Six fall foods and the local wines to drink with them

Wise words on seasonal pairing from three wine experts.

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Six fall foods and the local wines to drink with them

Sandals season isn't completely over (so sue me) but technically fall has arrived—it's just about time to wear rust-coloured sweaters, eat tiny chocolate bars and avoid turning the thermostat up. As the slow-cooker meals and blended soups start to trickle their way into our minds and onto our weekly menus, we reached out to three of the city's most trusted wine authorities for advice on pairing some beloved autumnal snacks with Nova Scotian wines.

Here are their picks:

Slow-cooker chili with Benjamin Bridge Cabernet Franc Rosé 2018
"There is enough intensity on the nose and weight on the palate of this rosé to stand up to a meaty (or vegetarian) slow-cooker chili. Assuming that the chili has some heat, the residual sweetness of this wine will be a nice contrast to the spice and the wine's lively acidity brightens up the dish." —Alanna McIntyre, sommelier, Bishop's Cellar

Pumpkin pie with Lightfoot & Wolfville Riesling 2018

"This is an off-dry Riesling with pronounced aromatics of honey, citrus, stone fruit and baking spices. The wine has just enough sweetness to pair with this dessert and the textural richness of the palate will compliment that creamy and rich textured pumpkin pie filling." —Alanna McIntyre

Turkey leftovers with L'Acadie Vineyards Vintage Cuvée Rosé or Eileanan Brèagha's Rosé
"Turkey and rosé are one of my favourite fall pairings. White wines are sometimes a little too light for turkey and all the fixings, and red can sometimes be too bold. Rosé is the best of both worlds and lends itself nicely to lighter meats like turkey—and its sidekick, cranberry sauce." —Erin Beazley, sommelier, Obladee

Chocolate-mint Girl Guide cookies with Benjamin Bridge Cabernet Franc 2017
"For the girl guide cookie pairing I went with a local wine that plays with the same flavours. The Cabernet Franc has nice bright red fruit notes but also has an underlying herbaceous green note to pair with the mint from the cookie!" —Erin Beazley

Candy corn with Blomidon Estate Ancestral Method Pinot Noir
"Beautiful notes of fresh cherries and red fruit with high acidity. Subtle, creamy bubbles and vibrant red colour makes it a unique, refreshing palate cleanser for a meal with lots of bolder flavours—or the sweetness of candy." —Jessica Babin, wine director, Bar Kismet

Butternut squash soup with Lightfoot and Wolfville Ancienne Chardonnay
"Lemon and pear are married with toasted hazelnuts and butter with this classic, beautiful representation of Nova Scotia Chardonnay. The perfect fall replacement to the lighter-bodied Tidal Bays of the summer pairs well with the soup because of the creamy richness of both the dish and the wine." —Jessica Babin