Wines Pairings for November
Mushrooms, and squash, and potatoes, oh my!
by Erin Henderson
As November approaches and the chill sets in for most of us in the Northern Hemisphere, naturally, we’re turning inward and embracing the cozy.
Root vegetables – squash, Brussels sprouts, and onions – reign supreme right now, but they’re not the only fresh vegetables in town. Mushrooms, cranberries, chestnuts, even avocado and citrus are all coming into season.
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Of course, very few of us are sitting down to nosh solely on a lone chantarelle, or chomp on a raw, plain Brussels sprout (unless we’re engaging in some kind of culinary flagellation), or even pop a cranberry in our mouth when that 3pm sugar low strikes.
Generally, fruits notwithstanding, ingredients are mixed with other ingredients in soups, salads, stews, pastas… you get the idea. You’ve eaten before.
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This means rarely are you pairing a wine to that one specific food, you have to look at the other flavouring agents and even the preparation (fried food tastes, and feels, much different than steamed, for example.)
There are always exceptions in the wonderful world of wine, but below list gives a general gist as to what to drink with what you eat this November.
Sweet Root Vegetables x Riesling
From lattes to soups, from pies to pastas, people, at least in North America, can’t get enough of this sugary orange vegetable.
Starchy, earthy, sweet, and dense and texture, pair a wine with at least medium body and flavours to compliment that subtle sweet note of pumpkin, honey nut squash, and the almighty butternut. Riesling, which can range from bone dry to Icewine sweet, has flavours of lime, peach, and honey to compliment the flavours of the vegetables, and a lively acidity to brighten and lift the weight of butternut squash soups, pumpkin gnocchi, and sweet potato gratins.
Mushrooms x Pinot Noir
A classic if there ever was one, mushrooms, which are in full bloom in the fall, have rich woodsy flavours that are also found in Pinot Noir. The wine is also low in tannin – the gritty stuff that makes your mouth feel like its full of cotton balls – which makes it one of the more vegetable-friendly reds out there. Pinot Noir has flavours of juicy red fruit, but also black pepper spice and woodsy notes for a lovely compliment to the earthy mushrooms.
Chicory x Vermentino
Chicory is a family of bitter greens (and reds): endive, radicchio, escarole… these hearty lettuces thrive in the cool weather and offer a nice counterbalance to rich braises and stews. But bitter can be challenging when pairing with wine. Definitely avoid red wines with high tannins – tannins are astringent and pairing bitter with bitter is only going to intensify that flavour, which isn’t charming. Common wisdom suggests wines with high sugar can balance bitter, but we’re likely not going to enjoy a sweet wine with dinner. Our final option is to go with a wine with high acidity that can cut through the bitter element of the food. Vermentino, a white wine from Italy that’s similar to Sauvignon Blanc or Grüner Veltliner, has elevated acidity to work with the bitter, and herbal notes to echo the flavours of the vegetables.
Cruciferous Vegetables x Sauvignon Blanc
Roast Brussels sprouts. Braised cabbage. Broccoli soup. When we talk about the cold weather favourites of the Brassicaceae family, we need to consider their bold green taste. The easy way out is to match that verdant flavour with an equally verdant Sauvignon Blanc which also has notes of citrus and tropical fruits.
Tubers x Chardonnay
Whether we’re talking about celeriac mash or scalloped potatoes, tubers are earthy and mildly sweet in flavour and starchy in texture. Their dense nature needs a wine with some heft, and hopefully creamy, buttery notes to match the flavour profile (especially when cooked with cream, cheese, and butter, as they most often are.) No need to reinvent the wheel: Chardonnay, with its silky texture and mouth filling weight is the natural choice.