A Christmas feast is most often associated with a turkey dinner with all of the trimmings but many of us are branching out and trying new things.  If that was the case at your house this year, there’s no reason not to return to the traditional on New Years Day!  Stuffing, cranberries, mashed potatoes, and more – a traditional turkey feast includes many complimentary flavours which presents a challenge when selecting the perfect wines to grace the table.

When it comes to pairing a meal of this magnitude, consider the flavours that jump off the plate and leave the strongest impression on your palate. With most turkey dinners this will be the savoury thyme with turkey, and the sweet tart flavours of the cranberry sauce. We have selected three wines that will match your meal and keep wine lovers of white, red, and rose sufficiently sufficed!

2010 Sand and Gravel Chardonnay
Ravine Vineyards. St. David’s, ON

With a hint of barrel aging, this wine features predominantly unoaked wine. This results in the savoury and appealing notes of warm vanilla and baking spice as the under-note to the dominant fruit forward flavours that make this wine a winner! Bright apple, fresh pear, notes of peach and hints of honey make your taste buds beg for more! An incredible value wine that is sure to please your guests by a winery that is exemplary of the Niagara experience! We believe that this bottle will pair beautifully with your New Year’s feast!

$17.95

2010 Pinot Noir
Flat Rock Cellars, Jordan, ON

This wine is grown and vinified at one of Niagara’s most beautiful properties. With a view that features a glimpse of wine country, beautiful Lake Ontario and the big city, it is certainly a winery worth experiencing. This particular bottle is a delicious example hailing from the warm vintage of 2010. Berry notes pour out of the glass, and carry through beautifully on the palate. There is also an enticing smokiness to this wine from its having aged in French oak barrels, and an earthy note that will perfectly accompany the herbs that are featured on your plate. Serve this wine after an hour of decanting. No decanter? No problem! Just open up the bottle and let it breathe before you sip!

$19.95

2011 College Rose
Niagara College Teaching Winery, Niagara on the Lake, ON

Crafted from 100% Cabernet Franc, this wine is made at the Niagara College Teaching Winery at the Canadian Food and Wine Institute. Dry on the palate, this wine has a beautiful array of berry notes to compliment your meal. Raspberry, currant, cranberry, and cherry shine through in layers, with a robust mouth feel that ends in a long dry finish. This bottle is will liven up your meal with a fruitful punch and perfectly pair with the sweet and tart flavours of cranberry that accompany your meal. A delicious indulgence and a major bang for your buck!

$11.95