Plans for my family’s Thanksgiving gathering came together quickly this year. Once a time and place were set, attention turned to menu-planning, with a universal appetite for comforting dishes cooked with care and generosity.
My family hasn’t always focused on flavourful yet unpretentious meals. There have been complicated and extravagant recipes attempted in the past, once prompting my grandfather to give thanks for the “experimental food” on his plate.
These days, it’s better sharing a moment over a meal you don’t have to fuss over. Selecting wines follows the same vibe. Nothing fancy or extravagant. Just truly enjoyable selections that will match the mix of flavours served up and the preferences of those gathered around the table.
Out of the many variables at play when it comes to entertaining family and friends, the biggest concern isn’t finding the perfect wine to match. Free yourself from that pressure; there isn’t a perfect wine for any situation.
Everyone’s taste is different. You are better to select wines that are pleasurable and, possibly, have a history. You might consider serving a wine from a meaningful place in the world or a producer that has been part of past family celebrations.
You could also consider any of these nine satisfying wines. They are mostly made in rich and flavourful styles, with a refreshing quality that makes them sensible choices to serve with a meal. They are straightforward but not simple, with complexity and character that elevates them into something truly special to share with others.
Black Sage Vineyard Shiraz 2021 (Canada), $32.99
Made in the Black Sage Vineyard house style, this delivers plenty of sweet oak and ripe fruit flavours. It’s a bold and flavourful model of syrah from the Okanagan Valley, labelled as shiraz, perhaps as a sign of the richer, crowd-pleasing wine inside the bottle. Drink now. Available at the above price in British Columbia.
Cune Blanco Reserva 2019 (Spain), $23.95
Inspired by the style of white wines made in Rioja in the 1950s and 60s, Cune Blanco Reserva is made from the viura grape grown in an estate vineyard in Torremontalvo bush vines planted in 1973. The wine was fermented in a mixture of concrete, oak vats and barrels prior to aging in barrel for 18 months, which contributed to the texture, weight and richness of the finished wine. The style offers an intriguing mix of citrusy freshness and nutty, earthy and beeswax notes. It’s a particular white wine with personality and complexity, not the conventional wash of lemony and fruity flavours. Drink now to 2030. Available in Ontario.
Deux Roches Vieilles Vignes Pouilly-Fuissé 2021 (France), $49.95
This old vines chardonnay from a family domaine in the south of Burgundy, near Mâcon, is made in a rich and rewarding style. A satisfying and rounded texture is enhanced by a ripe core of fruit (apricot, pear, apple) with a vibrant citrus note to balance. Drink now to 2027. Available at the above price in Ontario, various prices in Alberta.
Fattoria Carpineta Fontalpino Do Ut Des 2018 (Italy), $56.95
This concentrated and complex red from Tuscany is a blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and petit verdot, from an estate in Montaperti. The style is nicely balanced with pleasing red fruit, tobacco and savoury notes that give this an appealingly rustic flavour profile. While this is ready to drink now, there’s structure and stuffing to age gracefully. Drink now to 2035. Available at the above price in Ontario, various prices in British Columbia, $42.50 in Quebec (2017 vintage).
Faustino V Reserva 2018 (Spain), $26
Popular Rioja producer, Faustino is best known for its distinctive Gran Reserva, which was first introduced in 1964. The winery’s fresh and fruity Reserva is equally worthy of your attention, offering concentrated dark fruit flavours with floral and cigarbox notes. The style is approachable now with lots of potential for aging, for those who enjoy red wines with more earthy and leathery complexity. Drink now to 2032. Available at the above price in New Brunswick, various prices in Alberta.
Tenuta di Renieri Chianti Classico 2020 (Italy), $22.95
This expressive red wine is produced from 100 per cent sangiovese from a certified organic winery in Castelnuovo Berardenga, near Siena in the southern part of Chianti Classico. Classic sour-cherry and berry fruit flavours are on display with cedar and earthy accents. The refreshing character makes this a great dinner companion. Drink now to 2027. Available at the above price in Ontario, $23.40 in Quebec (2021 vintage).
Wolf Blass Grey Label Shiraz 2021 (Australia), $34.95
Shiraz grapes from McLaren Vale are used for Wolf Blass’ Grey Label, which deliveries the rich and ripe character that made this winery and South Australia famous. The full-bodied style is bright and balanced, while putting the emphasis of opulent fruit and oak-derived flavours. An honest reflection of the grape and region. Drink now to 2031. Available at the above price in Ontario, various prices in British Columbia and Alberta, $42.99 in Manitoba.
Xavier Vignon Lirac 2020 (France), $23.95
Located across the river from the celebrated vineyards of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Lirac uses a similar mix of grape varieties, including grenache, syrah and mourvèdre. This version from Xavier Vignon, a wine producer that makes wines from villages across the Rhône Valley, offers a plush core of cherry/berry fruit with peppery spice that adds interest. Drink now to 2026. Available at the above price in Ontario, various prices in Alberta.
Vietti Perbacco Nebbiolo 2020 (Italy), $36.95
Fragrant and fresh model of nebbiolo from a top producer in Piedmont, Italy. The family-owned estate has been making single vineyard Barolos since 1961. The Perbacco label is a blend from multiple sites, with a shorter time aging in the cellar, making for a more accessible style. Expect red fruit flavours, with floral and herbal accents, bright acidity and firm structure. Decant for best enjoyment now or hold. Drink now to 2034. Available at the above price in Ontario, various prices in British Columbia and Alberta, $38.75 in Quebec (2021 vintage).