ISRAEL is WHERE IT'S AT!

Bear with me if I sound like a broken record, but you know I go nutso over wines from less-common locales, and here's another one! I have long enjoyed wines from Israel, but two recent tastings catapulted the country to the forefront of my mind; the quality is amazing, the potential is HUGE, and the value is incredible. So banish those thoughts that Israel only makes grape-juicy Kosher wines already and get with the program!

It's a little funny that in one sense Israel is absolutely "Old World" -- it's one of the very first places ancient people grew grapes. But it's certainly "New World" in guts and style.

Here are some things to keep in mind:

• There really is no clear "signature" grape of the region. In fact, Grenache was first planted only about ten years ago and is making some of the world's best already! As knowledge, experimentation, and technology grow, so will the quality and variety of Israeli wines.
• Many bold Israeli reds are actually super-approachable, meaning they're not overly-structured and require years of cellaring before you pop them. These are meant to be drunk now!
• This is a group of winemakers who are forging forward, breaking conventions, and doing it all with passion and a strong intellectual and environmental basis. They are Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and non-religious to boot. 
• There are only about 35 commercial wineries, but around 250 boutique ones, and this number is rising as grape-growers peel off to make their own wines. Some of which are already achieving "cult" status!

Here are some of my standouts from those recent tastings:

2018 Five Stones “D vs G” White (David v Goliath) 

Appellation laws are fairly relaxed in Israel, so they have a lot of options for experimentation with blends. I initially had a "hmmmmm" reaction to this 60% Gewurztraminer 40% Sauvignon Blanc blend, as who thinks to put those two grapes together?! And I did feel it kind of butted itself in the head, BUT boy how it would go with the spiced and spicy food of the region. Typical "grandma's boudoir" Gewurz notes of dusty rose perfume with litchi, accompanied by SB's green, linear acidity. Outrageously long finish. I definitely warmed up to it! ~$30

2017 Recanati Winery Reserve Marawi 

Marawi is one of the indigenous varieties of the area now getting resurrected. This was first commercially released in 2014, and is the tricky story of a Palestinian grower who sells the grapes grown in his backyard to an Israeli company. (His name isn't released because they have had death threats on both sides, yikes.) Recanati also has their own vineyards, and produce a Roussane/Marsanne blend and an old bush vine Carignan, all farmed biodynamically. This had yellow fruit, sweet brioche, juicy apricot, lanolin, honeysuckle, and a little spice with smoky, flinty minerality. Long yet mild finish. Little Chenin Blanc-like. 1 year in French oak. ~$34

2011 Somek Carignan

This is from a single vineyard with 40-year old vines. The Someks are 5th generation winemaker-grapegrowers, so this is a family vineyard since 1882; the winery itself was founded in 2002. The family does it all, including marketing and distribution. This Carignan is aged 24 months in French oak and 2 years in bottle. Definitely earthy, terroir-driven. Cola, hi-tone blueberry, mocha dust, minerally, with licorice, brambly berries, wild sage, a little spicy, and has tightly wound, balanced tannins over a super long finish. Continues to be tangy after 7 years! And it's still kind of a baby. This will be fascinating in a few more years! ~$35

2016 Hayotzer Lyrica

Arza, Hayotzer's parent company, started in 1847! Here we have a GSM blend (40% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 25% Mourvedre.) Soft red and pink flowers, crunchy red fruit, white pepper, smooth and sexy, plush but juicy, whiff of smoke on finish, not super-complex but really tasty and I wanted to slurp it uuuup. ~$40

2016 Gvaot Masada

Shiva Drori, Gvaot's winemaker, is interested in the academic side of making wine; he does DNA testing, studies wine at a high level, and brings that information back to the vineyards and winery. The Masada is a blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 22% Petit Verdot, from rocky, steep, mountainous vineyards, with a huge diurnal swing; the elevation and diurnal keep the temperature in check and preserve the grapes' freshness and acidity. At my tasting, I thought this wine glass was not properly clean, muting the wine's aroma, and so this showed merely dusty on the nose. But in the mouth there was loads of tightly wound purple fruit (that PV really jumps forward!) leading to a big and structured, but balanced wine. Wow. ~$75

