Tania’s Magical Matches: Wine Pairings for Thanksgiving Turkey

September 24, 2016December 17, 2016 Tania Thomas Leave a comment

By Tania Thomas Thanksgiving is the time of the year when we remember what we are thankful for and a celebration that captures holiday spirit of home cooking like no other. Sharing this day with family and friend is what makes it even more special. The origins of Canadian Thanksgiving can be traced to two separate events in our history. The arrival of the explorer Samuel de Champlain in the early 17th century, who came with the French settlers to New France and celebrated their successful harvests, even sharing food with the indigenous peoples of the area. The second is […]

Turn Thanksgiving Leftovers into a Great Meal with Wine and Give Thanks Twice

September 20, 2016September 29, 2016 Natalie MacLean Leave a comment

The web abounds with great Thanksgiving turkey recipes, and rightly so. The harvest season is a great time of year and it deserves plenty of celebration. But what are you going to feast on the next day, or the next week, for that matter? Chances are good that it will be turkey sandwiches. What I propose instead is a fun, easy and tasty way to enjoy your leftovers with friends once the big family event has passed. So put a little turkey aside for a delicious Thanksgiving pizza with smoked Gouda, served after a piquant platter of Canadian cheeses paired […]

Thanksgiving Wines Top 10 Best Bottles

Here are my top 10 gobbling-good wines that I recommended on CBC radio this week. (You can listen to the radio interview below.) Got a favourite? I love matching wine with side dishes … pinot noir and cranberry sauce or riesling with green beans. The bonus is that they both work well with the big bird. Enjoy your holiday weekend! Mission Hill Family Estate Five Vineyards Pinot Blanc, Okanagan Valley, BC Terrifically fresh and vibrant! Like a basket of white melons on a summer afternoon. Lovely as an aperitif or companion to many dishes. […]

Thanksgiving Wines: Turkey, Stuffing and Cranberry Sauce

September 27, 2012September 27, 2012 Natalie MacLean Leave a comment

My latest column in Active Adult Magazine has lots of terrific wines for your Thanksgiving dinner, including pairings for roast turkey, stuffing or cranberry sauce. You can also find my tips for pairing Thanksgiving (or Christmas) turkey and wine in Reuters (second story), Kansas City Star, The Vancouver Province, The Star-Ledger, Contra Costa Times and The Star-Gazette. Let’s give thanks for all of these great bottles!

Pairing Wine with the Thanksgiving Dinner with a Change of Seasons

September 28, 2011February 15, 2013 Natalie MacLean 2 Comments

We have recently returned from holidaying on the shores of Lake Erie where our family’s roots run deep into the sandy banks of Long Point Bay. This has become an annual event for us and it’s always a pleasure to relax on the quiet beach amidst the rolling waves while the shorebirds gracefully soar high above. We really had not been away for that long but as we unpacked the mountain of ‘stuff’ necessary for survival (and comfort), I did notice that a few leaves had begun to turn. Autumn is arguably the most beautiful season of the year and […]

Terrific Thanksgiving wines: Niagara Riesling, Australia Chardonnay, Argentina Malbec in the Vintages Release October 1

September 27, 2011August 20, 2022 Natalie MacLean Leave a comment

You can browse all 60 of the best wines and bargain wines that I’ve selected for October 1 that include most price points, styles and regions. There are plenty of picks here for Thanksgiving wines, including some terrific pinot noir and riesling wines from several regions. You can also add my Top Wine Picks to your custom shopping list by clicking on the little shopping cart icon. Get ready for the festive season ahead of us! Natalie [table id=2 /] You get all of my wine tasting notes and scores when you subscribe to my wine reviews for $2.10 a […]

5 Quick Tips to Choose a Terrific Thanksgiving Wine

November 24, 2010November 24, 2010 Natalie MacLean Leave a comment

“No other holiday celebrates the gift of wine like Thanksgiving,” says Natalie MacLean, author of the bestselling book Red, White and Drunk All Over: A Wine-Soaked Journey from Grape to Glass. “Wine is a taste of the harvest along with all the delicious dishes on the table. But actually choosing a bottle can feel like a thankless task, especially with so many flavors to match.” Relax. Have a drink. And try some of Natalie’s suggestions for great wines to pair with Thanksgiving turkey and all the trimmings. In Red, White and Drunk All Over, which has just been published in […]

Video: Which Wines for Turkey, Cranberry Sauce and Pumpkin Pie?

CTV’s Your Morning Host Ben Mulroney and chat about which wines to pair with your holiday turkey dinner, from appetizers and the big bird to side dishes and dessert. Happy holidays! Natalie Start with an aperitif As the heady aroma of the turkey wafts through the house, and sounds of Miracle on 34th Street come from the livingroom, offer family and friends an aperitif. This pre-dinner drink will whet their appetites before they sit down to the table. An excellent choice is a chilled dry sherry. Its nutty flavours go well with spiced nuts, olives, cheese and other pre-dinner […]

Pairing Wine and Cheese: The Ultimate Guide

This week on Global Television’s Morning Show, Carolyn, Jordan and I chatted about pairing wine and cheese for Thanksgiving or a celebratory meal at another time of the year. Why are you suggesting we serve our guests a little wine and cheese? Certain pairings in life indicate that the world is a good place: peanut butter and jam, chocolate syrup and ice cream, wine and cheese. The separate ingredients enhance one another: each tastes better together than it would on its own. And the good news is that wine and cheese can be enjoyed with little preparation. The […]

Galentine’s Grape Escape: Wines for Your Squad

February 13, 2024February 14, 2024 Natalie MacLean Leave a comment

Patricia Boal’s show is heard on Newstalk 1010 and 580 CFR radio, part of the Bellmedia network, as well as iHeart Radio. Listen to the interview here. Valentine’s Day is tomorrow, but what if you’re not in a relationship? There’s a special day for you, too. It’s called Galentine’s Day and it’s happening today. Here with her suggestions for what we should be drinking on both days is Natalie MacLean, who offers Canada’s most popular online wine and food pairing classes at nataliemaclean.com. Let’s start with what is Galentine’s Day? It’s one of those made-up micro-holidays, like Friendsgiving […]