Pumpkin Love

WINES THAT LOVE PUMPKIN

Generally we’ll take pumpkin however we can get it, but these are the three ways welike pumpkin best:

- Roasted; the pumpkins sweet-earthiness balanced with savoury herbs (like sage and thyme) in a mushroom ragu finished a good amount of chevre for added creaminess.
- Mashed or pureed like sweet potatoes; with exotic spices such as cardamom, and some maple syrup for added sweetness.
- And of course, the classic; pumpkin pie.

With roasted pumpkin we suggest the Tinhorn Creek Pinot Noir 2005. it is medium-bodied with cherry/berry and rhubarb aromas swimming in the savoury herbal notes that are classic in BC terroir. The earthiness, spice and acidity on the palate work extremely well with the mushrooms while smoothing out the funky sharpness of the chevre without overpowering delicate flavours.

With the mashed or pureed pumpkin I we like the crisp power and spice of the Ironstone Vineyards “Obsession� Symphony, California 2006. This University of California Davis developed hybrid grape called Symphony -- a cross of the varietals Muscat of Alexandria and Grenache Gris -- give this wine its orange blossom, honey and apricot/peachy aromas. On the palate it is off-dry (which works well with the natural sweetness of the pumpkin) with exotic (Gewurztraminer-like) spice flavours, lime zest and mouth-watering acidity on the finish to clean it all up.

And finally with classic pumpkin pie we like to finish with Gonzalez Byass Nutty Solera Oloroso Sherry, Jerez Spain - a tawny, mahogany coloured sherry with classic oxodized/sherried aromas, dried fruit and caramel. It’s as smooth as the pumpkin on the palate --matched in weight and sweetness. The nutty sherry flavours enhance the crumbly pie crust, while the dried fruit, warm spices and toffee mirror the rich, earthy pumpkin puree.


Tinhorn Creek Pinot Noir 2005
agent: Renaissance
(+530709)
Price: $17.99

Ironstone Vineyards “Obsession� Symphony
agent: International Cellars
(+355784)
Price: $16.99

Gonzalez Byass Nutty Solera Sherry
agent: Grady Wine Marketing
(+035204)
Price: $15.99

Filed by Daenna Van Mulligen a.k.a. The Wine Diva