2016 Covenant Syrah

Covenant brought winemaker Jeff Morgan from Napa over to consult, and that has led to its growing cult status. This wine is 90% Syrah with a dash (10%) of Cabernet Sauvignon. It presents as liquid red fruit, spicy and juicy and lush and sexy, pepper, light savory notes, super balance of fruit/savory/spice/oak use plushness, wow! Lifted tang on long finish. Chewy. It brings voluptuousness without blousy-ness. ~$75

2016 Tura “Mountain Peak” Red

Another cult comes from the husband/wife team Vered and Erez Ben Sa'adon (she's the winemaker.) The Mountain Peak red is a blend of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Petit Verdot. Cassis, cedar, herbal liqueur, pyrazine, good acid once again, tangy juicy outrageously long finish. This is definitely a creative take on a CS-based Bordeaux-style blend. ~$75

2016 Segal “Unfiltered” Cabernet Sauvignon

The Israeli cults just keep on coming! Winemaker Avi Feldstein has boldly produced an unfiltered Cab since the days when that was a kind of blasphemy. This is a super-interesting wine, with cassis liqueur, bright red fruit, mocha, toasted coconut, a bit of shortbread. Wow. Really “red,” dense and intense. Long finish. Big but plush/approachable. Segal is owned by the large company Barcan — "big kids" in Israel sometimes acquire or start small wineries to have a garagiste offering. ~$60

2014 Golan Heights Winery Yarden “2T” 

Golan Height is one of the coldest areas in Israel, and much like the U.S.'s Old West, there are wild horses galloping along wide volcanic plains. This is one of the country's more classic wineries, and here they're showcasing how Portuguese varieties can shine in Israel. A blend of 69%Touriga Nacional and 31% Tinta Cão sourced from 2 vineyards in Golan Heights: Springs Vineyard at 700 meters elevation, and Geshur Vineyard at 400m. Aged 18 mo in 40% new French oak. Smoky, spicy mocha, black plum, blackberry, black cherry, lots of peppery spice on finish. Good combo of juicy, approachable fruit, some more savory notes, and balanced acid and subtle tannins on long, balanced finish.  ~$33

2014 Tabor Winery Malkiya Single Vineyard CS 

Tabor was founded in 1999 by four families of growers that have working there for five generations. This Cab is from a single vineyard at 726 meters elevation with Terra Rossa (the most famous soil of Coonawarra in Australia,) under topsoil, and lots of limestone rocks they refer to as “a lot of stars.” Viticulturist Michal Ackerman found this area and she convinced them to make wine there! Her vines' roots go down 20 feet so they have access to water and unusually for Israel don’t need irrigation. She’s also planting Malbec and Chenin Blanc in the Negev desert, so watch for those.  These Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are hand picked, they use only free-run juice, and it is aged 18 months in new French oak with an additional 1 year in bottle. Smoky, cassis, cedar, cloves, wow, VERY tasty, with the red fruit coming out more on the palate. Tightly wound, and it releases layers of flavors over an incredibly long, balanced finish. Would be fun to blind taste this on some smarty somms! ~$60

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I don't know about you, but I am definitely planning to seek out more of these amazing wines from Israel. At the high end, maybe $60-75 bucks seems like a lot, but you'd be paying $150-300 for a similar wine from Napa, so these actually are a steal! Ask your merchants and somms about providing more quality wines from Israel; they may appreciate your "insider" know-how, but they also need to know you're interested in trying these stunning offerings. (Seriously, there was hardly a dud in the bunch, and I sampled over FIFTY wines.) I look forward to my next "visit" to Israel, for sure!

Cheers.

HOT (LITERALLY) WINE DESTINATION: ARIZONA!

Wineaux, were you aware that lil' ol' ARIZONA is manufacturing some really phenomenal juice?!

Yes, land of the saguaro cacti and desert sun, Arizona has three main wine regions and is home to around eighty-three licensed and bonded wineries. I recently visited the Sonoita AVA (located about an hour south of Tucson) to meet some winemakers and sample their wares. [Sonoita is currently the only AZ region granted an American Viticultural Area designation.]

