Fall gets us thinking about warm dishes that bring family and friends together around the table to share a meal and our autumn wine picks from the Manor’s cellar will have your ready for everything from special occasions to a casual supper with friends.
Clay Station Viognier, California
Put away that Chardonnay. One of our favourite whites this fall, the Clay Station Viognier is a versatile wine, perfect with early fall dinner starters of antipasto or paired with pasta and cream based dishes or those great fall curries. This is a quite a big Viognier with great peach and guava flavours and strong orange and floral aromas.
2007 Spinyback Nelson Cabernet Franc/Syrah, New Zealand
We love the rich berry aromas with mocha, spice dried herbs and black pepper of this oak-aged Cab Franc/Syrah blend. The fruit tannins and acid balance gives this wine a good structure and the concentration of fruit gives the wine depth. This wine pairs nicely with red meat and game and mushroom based sauces.
2007 Valley Roads Marechal Foch, Nova Scotia
Winning a double gold for best Marechal Foch at the 2009 All Canadian Wine Championships, the 2007 Valley Roads Marechal Foch from Jost Vineyards is a tremendous value wine. Marechal Foch grows well in Nova Scotia’s cool coastal climate and this vintage has traditional berry flavours, herb and fruit aromas and a nice length. This well balanced wine pairs well with barbequed beef and would also go nicely with game or some light Italian fare like a Friday night pizza.
Caposaldo Chianti, Italy
The Caposaldo Chianti is a great value wine for fall with earth and cherries on the nose and spice, citrus and cherry flavours. A refreshing wine with light tannins mineral undertones, this Chianti is great on its own as dinner cooks. A long finish and good body also work with those early fall nights of root vegetables and pasta.
Maple Wine, Gaspereau Vineyards, Nova Scotia
Made with Nova Scotia maple syrup and wine brandy from Nova Scotia’s signature L'Acadie grape, this delicious wine is a perfect end to delicious meal either on its own or paired with a simple dessert. And as it combines two of Nova Scotia’s quintessential flavours, it also finds its way into some of the dishes in the DesBarres Manor kitchen.
We hope you enjoy matching these wines to your fall cuisine. Please drop us a line and let us know how your pairing goes. We love hearing your experiences.
