Fall brings changing leaves, warm stews and thanksgiving, and no thanksgiving in this household is complete without a wine pairing. This Friendsgiving, I’ve teamed up with my soon to be sommelier sister to pick our top wines under 20$. To narrow the search she picked wines from France and chose wines that would pair well with turkey, cranberries and everything in between.
Check out her specific pairing recommendations below. These wines are breathtaking and honestly very well priced. Wine roundups are geared towards the adventurous wine seekers…those who want to drink Wallaroo or Kim Crawford, however, want to experiment without breaking the bank. Finding exceptional wines with modest prices is not hard, narrowing down the best ones, now that is a feat…one that might have left us with a slight handover…all in the name of bringing good content to the website.
1) Domaine Gueguen Bourgogne Cotes Salines 2018 ($19)
The Gueguen mom and pop vineyard is nestled in the rolling hills of the Chablis region. This wine is 100% classic Chardonnay white wine with tones from the Chablis region. Chablis wine is quite expensive and the taste is uncanny, it has a particular mineral taste and an oaky essence, combined the flavours are buttery and light. The combination of Chardonnay wine and the essence of a chablis make for incredible favour at a lower price point. This wine is a go-too pair with richer foods that will be filling your bellies this fall: roasted chicken and turkey (– a classic Thanksgiving fare) and harvest roasted vegetables.
2) Leon Beyer Reserve Riesling ($19)
The Riesling grape started in Germany and is now one of the most important grapes in the Alsace France region. Riesling is known as an aromatic and fresh wine that can easily pair with many kinds of foods. The Beyer family has been pressing wine since the 1500’s and have created a dry Riesling, medium bodied wine which is lively on the palate. Great with seafood, especially fresh oysters (with a mignonette sauce of course!). If you are a cheese board fanatic, this is a perfect wine to pair with soft cheeses such as Morbier, Blue Cheese or Camanbert.
3) Jean Paul Daumen Mediteranee 2017 (17$)
An organic bold red from the South of France; where the winemaker’s main focus is sustainability and ecological growth. Daumen sources his grapes from organically cultivated vineyards and uses recycled materials for his packaging. This refreshing and complex medium bodied blend will be sure to be a winner around the table. Its sister wine’s (Cote de Rhone and Chateuneuf de Pape) have been spotted in Joe Beef and other top restaurants in Montreal; this one in particular won’t let you down and is a great value.