Turkey: Try a Gewurztraminer or Riesling from B.C. Germany, or Alsace for the white meat. Each year there is an increasing selection of rosés from our local wineries, as well as from France and Spain, which can work with all parts of the bird. Gamays, Cote du Rhones, Pinot Noirs, or Riojas will match the juicy dark meat.
Ham: What is good for the bird, is good for the ham.
Appetizers: The most versatile wine is champagne or its budget sparkling cousins like Cavas from Spain, or sparkling wine from B.C., California, Australia, or New Zealand.
If you have tapas, then it is Fino sherry from Spain.
Nuts: When dessert is done, nuts and Tawny Port from Portugal, or Cape Tawny from South Africa are simply decadent and delicious.
Kerner: After the turkey or ham, you might want to savour a glass of a late harvest wine. Kerner from the Okanagan’s Oliver Twist and Gray Monk wineries has rich flavours of peach, apricot, with a seductive sweetness, held in check by the acidity.
Sparkling wine: Champagne is the premium sparkler for celebrating and can make anything taste better. Sparklers from B.C. wineries like Sumac Ridge, Summerhill, and many others are often in the $20 range.
For budget tasty sparkling wine, go for the Spanish Cavas like Segura Viudas, Codorniu, or Freixenet.
Gewurztraminer: An aromatic white with a long name and a bouquet and flavour of rose petals and lychees. Gray Monk, Dirty Laundry, and Thornhaven are B.C. Gewurz’s that pair with turkey or ham, or curries if they’re on the menu.
Italy: Looking for a wine to toast the Thanksgiving Holiday? Italian Proseccos are dry or are slightly sweet (Extra Dry), and range in price between $15 and $25. The premium Proseccos DOCG have more character and are in the $30 range.
Viognier: A delicious smooth white with often an orange character that would be at home with the white meat or ham. Try them from Chile, Australia, California, or B.C.
Italian: When it comes to reds, Barbera from Piedmont, Valpolicellas from Veneto, and Chianti Classicos from Tuscany have the fruitiness and the earthy flavour of fall which hits the spot at Thanksgiving.
New Zealand: Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay are all delicious whites, mainly from the South Island and go with seafood, turkey, or ham.
Gruyere Cheese, from Switzerland with its delicious nutty flavour makes a delicious after dinner match with an oaky Chardonnay.
Eric Hanson is a retired teacher and wine educator. [email protected]
