Food-friendly wines to let you switch-hit for the holidays

There’s something comforting about convening with friends and family over a familiar meal — particularly around the holidays.

But rather than uncork the same-old same-old wine to pair with your Christmas or holiday dinner, why not venture off the beaten path and potentially discover a fab new pairing for your turkey, trimmings and sides?

No matter what you’re tucking into this holiday season, here are six food-friendly wines to consider for the dinner table…

The Cono Sur 2024 Bicicleta Reserva Viognier (Central Valley, Chile — $12.24, Liquor Marts and beyond) is medium gold in appearance; this Chilean Viognier brings fresh aromas of apple seed, white peach, honeysuckle, pear and spice.

It’s dry, medium-bodied and slightly viscous, with loads of red apple, peach, pear and spice flavours, along with a hint of dried apricot, no discernable oak and a modest 13 per cent alcohol on the finish.

A very good producer and a solid value — especially while it’s on sale until the end of December (it’s regular 13.99). 3/5

Unlike many of its fun and fresh but uninspiring counterparts, the Chiorri 2024 Etesia Pinot Grigio (Umbria, Italy — $19.99, the Pourium) is medium gold in appearance, with pronounced pear, red apple, floral and pineapple notes aromatically.

This central Italian white is dry and crisp, with ripe tree fruit flavours and slightly more body than your typical Pinot Grigio, and delivers a nice balance of medium acidity and an almost-honeyed note.

It’s unoaked, sustainably made and, at 13.5 per cent alcohol, it lingers longer than many of its peers as well. Nicely done. 3.5/5

A 50-40-10 organic blend of Grüner Veltliner, Müller Thurgau and Welschriesling, the Malinga 2023 Heissweiss (Kamptal, Austria — $27, Element Wine + Spirits) is medium gold in appearance, with aromas of spiced ripe apple, peach pie and marmalade as well as a secondary herbal component.

It’s light-bodied and dry, but the ripe apple and pear flavours are ripe and opulent, with hints of bread dough, lemon zest and a chalky/saline note.

A fun and adventurous white that will work well with the holiday dinner, but will also prove compelling to natural wine geeks and those looking for something with a bit of character. It’s 12 per cent alcohol. 4/5

Rather than look south for substitution grapes for the disastrous 2024 vintage, for the Sandhill 2024 Destination Series Chardonnay (Ontario — $24.99, Liquor Marts and beyond) the Kelowna-area winery looked east.

Pale straw in colour, aromatically this Canadian white made from Ontario grapes in B.C. delivers golden apple, white peach, lemon curd and subtle spice and vanilla notes.

It’s dry and light-plus-bodied, with restrained white peach, ripe apple and pear flavours, secondary lemon curd, vanilla and spice notes and, at 12.9 per cent alcohol, a modest medium finish. An elegant, not overly intense examples of the grape variety. 3.5/5

Fermented in concrete tanks and aged in French oak barrels, the Leaning Post 2023 The Fifty Pinot Noir (Niagara Peninsula, Ont. — $29.99, Liquor Marts and beyond) is made by ex-Winnipeggers Ilya and Nadia Senchuk; the wine is pale ruby in appearance, with earth, red licorice, fresh cherry, plum and subtle spice notes showing on the nose.

It’s a dry, very light-bodied red, with a lovely core of tart cherry, baking spice, cranberry, raspberry candy and white pepper flavours, with secondary earthy and herbal notes and, at 13 per cent alcohol, a medium-length finish.

Tannins are light; chill for 15 minutes and enjoy this Burgundian-style red now, either on its own or with turkey, ham or mushroom risotto. 4.5/5

Last but not least, the “nude” in the name of the Ochoa 2024 Tinto Nude (Navarra, Spain — $17.99, Liquor Marts and beyond) refers to the fact this organic, vegan Tempranillo sees no time in oak barrels — rather, it’s fermented in stainless steel tanks on native (rather than inoculated) yeasts.

Pale ruby in appearance, this Spanish red brings aromas of raspberry, mocha, cranberry and white pepper. It’s light-plus-bodied and dry, driven by fresh red berry and cherry flavours that come with cherry candy, herbal and white pepper notes.

There’s a decent amount of acidity here and very mild tannins, while the 12.5 per cent alcohol keeps things easily approachable. Pop this in the fridge for about 15 minutes and serve with your big bird. 4/5

winnipegfreepress.com/bensigurdson