Staff Picks

Jason MacPhee

Wine Category Manager

International Food Pairings

Margherita Pizza

Le Morette is a renowned Italian winery nestled in the heart of the Lugana wine region, south of Lake Garda. The Third generation Paolo and Fabio Zenato lead Le Morette with a dedication to quality and sustainability. Le Morette’s Bardolino from the scenic eastern shores of Lake Garda has expressive red fruit on the nose, the palate  is light, juicy and has bright acidity making it incredibly versatile. Serve it slightly chilled and enjoy with a Margherita Pizza 

Kathryn Harding

Director of Customer Experience, Sommelier

International Food Pairings

Spaghetti & Meatballs

The Lenotti family has been making wine in the heart of Veneto since 1906, this

Lenotti Rosso Passo is easily our best deal from Italy right now! This easy-drinking blend of Sangiovese and Merlot has aromas of red berries with subtle herbal undertones. The smooth, medium-bodied wine is fruit-forward with balanced acidity and is the perfect match for homemade spaghetti and meatballs, as it enhances the tangy tomato sauce and tender meat with every sip. Perfect for these cooler November nights!

Alanna McIntyre

Product Specialist, Sommelier

International Food Pairings

Gaby McCotter

Retail Manager

International Food Pairings

Pad Thai

Imagine this: you’ve got a steaming plate of Pad Thai, fragrant with tangy tamarind, salty fish sauce, and just the right punch of chili. Your taste buds are already going on a roller coaster ride. Now, you need something refreshing, something to calm down the heat and elevate all that flavour chaos. Enter Chang beer-Thailand’s frosty, golden, slightly hoppy gift to your palate.

The beer offers a cooling down factor, a balance to the sweet and sour components, and the carbonation that refreshes your palate with every bite. Thai food is laid-back, Chang is laid-back; they’re both easy-going, no-frills options that just want you to have a good time.

So, the next time you grab that Chang and dig into some Pad Thai, just know you’re tasting the magic of Thailand’s unspoken “it just works” logic.

Ryan Almeida

eCommerce Manager

International Food Pairings

Pasteis de Bacalhau

When most people think of Portuguese wine, they tend to think of Vinho Verde, or ‘green wine,’ and rightfully so. Usually bottled with slight effervescence, and always made in a crisp and refreshing style, Vinho Verde tends to go with a variety of foods, especially appetizers. And when I think of Portuguese cuisine, I tend to think of Pasteis de Bacalhau, or Salted Cod Fritters. This mixture of potato, salt cod, and parsley, fried until golden brown on all sides, is an appetizer and snack thats hard to pass up and pairs perfectly with the citrus and tangy notes found in Vinho Verde. Make a batch of these and see for yourself!

Kate Fraser

Retail Supervisor, Spirits Specialist

International Food Pairings

Tapas

One of the wine world’s most underused categories of wine, sherry is so much more versatile with food pairings than people give it credit for. I’ll stick to the basics this time round, however, because I’ve chosen to pair the Romate Amontillado with tapas. Amontillado is a dry style of sherry that is slightly oxidized. The crisp acid of the wine cuts through any rich flavours, while the nuttiness of the wine perfectly enhances the umami and savoury flavours. Enjoy this sherry the next time you’ve got a board on the go and watch as the textures and tastes of it all come to life like you’ve never experienced before.

Stefan Nielsen

Retail Supervisor, Sommelier

International Food Pairings

Willy’s Poutine

Ahh Montreal. Ask anyone about the food scene and you’ll hear high praise for the amazingly diverse, delicious choices on every corner. I was lucky enough to live dans la rue from local legend Paul Patates, in the city’s Pointe-Saint-Charles neighborhood. They don’t make much outside of hot dogs, burgers and poutine, but there’s perfection in simplicity. While not quite the same, Willy’s on Pizza Corner here in Halifax is about as close as you can get.

Paul Patates is also famous for their Biere D’Epinette – a spruce beer! While sadly, we don’t have access to that, I’m choosing to pair another staple of the Montreal beer scene, a piney, resinous American IPA from Brasserie Dieu du Ciel! Santé!

Matt Hodgson

Retail Supervisor

International Food Pairings

Corn Dogs

Allagash Brewing Company is widely regarded as one of the best and most respected craft breweries in the USA. Until recently, you’d have had to travel to the States to get your hands on their remarkable beers. But now, you can skip the trip and still enjoy the full ‘Murican experience by pairing their Tripel with a classic corn dog.

Belgian Tripels are one of my favorite beer styles—high in ABV yet incredibly smooth and complex. They pair beautifully with food, whether you’re elevating something casual like a corn dog or enjoying a more refined meal.

A corn dog in one hand, a chalice of rich, frothy, golden goodness in the other. It’s going to be a great day.

Genny

Customer Service Sales Associate, Sommelier

International Food Pairings

Chicken Tikka Masala

I love the delicious, aromatic flavours of Indian food. A classic Chicken Tikka Masala is one of my go-to orders – chicken coated in a creamy spiced tomato curry sauce and served over rice. I also love Kingfisher beer. It’s a crisp lager from India that cuts right through the richness of Indian curries. With flavours as complex and spice-rich as those in Indian cuisine, you can’t go wrong keeping it simple with one of the cleanest tasting lagers out there.

