Thanksgiving and Wine and Food

Let’s face it: the notion of Thanksgiving is a hard sell both commercially and personally – the advertising industry and our human natures seem to stoke dissatisfaction. Thanksgiving assumes, for however brief a moment, gratitude-induced contentment. Gratitude is an antidote to greed, the crave for more. I wonder if this was in his thoughts when Jesus said to some people, “Take care! Protect yourself against the least bit of greed. /LIH LV QRW GH¿QHG E\ ZKDW \RX KDYH HYHQ ZKHQ \RX KDYH a lot.” (Luke 12 vs.15 The Message)

It’s interesting how wine and food and gratitude seem to travel together in so many cultures. Celebrating the food harvest, honouring stages in someone’s life like birthdays and anniversaries, a national or religious celebration, some reunion of acquaintances, friends or family around a meal. Wine is at its best when it’s communal, when it invites others to share and participate. Like other alcoholic beverages, wine is at its worst when it is used for avoidance and manipulation.

Our Thanksgiving holiday is a wonderful time to bring food and wine together. Yes, a good wine is a wine you enjoy, but not all wines go with all foods. I’m a clumsy dancer to music but I do it anyway. You may feel a bit clumsy around choosing a right wine for the food you serve but do it anyway. Below are a few wines that pair nicely with some of the foods you may be enjoying – they’re available in one or more local liquor stores … (e.g. Urban Cellars). Enjoy the dance!

These foods: Turkey, roast and barbecued chicken, anything pork based (ham, pork ribs, barbecued pork sausage), Asian or spicy East Indian, grilled or smoked salmon, trout, pike, pickerel, vegan and vegetarian dishes, charcuterie board, lentil and garden greens salads and potato-based salads, Brie, Edam and Gouda cheeses.

These wines: Redstone Limestone Vineyard

Riesling VQA -Canada

Selbach Riesling Kabinett (Green Fish Label) – Germany Selbach (Detzemer Maximiner Klosterlay) Riesling Spatlese – Germany

Terra de Lobos Sauvignon Blanc and Fernao Pires (bottle) – Portugal

Terra de Lobos White (3 Litre Bag-in-Box) – Portugal

These foods: Red meat dishes – wild and domestic (beef, bison, elk, venison steak, smoked brisket, beef ribs, hamburgers, grilled sausage, meatloaf, lamb, duck, goose, etc.), lasagne, pasta dishes, pizza, charcuterie board, stronger/aged cheddar and hard cheeses.

These wines:

Ares de Medeiros Red – Portugal Medeiros Regional Red – Portugal

Chateau Canada – France

Finally! Shiraz – France

Goru Red – Spain

Las Hermanas Seleccion (Orange Label) – Spain Terra de Lobos Red (3Litre Bag-in-Box) – Portugal