It’s here.  Thanksgiving.  The perennial harbinger of the holiday season that seems to arrive all to quickly. For me that typically means going 100 miles per hour with my hair on fire!  It’s already happening.  I had other plans for  this month’s Wine Pairing Weekend “Creative Thanksgiving Pairing” theme.  Alas, things have been crazy busy for me.  I needed something quick, yet utterly delicious and company worthy.  Paula Deen’s Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake was top of mind for me.  And I’ve “kicked it up a notch” by topping it with Brown Sugar and Bourbon Cream (recipe below)

If you’re not familiar with Paula Deen’s version of a Gooey Butter Cake, it’s a flat and dense cake/cheesecake hybrid. The crust is made with cake mix, and butter.  That is topped with a mixture of cream cheese,  more butter (it’s not called “butter’ cake for nothing), eggs, and spices. The pumpkin version very much reminds me of pumpkin cheese cake with a thick crust.

Except it’s much easier to prepare. You cut it up like a brownie. In fact, there is a Double Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake I’ve made several times that, like this one, is always a crowd pleaser!

In my glass

Although, I don’t indulge myself often, I very much enjoy capping off a great meal with a dessert and dessert wine pairing!  Thanksgiving is one of those days I do indulge both cravings.  For a bunch of years now, my signature dessert has either been Sweet Potato Pecan Pie, or Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake with Brown Sugar and Bourbon Cream (yes..the same whipped cream I used to top my Pumpkin Butter Cake). Both of those are time-consuming, and I simply didn’t have the time.  But I’ll make one or the other for Thanksgiving this year.  So I was looking for a dessert wine that would pair with either.

I found the R.L. Buller Premium Fine Muscat at K&L Wine Merchants.  They described the wine as follows:

Basically this decadent style of wine combines the floral notes and sweetness of a late harvest Muscat with the richness, nuttiness and rancio barrel-aged characters of tawny port or even sherry with a lovely spice and kick from the fortifying brandy

That sounded  good because I wanted something that would complement either the spiciness, if I go the Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake route, or the nuttiness, if I go the Sweet Potato Pecan route.  I was confident it would be wonderful with the Butter Cake as well.

The term “stickies,”  is a nickname Aussies give to sweet wines. I’ve enjoyed a few “stickies” in the past, but I don’t think they’re top of mind when folks think of dessert wines. Certainly not like Port, Sauterne, Madeira, Ice wine, and others.

They should be.

This one is from the Rutherglen  a wine region within the North East Victoria zone of Australia. It is Australia’s most important area in terms of fortified wine production. And its Muscats and Tokays are internationally recognized for their unique style and quality.

According to Winesearcher.com… The most noble Muscat variety, the dark-skinned Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains, is used to produce Rutherglen’s world-famous fortified wines. This grape variety is so intrinsic to the region’s profile that it is more commonly referred to as Rutherglen Brown Muscat. These fortified wines display a richness and depth which is almost unparalleled. The unique winemaking process involves a slow and oxidative barrel-ageing which imparts a complex array of flavors variously described as caramel, toffee, butterscotch, sweet spices, molasses, tea liquor and cassis liqueur. 

My tasting notes follow:

Dark amber color with lifted, complex, and appealing dried apricot, toffee, caramel, molasses, date, roast nut, and warm spice aromas. On the palate it’s full-bodied, rich, and sweet, but not overly so thanks to vibrant acidity, and a rancio character with toffee, brown sugar, date, bitter orange peel, and warm spice flavors, with a long sweet, but not cloying finish. From 375ml 18% alcohol. (Outstanding 92-93pts)

The Pairing

It was fantastic! On a scale of 1-4 with 4 being perfect, I’d give it a 3.5 without the Brown Sugar and Bourbon Cream, and a 3.75 with the cream.  There was something about the kiss of bourbon in the whipped cream that just took the pairing to the next level for me.  

If Pumpkin, Sweet Potato, or Sweet Potato Pecan Pie are on you dessert menu for Thanksgiving, this is a great bottle to serve. And at $14 for a half-bottle it won’t break the bank! Very highly recommend!

Check out what the rest of the #winePW family of food and wine bloggers are offering up for your Thanksgiving feast!

• Culinary Adventures with Camilla will share Simple Elegance: Beurre Noisette-Braised Radishes + Sips from Languedoc
• Rockin’ Red Blog will Celebrate Thanksgiving Lodi Style
• Cooking Chat will share Garrigue Roasted Turkey Breast with Wine from Languedoc #winePW
• A Day in the Life on the Farm will pair Turkey Tetrazzini with a Michigan Wine
• Curious Cuisiniere will share French Herb Roasted Turkey with Languedoc Wine
• Pull That Cork will post #winePW Thanksgiving for Two: Storm Pinot Noir and Seared Duck Breast
• Tasting Pour will Pick Picpoul, Choose Corbieres: Languedoc Wines and Thanksgiving
• Grape Experiences posted Wine and Dine: Chateau Paul Mas Belluguette and Mediterranean Fish Stew
• Dracaena Wines discusses How to Be Creative with Your Thanksgiving Table