Festive Gingerbread and 2013 Stratus Red Icewine… a match that is truly made in heaven.
2013 Stratus Red Icewine, Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario, Canada – $39.95 (200ml)
My relatively recent mission to find new and interesting pairings with Ontario Icewine reached a veritable zenith this December.
Having tasted this blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mourvèdre, and Syrah a few weeks back, I had an inkling that perhaps I had finally found the perfect match for festive gingerbread, always a favoured family treat in the Drummond household.
Within this wine’s well-defined fruit core of bright red cherries and juicy strawberries lies an intriguing ginger spice nuance, one that delightfully complements the warm baking spice notes found in ginger cookies/biscuits. These two go seriously well together, and while I think that many other red icewines may work in a pinch, the spicy elements from the Mourvèdre and Syrah in this Stratus wine really do bring this pairing together.
A hearty five apples out of five for both the wine and the pairing.
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Edinburgh-born/Toronto-based Sommelier, consultant, writer, judge, and educator Jamie Drummond is the Director of Programs/Editor of Good Food Revolution… And after this discovery, he’ll be drinking a fair bit more Icewine… and eating more gingerbread.
