for about 30 minutes before serving. The Quinta dos Poços page says to open the bottle one hour before serving and to serve at 17 °C.

Should you avoid anything?

Be careful with a very tannic red if your cut is lean. Wine Folly says the tannin in a red works against fat, and that lean meat does better with a lighter, more acidic wine. If you are not sure, choose the medium-bodied option and not the biggest bottle on the shelf.

How do you order red wine to Finland?

Add the wine to your cart and the cart shows the delivery cost for your order before you pay. If timing matters, contact us before you order. We sell wine only to people aged 18 or over. For a wider choice, see the wine collection.

Frequently asked questions

What red wine goes with reindeer stew?

Choose a red with ripe fruit, fresh acidity and moderate tannin. Wine Folly's advice for venison is rustic, medium-bodied reds. Porta 6 Reserva is one of our options.

What wine goes with poronkäristys?

Poronkäristys is sautéed reindeer with mashed potatoes and lingonberries. A fruity red with some structure suits it. This is our suggestion.

Which of your reds names stews on its page?

The Porta 6 Red 3L page and the Instinto Forte Supreme Red 14% page both name hearty stews.

Do you send red wine to Finland?

Yes. Add the wine to your cart and the cart shows the delivery cost before you pay.

Sources

• Visit Finland: What to eat in Finland, guide to iconic Finnish foods
• Visit Finland: Finnish food culture and must-try local ingredients
• thisisFINLAND: Eat Finland!
• Wine Folly: Pairing Wine with Steak, Lamb, and Other Red Meat
• Wine Folly: Food and Wine Pairing Basics
• Product pages at garrafeiradailha.com for tasting notes, grapes and regions of the wines named above.

Please enjoy wine responsibly and in moderation. Our wines are sold only to people aged 18 or over. For facts about alcohol, visit drinkaware.ie.