Poutine Pairing for Canada Day, Rosé Eh?
For this Canada Day weekend, let’s for once try to get away a bit from the standard oversubscribed selection of BBQ-ed items. Poutine is one of those dishes that is an all-Canadian classic. Its origins are in the French-speaking province of Quebec. But it’s easy to prepare at home or at the cottage too. French fries are covered with cheese curds that are supposed to soften up, melt and fill the crevasses between the fries. Then, ladle over with a meat-based ooey, gooey gravy of your choice. What we’ve got here is a Canadian cornucopia of textures and flavors all coming together to party on one’s palate before swallowing. Potatoes with their starch, cheese curds with proteins that are obliged to squeak when bitten into, and gravy with a seductive viscosity coming from animal juices, do their tasty thing. An overall pleasant mouthfeel with all these components creates the concept of flavour, even umami. While carbonated drinks are a popular accompanying beverage, wine will pair quite nicely. But what wine? We recommend a medium-bodied wine with berry notes, a pleasant acidity and just a teeny tad of sweetness. 2021 Henry of Pelham VQA Rosé from the Niagara Peninsula, featured in the Summer Edition of LCBO’s popular Food and Drink Magazine, ticks off all the boxes. And please enjoy poutine as a side dish and carb component with any of your favourite BBQ items. HAPPY CANADA DAY!!!!!!
2021 Henry of Pelham VQA Niagara Peninsula Rosé #613471, $12.95. (regularly $14.95, now $2.00 off LCBO until July 16th)