Great white wines for Thanksgiving

As a harvest celebration, Thanksgiving demands local wines. How else can you match the spirit — if not the meaning — of the day than serving Canadian wines with your meal?

Niagara Rieslings and sparkling wines from coast to coast are oft-featured guests at my family’s Thanksgiving festivities. Meanwhile, this year’s Canadian Thanksgiving celebration thrown by my older brother’s clan in Albuquerque, New Mexico will include a bottle or two of an aromatic white blend called Selfie from Megalomaniac in Vineland.

Picking wines for Thanksgiving shouldn’t be a chore. There’s lots of selection on offer, whether you’re serving the traditional turkey dinner or opting for a new classic menu.

Given the range of flavours involved and the diversity of tastes of everyone gathered around the table, you might consider serving a red, white and rosé so people can see which they prefer. (Next week’s column will point out some choice red wines for turkey day.)

Classic Ontario Riesling and Chardonnay styles are solid matches for the traditional bird and all of the fixings menu.

Homegrown sparkling wines are great aperitif options and a welcoming way to greet your guests and get the festivities started. The palate-cleansing acidity makes them delicious food-friendly options to enjoy with dinner as well. Look to brand champions Henry of Pelham Cuvée Catherine Brut or Trius Brut as go-to selections.

The featured wines this week are both selections available from LCBO Vintages outlets that are well worth seeking out. The Chardonnay Musqué is a relatively rare variety produced by Cave Spring Cellars, while the Redstone Riesling is one of the top-scoring wines from this year’s InterVin International Wine Awards.

The InterVin results aren’t officially announced yet, but that Riesling is sure to be sold out before they are. Consider this your head start.

Email: chris.waters@sunmedia.ca Twitter: @waters_wine