Feast of the Seven Fishes
It is a tradition in Southern Italy and now of Italian Americans to celebrate the night before Christmas with the Feast of the Seven Fishes also known as La Vigilia .The tradition of eating seafood on Christmas Eve dates from the medieval Catholic tradition of abstinence. Meat, butter and other milk products were not allowed on Fridays or other Holy Days. Instead fish, typically fried in oil, would be served. This tradition has evolved and now the lush feast seems a far cry from any sort of abstinence! While the exact dishes vary from family to family, there are always some seven combinations of anchovies, sardines, dried salt cod, smelts, eels, squid, octopus, shrimp, mussels, oysters, and clams.
We have sought out a fabulous line-up of seafood friendly Italian wines, expanding beyond just the Southern climes to include some Northern favorites as well. From fresh and fruity to minerally and complex to lush and smoky, we look forward to opening your eyes to the wide range of wines that will compliment your Feast of the Seven Fishes.
