Deluxe Poutine with Pulled Pork & Caramelized Onions

A nine-year-old Niagara red wine doesn’t need a beer after work—it needs poutine

Poutine is not a meal that makes excuses. French fries, cheese curds, brown gravy—for over sixty years, it’s been Canada’s unofficial answer to the question of what to eat when you really want to eat. The deluxe version adds pulled pork, caramelized onions, and a hint of truffle oil, which elevates the dish beyond street food without altering its essence. The 2017 EastDell Black Cab from Lakeview Wine Co. in Niagara-on-the-Lake is nine years old—and that’s exactly what makes it the perfect wine for this dish. A young red wine struggles against fat. A mature one complements it. The tannins of the 2017 are integrated and silky; the chocolate finish complements the umami of the dark gravy; the smoky earthiness of the Baco Noir pairs beautifully with the pulled pork; and the Cab Franc adds freshness. Canada doesn’t produce wines for export—it drinks them itself. Anyone who finds this Black Cab will understand why.

Ideal wine pairing: 2017 EastDell Black Cab (Niagara Peninsula, Canada)

Lakeview Wine Co. produces wines under the EastDell Estates label that showcase what the Niagara Peninsula is capable of when no one is looking. The winery is located in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario—on the southern shore of Lake Ontario, where the water releases heat in the fall, preventing early frosts and extending growing seasons that would otherwise be unthinkable at this latitude. The 2017 vintage brought calm, balanced ripening conditions: no extreme heat, no early frost, but instead steady flavor development well into October. Each of the three grape varieties—55% Cabernet Franc, 35% Baco Noir, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon—was fermented separately and aged separately in French oak barrels for 12 months. Only then was the blend assembled. The result was already complex in 2017. Nine years later, it has reached maturity.

In the glass, it displays a deep, ripe ruby red with slight brick-red highlights at the rim—an early sign of age and maturation. The bouquet is complex and inviting: sweet cherry, cassis, and a subtle note of dried cranberry open up first, underpinned by a delicate hint of smoky vanilla from the barrel aging, which evolves over time into leather and fine tobacco. On the palate, the Black Cab showcases what nine years of aging can achieve: dark plum, blackberry, and black currant—all within a silky, well-integrated framework. The finish is long, warm, and ends with a hint of dark chocolate.

The connection to the Poutine Deluxe is threefold: The integrated tannins of the aged red wine don’t clash with the richness of the gravy—they complement it. The chocolate finish complements the roasted notes of the dark beef gravy. And the smoky earthiness of Baco Noir—a hybrid grape variety grown almost exclusively in Ontario—picks up on the exact notes found in the slow-cooked pulled pork. The Cabernet Franc maintains the freshness. This isn’t a pairing you have to think up. It just comes together naturally.

The recipe: