Navigating the holiday wine selection can be a delightful yet daunting task, especially when wanting the perfect pour for your Christmas festivities. For those seeking a touch of elegance and a nod to local terroir, consider exploring the finest Niagara red wines to grace your Christmas table.
From the best Niagara red wines, like Cabernets to velvety Merlots, the Niagara region boasts a diverse selection that caters to various palates and culinary pairings. These wines, crafted with precision and passion, encapsulate the essence of the region’s unique climate and soil, offering a vinous journey that elevates the festive dining experience. So, if you find yourself pondering the ideal wine companion for your Christmas feast, delve into the world of Niagara reds for a tasteful celebration.
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Christmas 2020 will look very different this year. We are not going to be hosting the huge family feasts we are used to.
I’m trying to support locals as much as possible. Thankfully I’m blessed to live smack dab in the middle of Niagara’s Wine Country. I’m surrounded by gorgeous wineries that offer great selections of white wine, red wines (my favourite), and amazing ice wine too!
When it comes to wine, I’m not super knowledgeable about what kinds of wines pair well with what. I simply drink what I like. Sometimes I read the suggested pairings on the label at the LCBO, just to justify my choice. But if it doesn’t match, I buy it anyway!
As mentioned above, I prefer red wine over white. Here is a list of the best Niagara red wines (in my opinion) that would make a nice addition to your Christmas dinner.
Best Niagara Red Wine # 1. D’ont Poke The Bear
Nope, it’s not a typo. D’Ont Poke The Bear is the actual name of this wine. I’m suggesting D’ont Poke The Bear first because currently, it’s my absolute favourite wine even though I’m not sure where in Ontario it’s made. It’s so good, it had to make the list.
According to Foodism, the wine is made in part by a cofounder of Jackson and Triggs (which is a Niagara Brand). Read more about the story behind the bear with the eye patch on Foodism.
D’Ont Poke The Bear is a blend of Cabernet and Baco Noir. It’s dry and medium-bodied, and it’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Do you ever judge a book by its cover? Guilty! I did when I originally bought this one purely because of its name. I was curious! And it was a winner.
Best Niagara Red Wine # 2. Burger Blend
The 13th Winery is the only winery in St. Catharines. If you ever visit this winery, make sure to stop by their bakery and buy their butter tarts. They are hands down THE BEST butter tarts I have ever had.
The Burger Blend is a dry red blend. It is a mix of Gamay Noir and Pinot Noir.
The Burger Blend is in my opinion more of a summer wine, something you’d eat alongside something from the grill, like a burger! It’s a bit more casual than other wines. But this year, casual might just be what you want since we are only dining with members of our household.
We don’t put the BBQs away in winter here in Niagara, so, if you are grilling up a Burger, or maybe a nice steak instead of Turkey, the Burger Blend is your pick!
Best Niagara Red Wine # 3.Trius Red
The Trius Red is more sophisticated than some of the other wines I’m suggesting today. And when I say sophisticated, I mean more expensive. But, it’s worth it!
This Red blend is a mix of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
The Wine Shop describes the wine as follows:
Garnet in colour with a lovely bouquet of black currant, blackberry, smoky oak, spice box, dried tobacco and a touch of leather. A medium to full-bodied red wine with soft yet drying tannins, good structure and fruit-forward flavours of currant and cherry accented by spice notes. Red and black fruits, chocolate and black tea linger beautifully on the extra-dry finish.
Every time they describe a wine as “having notes of chocolate and cherry, I’m sold!
This is a critically acclaimed wine. It won a Silver medal at the National Wine Awards of Canada 2019 and a bronze medal at the All Canadian Wine Championships 2019. This could explain the price!
This one would go well with beef, old cheddar cheese and dark chocolate. All good
Best Niagara Red Wine # 4. Wayne Gretzky’s Cabernet Merlot
We often joke about Wayne Gretzky’s wine in our family by referring to it as “Wine Gretzky”, just to be funny! It’s good wine. After all, the makers behind The No 99 is Andrew Peller, who also makes Trius and Peller Wines.
The Wine Shop describes this wine as:
Deep ruby red colour with a bouquet of dark cherry, plum, smoke, oak and delicate spice. A medium-bodied and fruit-forward red wine. The soft yet drying tannins give the wine great mouth-feel, and flavours of plum, cherry and sweet spice fill the mouth. Notes of black tea, currant, pomegranate and spice linger on the dry finish.
I enjoy this medium-bodied, fruity wine almost as much as I enjoy visiting the winery itself.
The winery features lots of Gretzky paraphernalia (for the hockey fans) as well as an outdoor ice rink and a distillery. And while you are there picking up wine, you might want to skip over to pick up some of his Whiskey for those non-wine drinkers too.
To Sum Things Up!
The wines I suggested today are all available at the LCBO but if you are from Niagara, you might want to visit the Winery’s shop. You will discover amazing new wines this way. Some wines don’t make the shelves of the LCBO because they are produced in smaller quantities.
But, if you are at the LCBO looking for your Christmas wine, check out my list of best Niagara red wines; D’ont Poke The Bear Red, The Burger Blend, Trius Red or Wayne Gretzky’s Cab Merlot. You won’t be disappointed.
By choosing an Ontario VQA wine, you are supporting local!
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My recipe for French Canadian Tourtiere
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I haven’t tried the 13th Street one as yet. I’ll keep an eye out for it. Sounds like it’ll be great in a summer sangria also.
Great post. Would love to try some of these wines!
Wow! Some really cool names. I’m looking forward to trying out Wayne Gretzky’s Cab Merlot.