LCBO Food & Drink Autumn 2024

BY ERIC VELLEND PHOTOGRAPHY BY MAYA VISNYEI meet

Don’t take food and wine matching too seriously. Thanks to the variety of Ontario wine styles, it’s easier than ever to experiment with varietals and try some casual takes on classic pairings.

When talking about the local wine industry, one thing tends to get lost in the discussion. Ontario produces some of the most food-friendly wines on the planet. In our cool climate, grapes retain more acids when they reach ripeness, and acidity cuts through rich dishes, handles tart foods, and refreshes the palate after each bite. Our climate also yields lighter wines, which are way more versatile with food. To showcase Ontario’s gold-medal performance at the table, we’ve come up with a concise pairing guide broken down by grape—Riesling, Chardonnay, Gamay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc—all of which excel in this province. For each grape, there’s info on styles and general food matches, along with an easy-to-execute, customized recipe riffing on a classic pairing. your match

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