Which 3 drinks should the Chief Pouring Officer serve at Thanksgiving?

Give Thanks for a Chief Pouring Officer

Thanksgiving is almost here, but the host spends most of it in the kitchen. Every request for a top-up pulls them away from the stove. Today’s fix is a promotion.

Promote one guest to become the Chief Pouring Officer. Here to tell us how that works is Natalie MacLean, editor of Canada’s largest drinks review site at nataliemaclean.com.

Welcome, Natalie.

Great to be back with you, Melissa! I’m promoting you today to Chief Pouring Officer.

It even comes with an official lanyard. We’ve done the pouring ahead of time, like the pre-diced vegetables on a cooking show.

So Natalie, what is our Chief Pouring Officer pouring first?

Beronia Reserva
Rioja, Spain

This is Beronia Reserva from Rioja in northern Spain. This wine started with a group of friends who loved to cook together.

They founded Beronia in 1973. They wanted wines to go with their food. That makes it a natural fit for a Thanksgiving table.

A Reserva has to age at least three years before release. Beronia gives it 18 months in oak. Then it rests another 18 months in bottle.

The barrels are a hybrid. The sides are American oak for vanilla and sweet spice. The ends are French oak for silky tannins and toasty notes.

Their new winery was the first in the world to earn LEED v4 Gold certification for its leadership in energy conservation and environmental design in new construction. It has a green roof and recycles rainwater.

Feel free to give the Beronia Reserva a swirl and sniff.

It’s mostly Tempranillo, Spain’s signature red grape. The colour is a deep, dark cherry.

You get black fruit and cinnamon on the nose. The tannins are soft, so it has a velvet-smooth texture.

There’s cacao, roasted hazelnut and a pinch of pepper on the finish. Can you picture it at the dining room table with the dark turkey meat and a sausage and sage stuffing?

It’s available in the LCBO now.

More Pairings

• Boardroom braised short ribs: Beef short ribs seared until crusted, then braised for three hours in red wine and stock with rosemary and garlic. The meat slides off the bone into a glossy, dark sauce, served hot over mashed parsnips.

• Corner office mushroom and chestnut tart: Buttery puff pastry baked golden and piled with roasted cremini mushrooms, chestnuts and thyme. The edges shatter, the centre stays earthy and warm, with a nutty, woodsy smell from the oven.

Natalie, I see cranberry all over this table. Is that just for the turkey?

Ocean Spray Sparkling Zero Sugar Cranberry

Is there any flavour more iconic for Thanksgiving than cranberry? In fact, most of us eat turkey just as an excuse to double down on cranberry sauce. Now we can have it in our glass too.

When we think of Ocean Spray at Thanksgiving, we think of cranberry sauce with the turkey. However, it can go into every part of the meal.

Ocean Spray is a co-op owned by the family farmers who grow the berries, including those across Canada.

Let’s start with the appetizers. Blend Ocean Spray Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce into some feta for a whipped cranberry feta dip. Warm the sauce and brush it over your sweet potatoes as a glaze.

Toss Craisins into those sweet potatoes or the stuffing.

For dessert, cranberry cheesecake is a favourite. Add a dollop of cranberry sauce on top of a cheesecake. It’s lovely warmed over ice cream too.

Feel free to try the Ocean Spray Sparkling Zero Sugar Cranberry.

For the toast, pour Ocean Spray Sparkling Zero Sugar Cranberry into a wine glass. It’s all cranberry, zesty and bright. The bubbles make it feel like a festive occasion.

It’s non-alcoholic, so it’s ideal for designated drivers and anyone not drinking alcohol during the holiday.

It’s one of three zero sugar sparkling flavours, including pineapple passionfruit and mixed berry. The cranberry juice also comes in zero sugar.

It’s sweetened naturally with the stevia plant. Pour it over ice with a squeeze of lime for a mocktail.

It’s also a terrific base for a cocktail. You’ll find Ocean Spray drinks, sauces and Craisins in grocery stores.

More Pairings

• Executive baked brie with maple pecans: A wheel of brie baked until it slumps and runs, topped with pecans glazed in maple syrup that crackle as they cool. Warm, creamy and salty, served with crisp apple slices for scooping.

• Promotion day pear and goat cheese salad: Peppery arugula tossed with ripe pear slices, crumbled goat cheese and toasted walnuts in a cider vinaigrette. Cool, crunchy and tangy, with the sweet smell of fresh-cut pear.

Natalie, tell us about this whisky.

Broken Paddle Artisanal Whisky
Ontario

This is a local Canadian whisky for the Thanksgiving table. It’s crafted right here in the Ottawa Valley and also in the LCBO. It’s made for sharing, and approachable enough to pour neat, over ice, or alongside the meal.

It’s from Whitewater Distilling. The paddle is a nod to Whitewater’s roots in river culture.

The broken paddle stands for Canadian ingenuity. When something breaks, you find a way forward.

Whitewater is a 1% for the Planet member. It gives 1% of sales to environmental groups. It’s also the easy host gift for the long weekend.

Feel free to try the Broken Paddle Artisanal Whisky.

It’s a blend of 100% Canadian single malt, made from rye and corn whiskies, aged in former bourbon barrels. The nose opens with roasted almonds, caramel, apple and pear.

On the palate, there’s caramel, vanilla bean and honey. Then you get warm spice and a touch of rye.

Can you see it on the sideboard with a sharp cheddar and apple board before dinner? It’s lovely with pumpkin pie after the main meal.

More Pairings

• Annual meeting maple-glazed ham: A bone-in ham scored in a diamond pattern, brushed with maple syrup and grainy mustard, then roasted until the glaze turns lacquered and sticky. Smoky, sweet and salty, sliced warm at the table.

• Year-end butter tarts: Flaky pastry shells filled with a gooey brown sugar and butter filling, baked until the tops crackle and the centres stay soft. Serve them barely warm, with the smell of caramel still in the kitchen.

Natalie, these suggestions are fantastic! Any final words of wisdom for our viewers?

Set up the station before the first guest arrives. Hand one person the lanyard.

This is also Come Over October. It celebrates opening a Canadian bottle with friends and family. We have whisky, but wine works just as well.

Here’s to the cook who fed us all and to the Chief Pouring Officer who topped up our glasses! Happy Thanksgiving!

Thank you, Natalie! Where can we find you and these wines and drinks online?

On Instagram, I’m at @NatalieMacLeanWine and online, my website is nataliemaclean.com.

Come for the cranberries, stay for the conversation.

Posted with permission of CTV Your Morning. Please drink responsibly.