Fernando

Customer Service Sales Associate

International Food Pairings

Schnitzel

One of Austria’s most iconic dishes is the wiener schnitzel: a thin cutlet of meat, tenderized, breaded and fried. It is often served with a lemon, but I believe every serving should be accompanied by a glass of Gruner Veltliner. Notes of stone fruit and white pepper play perfectly into this dish, but the most notable quality of this wine is its acidity. The slice of lemon on the side is nice, but nothing cleanses the palate like a well structured wine, brimming with bright character.

Daniela

Customer Service Sales Associate

International Food Pairings

Pasta Bolognese

A natural partner for Italian cuisine, Sangiovese is an iconic Italian grape, with high acidity to balance sweet tomatoes, savory flavour to bring out the best in basil and mushrooms, and just the right amount of tannin to complement meat and sausages. I love to pair Sangiovese with bolognese pasta, and my go to is Antonelli Baiocco – Located in Montefalco in the region of Umbria, this organic winery only cultivates varietals indigenous to their land. Their Sangiovese delivers delicious bright red fruit notes, with smooth tannins and high acidity that guarantee your dinner will go from just tasty to incredible!

Allie Barter

Customer Service Sales Associate

Thanksgiving Pairings

Costco’s Pumpkin Pie

In my family, Thanksgiving always tends to be a chaotic family meal. In an attempt to limit my share to the craziness I like to bring a Costco Pumpkin Pie, so that I can never get blamed for ruining the dessert. I will be pairing a massive slice of the pie with a tall glass of Blomidon Cremant. The crisp flavor of apples and smooth bubble texture is a perfect complement to the best bang for your buck dessert available during the holidays. Try out this Thanksgiving combo with your family and watch as everyone slips into a food coma.

David

Customer Service Sales Associate

International Food Pairings

Chicken & Leek Pie

Fall is settling in, bringing with it a craving for classic British pub fare, such as the rich creamy flavours and flaky golden crust of a Chicken and Leek Pie. My go-to pairing is the decadent Le Chai Duchet Macon Villages. Similar to a Puilly-Fuisse in both temperament and climatic conditions, autumnal aromas of honey, white peach, and dried flowers are followed by orchard fruit and fresh lime on the palate. This unoaked chardonnay maintains a rich and creamy texture from full malolactic fermentation and lees contact during aging.

Sam

Customer Service Sales Associate

International Food Pairings

Haggis

St. Andrews Day is coming up this month! Which means one thing; haggis for dinner. My childhood favourite always comes with ‘neeps (mashed turnips) and ‘tatties (mashed potatoes) on the side, and that’s a guarantee. Scotch would be the appropriate first choice for a pairing, but for those who aren’t quite there yet, let me introduce you to the Achroous gin from Electric Spirit Co. With sichuan pepper and fennel, it adds a spicy and savoury note that perfectly compliments the main meal. So grab your tonic of choice and raise those G&T’s to the patron saint and toast to Scotland’s first war for independence over 700 years ago!

Tianjun

Thanksgiving Pairings

Roasted Duck

Don’t have enough people to finish a whole turkey this Thanksgiving, why not try another kind of bird? 

Duck tends to take on the flavor of the sauce or spice much like chicken does, but it shows off more of its inherent aroma when caramelized or braised. A roasted duck tends to bring out deeper flavors, which is why Barolo works thanks to moderate tannins and pleasing fruity and herbal notes. Although this red wine has stronger tannins, it has high enough acidity to balance out the fattiness in the dish. Barolo also reveals a subtle earthiness that works well with roasted duck.

Ireland McDonald

Customer Service Sales Associate

International Food Pairings

Butter-poached Lobster

This French Chardonnay from Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard beautifully represents France’s winemaking tradition with its crisp citrus aromas, lively acidity, and firm minerality. This wine pairs fabulously with butter-poached lobster, a classic French method known as, “beurre monté”, in which butter is slowly melted to gently cook the lobster, preserving its delicate flavor and creamy texture.The wine’s crisp, zippy, creamy mouthfeel perfectly compliments the richness of the lobster, enhancing the buttery flavors while maintaining balance and freshness! This pairing is my dream come true and really showcases the elegance and delicacy that French food and wine are known for.

Bon appétit!

Erica Priolo

Customer Service Sales Associate

International Food Pairings

Affogato

I’m too preoccupied drooling to find the words to express how tasty this combination is. There is no beating freshly brewed espresso poured over vanilla bean ice cream (or dulce de leche). Perhaps add a dry sweet Italian pastry of choice, and drizzle the entire dessert with one of our newest products, Meletti Cioccolato. Your family and friends will love you for this one, we all deserve a little treat.

Michael Kamras

Customer Service Sales Associate

International Food Pairings

Chorizo Paella

As the cold weather sets in, one has to start dreaming of a warm getaway, and my dreams drift to Spain. What better way to to hold the line against winter than a Chorizo and Chicken Paella paired with a glass of Familia Bastida Paraje de Titos Grenache!

The juicy red fruits in the Grenache will pair super well with the savoury and spicy notes in the paella. The salinity of the chorizo is also going to enhance the sweetness of the wine, while the herbaceous quality of the Grenache is going to be right at home with the dish. Get this pairing a reality dating show contract, because this is a perfect match!

Maida

Customer Service Sales Associate

International Food Pairings

Tiramisu

As the cold weather approaches, colder foods tend to fall out of the spotlight, however nothing is better than a nice chilled coffee dessert whether after a meal or as a treat. And what better way to enjoy a slightly sweetened slice of tiramisu than with a drizzle (or a shot) of Galliano Vanilla. Think soft vanilla with a whisper of anise that warms you up from the inside out. There’s no better way to enjoy dessert!