White wine for red wine drinkers.

October 4, 2007 10:24 AM

WineFilter: Need a good white wine for Canadian Thanksgiving.

After drinking mostly red wine for many years, I don't know what decent whites are available. I'll be going to my parents for Thanksgiving dinner this weekend & they asked me to bring the wine. I'm in Québec, they're in Ontario... so I need a wine that's available in either the SAQ or LCBO. I have a bottle of red I'll be bringing, but I'd like a bottle or two of white to go with the traditional dinner (turkey, etc.)

For reference, I like my wines dry, but I'm pretty open to anything. My parents also generally drink red which is why I'm not asking them for suggestions.

posted by Laura in Canada to food & drink (16 comments total)

Whenever I do poultry, I serve and drink Mondavi Fume Blanc. It's one of my favourite wines and I buy it at the LCBO.
posted by meerkatty at 10:35 AM on October 4, 2007

I really like the Trius wines. They have a barrel-fermented Chardonnay which is wonderful. They also have an unoaked version if you want a lighter taste.

You also can't go wrong with any options from Inniskillin.

I'd also suggest you bring an icewine for after dinner. It's good anytime, but seems particularly perfect to drink after Thanksgiving dinner. Both of the above are good sources, though I'd lean towards Inniskillin. Get a late-harvest something if you'd prefer it to be less expensive than a true icewine.

Have a great weekend!
posted by valleys at 10:37 AM on October 4, 2007

Look for a nice dry Riesling. crisp, not too sweet, not as heavy on the palate as an oaked chardonnay. (my unschooled opinion)


The Pelee Island (Ontario VQA) dry Riesling is nice.
posted by Artful Codger at 10:40 AM on October 4, 2007

I second the dry Riesling recommendation. And because Rieslings are not as popular as Chardonnays, you can get a better wine for less money. I've been very impressed with several German Rieslings that I have had, although I can not remember their names. A good wine shop should be able help.
posted by COD at 10:48 AM on October 4, 2007

I like other Mondavi wines, so meerkitty's suggestion will probably be good for one bottle (I think I'll be bringing two).
And valleys, I actually have a bottle of Inniskillin ice wine at home right now from a recent trip to Niagara on the Lake. I may bring it, but my SO wanted to save it for the two of us.

Riesling suggestions noted as well, thanks to everyone so far.
posted by Laura in Canada at 10:55 AM on October 4, 2007

My boyfriend and I are red wine drinkers and usually pass on the white wine as we find it to be too sweet. We did pick up Santa Carolina Chardonnay (item# 322727) at the LCBO which is now our favourite white wine if we ever have to drink it.
posted by KathyK at 11:12 AM on October 4, 2007

Gewürztraminer is my favorite with turkey, and both stores seem to a selection -- go with one from Alsace.
posted by jules1651 at 11:15 AM on October 4, 2007

meerkatty: you beat me to it. The fume blanc is a perfect white to go with turkey and thanksgiving-y food. And COD is right about a Riesling, you can get one that's pretty acidic which, if you're having turkey without the cranberries, is a VERY good pair. I recommend Royal Rheingau Riesling. It's pretty soft yet acidic, and has the aluminum twist (no cork) which I used to think was bad but now realise is GREAT! Plus: no corkscrew!
posted by indiebass at 11:29 AM on October 4, 2007

If you're going for Gewürz, try the Chateau des Charmes ($19.95 at LCBO/Vintages). You might also try Reif ($14.95) or Henry of Pelham ($17.95), also at Vintages, as they generally produce nice wines. Too bad Cave Springs' excellent version is only available at their winery.
posted by maudlin at 12:07 PM on October 4, 2007

Really miss the LCBO Toronto's tasty white wines from the Alsace region since I moved back to Chicago. :( They are always a hit for me, no matter what time of year or what it's being served with.
posted by Lieber Frau at 12:42 PM on October 4, 2007

As a data point, pinot noir pairs amazingly well with roast turkey.
posted by padraigin at 12:45 PM on October 4, 2007

Some of the Niagara region's Rieslings are pretty great. Try Cave Spring or Vineland (both are fairly common at the LCBO).
posted by transient at 1:14 PM on October 4, 2007

If you don't mind sparkling wine, Prosecco is good. It's often recommended as an aperitif or to complement seafood, but I think it goes with anything. Crisp and dry, affordable to boot. LCBO appears to have a selection of them.
posted by misozaki at 5:57 PM on October 4, 2007

Also, if you're interested in a good dessert wine, the Niagara region has some pretty good ice wines.
posted by Dr. Zira at 6:20 PM on October 4, 2007

I had the local semillion during my trip to Australia .
posted by brujita at 9:49 PM on October 4, 2007

British Columbia offers many excellent Rieslings and Gewurzes... full-bodied whites are essentially the Okanagan specialty. Off the top of my head, Quail's Gate, Hillside, Lake Breeze, Inniskillin, Sandhill, See Ya Later Ranch, Blasted Church and Dirty Laundry are all excellent wineries; Mission Hill's higher end wines are also very good and easier to find. Quail's Gate also has an excellent Rose which is pretty widely available, that I'm completely addicted to.

You'll notice some stranger whites like Viognier and Chenin Blanc from these wineries as well, which are a great change of pace from standard fare.
posted by mek at 11:03 PM on October 4, 2007