Happy Gobble Gobble!

Thanksgiving is around the corner and I know that I'll be thankful for that wonderful bottle of wine, of which I have yet to choose! Whether you're having a quiet thanksgiving at home, celebrating with friends or looking for some magic elixir to make family time a happy time, there certainly is a wine for the occasion. I have to admit that I'm not a foodie. I mean, I love to eat and I love great food but I often prefer to focus more on the wine than the actual pairing of it with food. I bet a few of you just gasped at that! Hopefully not. :)

Really, any wine that you enjoy would probably be a good choice. Here are some typical varieties that are often suggested for a turkey dinner...then lunch...lunch again....sick of turkey yet? You will be!

Sparkling wine from Burgundy
Made from Pinot Noir and Gamay
$18.95

Elk Cove Pinot Noir
Oregon
$36.95

Pinot Noir : Always a classic pairing with turkey. Try something from Oregon or Burgundy.

Sparkling Wine: Better yet, have a sparkling Rose!

Beaujolais: Made from the Gamay grape. Try a "Cru" wine (eg. Brouilly, Morgon) and serve slightly chilled. Ontario also has some fabulous Gamay.

Beaujolais Wine $18.95

A lovely Syrah
E. Guigal
Crozes Hermitage
$24.95

Have a blended white!
Henry of Pelham
Family Tree White
$17.95

Syrah: Try a Syrah from the Northern Rhone region of France.


Riesling: Great with food. Try an Ontario Riesling! If you want a slightly off-dry style (but not too sweet, save that for dessert), then try a German "Kabinett" Riesling.

Tawse Sketches of Niagara
Chardonnay $19.95

Gewurtztraminer: The spiciness of this grape variety should go nicely with gravy. Mmm...gravy.

If you want some other whites, try an Albarino, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris or a Viognier. Why not try a Rose wine? There is so much that you can do to pair your wine with the holiday bird. Whichever wine you decide on, just make sure to enjoy it with great company. Happy Thanksgiving!

More spring sippers...

Going through this release of Vintages featuring Spain, I was so happy to see one of my favourite whites to come through again. When you think of Spanish wines, you'd probably think of only red wine but Spain has some amazing white wines to offer as well. The first two wines below were one of the first ones posted on the yummygrape.com when the blog was first created. I'm going to post them here again because they're just that yummy! 

Leira Albarino 2008 (Spain) $16.95   

This is one of my favourite whites at this price point. It's just fabulous! Always a crowd pleaser.  It's crisp, dry with lots of pear and floral notes. What I love most about this wine is the texture. It's very smooth and almost creamy. It leaves your mouth feeling alive and fresh! Ok, maybe I went to far with the "alive" part. I will definitely stock up on this wine for the up-coming summer months. The Albarino grape variety thrives in Northwestern Spain in the region called Rias Baixas. The Albarino grape likes the cooler, wetter conditions.  Being that Rias Baixas is influenced by the Atlantic ocean, the location seems ideal for this grape.

Bodegas Lan Reserva 2004 (Spain) $19.95

This is always a wine that I enjoy. I'm happy to see it back at Vintages! I always enjoy the Tempranillo-dominant wines from the Rioja region. Made 80% from the Tempranillo grape variety (other varieties are Mouvedre and Grenache), this wine has lots of black plum, licorice and smoke (from aging for 1 year in both American and French oak). Reserva means that this wine has seen some extra aging. It has spent an additional time aging in the bottle before being released. The website says an additional 24 months! In total, this wine was already 3 years old by the time it hit the store shelves. It's a wonderful Spanish wine for just under $20. Be careful, it's just too easy drink.

Aveleda Vinho Verde Fonte (Portugal) $7.95
This white wine is from Portugal. It was being sampled at the Summerhill LCBO along with roasted halibut fish with artichokes and lemon (are you salivating yet?). Made from the Portuguese grape variety Vinho Verde, this wine was fresh and very fruity. You can't go wrong with this wine for this price. Enjoy it with seafood or as an aperitif.