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Welcome to our new blog - Wine According to Etienne

Autumn Leaves Edition

10/10/2025

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Traditional Thanksgiving
Turkey Dinner (stuffing, cranberry sauce, etc.)
Or
Ham / Pork with all the fixings
Beaujolais
A style of red wine from France, made using the Gamay grape. It tends to be light-bodied with medium acidity and little tannin. It is fruity with some floral and earthy notes, depending on the producer.

Pinot Noir
Traditionally from France but is planted in many parts of the world. Like Beaujolais, it is on the lighter side, with high acidity and soft tannins. A North American Pinot will have notes of raspberry, tart cherry, plum, smoke, spice, and a hint of earthiness.

Zinfandel / Primitivo
A full-bodied fruity red mostly grown in California and Italy. Little acidity and plenty of tannin. This is a particularly good pairing for a typical Thanksgiving meal; a Lodi-produced “Zin” will taste of raspberry jam, peach preserves, baking spice and hickory/smoke, often with very smooth tannins.

Gewürztraminer
White grape traditionally grown in Germany and France. It often produces off-dry, medium-bodied white wines with little acid and no tannin. Pairs best with meals that are spicy or sweet to begin with (e.g., sweet potato). The flavors range from tropical fruit (lychee) to warm spice (like ginger) via floral (rose) notes.

Riesling (dry to off-dry)
Another white grape traditionally grown in Germany and France. It can be made with a range of sweetness, but the best for pairing will be dry or off-dry. This quintessential light-bodied acidic white wine offers notes of green apple, lemon, and minerality (limestone or even gasoline).

Sparkling white, rosé, or Syrah/Shiraz
There are many different types of sparkling wine; the key here is the acid and effervescence helping to lighten an otherwise heavy meal. A brut or rosé style of sparkling wine, like Cava, Champagne, or Crémant, should prove to match well. If you can find it, a sparkling Shiraz in a dry or off-dry style could be a special treat with a turkey dinner.

Plant-based
Sauvignon Blanc
Torrontés (Argentina)
Pecorino (Italy)
Pinot Gris/Grigio
Chardonnay (cooler climate, ideally unoaked)
Rosé (dry)
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If your fall cooking is mostly (or entirely) vegetarian/vegan, there are plenty of wines that go with grilled vegetables, salads, and similar dishes. Most of them are white or pink. You’re looking for just about any level of acidity, as long as the wine is light and dry and not less acidic or sweet than the dishes you’re serving.
The grapes listed to the left will give you a great pairing for things like goat (or vegan) cheese, vegetable skewers, and salads.

Pumpkin Pie, Pecan Pie, Sweet Potato Pie, Apple Pie, or your preferred fall/winter dessert.
 
(Note: Halloween candy not recommended)
Riesling Beerenauslese (BA) or TBA (Germany)
Icewine (Canada, Austria, Germany)
Tokaji (Hungary)
Sauternes (France)
Muscat (France and others)
Madeira
Port (White, Ruby, or Tawny)
A good Dessert wine, while high in sugar, will also have high levels of acidity and lower levels of alcohol than table wine. Some Fortified wines can also pair with various desserts, but the alcohol content will be much higher.
The list to the left is a mix of dessert wine and fortified wine, in order from least to most alcoholic (expected). They all have 2 things in common: They tend to be quite sweet (100+ g/L of sugar), and have high levels of acid, making them refreshing despite their sweetness and allowing for long periods of aging.
The wine you pick from here will highly depend on what dessert you’re pairing to, since they all have different flavour profiles. Just remember, the sweeter the dessert, the sweeter your wine needs to be if you actually want to taste it.
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    Author

    Etienne Martin, Certified Level 4 Sommelier

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  • Home
    • Owner's Corner
  • Food Menu
  • Drink Menu
  • Contact & Hours
    • Accessibility
  • Announcements
    • Art and Special Events
    • 2025 Ottawa Awards
    • Additions to our team
    • Mainstreet announcement
    • Live Work Play
    • Wine according to Etienne
  • Reservations
  • Gift Cards