With Thanksgiving next week, in this month’s edition of The Morin Monthly, we thought it would be fun to ask Chris Churchilll, a Morin Wealth Partners client and former owner of Churchill Cellars Ltd., to propose some wine pairings for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Here’s what he suggested.

Ah, the traditional Thanksgiving feast… The one that strikes fear into those who try to determine what wine pairs well with what is a nothing less than a smorgasbord on a plate: turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberries, sausage stuffing, turnip, brussels sprout, and who knows what else. Where do you begin?

After spending 27 years in the wine business, the subject of what to serve with Thanksgiving dinner was an annual occurrence. The traditional dinner is a bit of a dog’s breakfast since there are so many flavours on the plate. My usual recommendation is a dry Riesling since in my mind, it’s the best match with the turkey. Riesling is probably the most misunderstood and under-appreciated grape out there. Many people still think Rieslings are sweet wines and although they can be, many are now vinified to be bone dry. Even sweeter ones can be blessed with bracing acidity, so they taste drier than they are. I recommend Willm Riesling Réserve which hails from the Alsace region of France. It’s available in the Vintages section of the LCBO all-year round, and as luck would have it, it’s on sale until October 10.

If you’re strictly a red wine drinker, I suggest you opt for a lighter style rather than a brooding California monster which clocks in at 15% alcohol. Barone Ricasoli Rocca Guicciarda Chianti Classico and Chanson Réserve du Bastion Pinot Noir from Burgundy get my nod since they both tend towards a lighter style while still having enough body to match a variety of food. Barone Ricasoli invented the Chianti formula back in 1872 so they know a thing or two about it. Pinot Noir is a great option for fowl because it has lower tannins than most red wines, so it complements rather than smothers. Like the Willm Riesling, these wines are available all year round through Vintages.

If you can’t decide between red or white, why not drive down the middle of the road with a rosé? Like Riesling, rosé wines have suffered over the years from a bad rap. Most rosé wines are now vinified dry, so they’re not like the sweet ones you grew up with. As a result, they are very food friendly wines which look great in a glass and are meant to be enjoyed young. In addition to the aforementioned Chianti, Ricasoli makes an excellent rosé called Albia and from Bordeaux, Tutiac Lion and the Lily Rosé is made from Merlot.

To find more information including price and availability, click on the product names above. As for me, I’m not really a turkey fan so I’ll likely enjoy a rack of lamb with an Australian Shiraz!

Many thanks to Chris for his suggestions, and a Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families.

Morin Wealth Partners