Ultimately, if we want to cut right to the chase: The wine that pairs best with Thanksgiving is the wine that excites you to share with family and friends.
Because Thanksgiving is all about sharing experiences, stories and grateful memories together. It’s about eating and drinking the food and wine that you enjoy the most.
That said, some wines go really well with the traditional Thanksgiving foods of turkey or ham.
Depending on what part of Canada you’re in, there’s also the tradition to have fish – like a nice salmon, or roast beef.
To provide a little inspiration, here are some Niagara favourites I can recommend for your pairings this weekend.
With ham & pineapple, I would go with the Sue-Ann Staff Robert’s Block Riesling. The bright acidity of the Riesling will cut through the fattiness of the ham, and help balance the sweet pineapple sauce.
Turkey is a very versatile food and I feel you can pair it very well with either a white or a red. For the red, I would go with Whitty’s Vineyard Gamay from 13th Street Winery.
Gamay is traditionally a medium-to-light body wine which doesn’t overpower the flavours from the turkey, but also matches very well with the herbaceousness of the stuffing.
For a white pairing with that big ol’turkey, I would suggest the Bella Terra Vineyards Fumé Blanc. The light oak treatment gives this wine a creaminess that compliments the juiciness of the turkey meat.
For a salmon dish, I would be a big fan of pairing it with some Chardonnay from Westcott Vineyards.
Westcott has several different Chardonnays that would be marvellous with a salmon dish, depending on the style you prefer. Westcott’s selection includes a spectrum of Chardonnays, from the simpler, unoaked Lillias Vineyard Chardonnay to the more complex, old-world style of the Butler’s Grant Chardonnay.
For the roast beef, I would go with the Nanny’s Blend of Merlot & Cabernet Sauvignon from Marynissen Estates.
A Cabernet Franc from Domaine Queylus would also work very well with roast beef.
These reds have great structure that would draw out and compliment the bolder flavours of the roast beef and the wine’s fruit components will enhance the gravy and sides.
“Now let’s not forget something very important. The Niagara region produces some World Class Sparkling wines as well.”
A Thanksgiving meal wouldn’t feel complete in my home without some great sparkling wine and a toast to all those I am grateful for.
Some World Class options for sparkling wines include the 13th Street Winery Cuvée Rosé NV that scored 94pts with the Toronto Star, or the Big Head Wines Traditional Method Big Bang Black NV that I also rated 94pts.
I would love to know what wines you’re opening this weekend, and what you paired them with.
From my family to yours, Mira & I wish you a safe, healthy and happy Thanksgiving!!!
Cheers,
Carl
Join Carl’s Wine Club for free and discover more world-class Canadian wines! https://www.carlswineclub.com/jointheclub
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