I've tasted wines from less-familiar winemaking states in the past, noting varying degrees of success. Many states, like CT and IN, are often forced to use hybrid grapes to combat the challenges in climate and terroir they face. Others, like MI and NM, find pockets of land where decent vitis vinifera wine can be made. In Arizona, the potential is huge... but there's a reason you may not yet be on the AZ wine bandwagon: availability. Each winery I visited had an incredibly small production, yet most spoke of exponential growth in the near future.

Historically, 16th-century Spanish Jesuit missionaries planted vines in Arizona to make sacramental wine. But strict laws from Prohibition and other legislation put a stop to AZ winemaking until the 1970s when the soil scientist Dr. Gordon Dutt noticed that the red clay Arizona soil had some similarities to that of Burgundy. He was involved in other agricultural projects around the Southwest, but when he got the AZ wine ball rolling, it quickly gathered momentum.  

Now there are around fourteen wineries in the Sonoita area, and on a recent overcast Sunday, I stopped by four of them to see what this little "secret" AVA was about. I was joined by my friend Aaron—a Tucson resident, editor, photographer, and budding Wineau.

Flying Leap Vineyards front porch.

First stop was FLYING LEAP VINEYARDS, INC. Marc Moeller, the co-founder and winemaker, described how he and his partner Mark Beres took over the former Canelo Hills property a few years ago. They absorbed some Canelo inventory, but quickly set to planting vines of their own. Now they have 6.5 acres of vines in Sonoita and about 20 acres in Willcox, another AZ wine region. Flying Leap has the feel of a real working winery, and while Marc wants to double in size over the next six to seven years, he still struggles with juggling the output he has now in his small space, likening it to an ongoing game of Tetris.

As AZ winemakers expand in their booming industry, there are a handful of wines still being made with grapes or juice from other regions—some quite lovely, but I'm going to focus on the unique terroir of AZ fruit, like the 2009 Canelo Hills Zinfandel. Very pale garnet color, lots of black pepper spice and dark fruit. Light but quite spicy with a bit of acidity. Nice pizza-sauce-y character (you know: oregano, tomato stem, that kind of thing.) $22.50

I quite enjoyed the 2011 Flying Leap Graciano. Graciano is more well known in Spain, but is well served here: light ruby color, rich notes of blackberry, black currant, violets, licorice, spice, and a bit of barnyard earthiness on the nose and palate. $29.11

The 2010 Canelo Hills Cabernet Sauvignon was a medium garnet color with an intriguing note of cumin in the nose, and cedar and bright red fruit. Nice balance through the finish, and although it was light in style, it could age well for about five years. $32.96

Aaron's favorite of the tasting was the 2011 Flying Leap Head Over Heels, which was a blend of Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Mourvèdre, and Merlot. Medium garnet color, heady nose of mesquite, smoke, black fruits, and charcoal. Well blended, and the integrated tannins helped add a solid structure. $30.85

Tempranillo had its own showcase with the 2012 Flying Leap Estate Tempranillo—a medium garnet, very earthy/merde-y character, with fragrant eucalyptus and a nice light but long finish that was smoooooth. $38.33

Marc pulled out his 2009 Flying Leap Sangiovese to share with us: very, very pale garnet with a nose of forest floor, dried spice and caramel, and with those elements on the palate, notes of figs, anise, and dry Madeira. Aaron chimed in that he was getting "butterscotch... and actual Scotch." (Yes!) Very elegant and rich, rich, rich. $31.95

Marc and his tasting room manager Rolf were so approachable, and took pride in greeting every person who came through the door while we were there. Their customer interaction was an early hint that these AZ wineries would be absolutely defined by their proprietors. As we talked more about the wines and their plans for the future, Marc excitedly brought out two bottles of barrel samples for us to try:

The 2012 Flying Leap Grenache was a pale ruby, with smoke and cherry liqueur on the nose, and a mouth of peppery spice, cherry, and a bit of caramel, and the 2010 Flying Leap Graciano was a medium ruby, with violet florals, forward berry salad, quite perfume-y with sweet oak and black fruits and a long, smooth finish.

It is always an honor to be surprised with barrel samples, and Aaron and I headed off to our next appointment wondering if the hospitality was a fluke or would be the norm... and quickly discovered it was the norm.

Entrance at Kief-Joshua Vineyards.

When we arrived at KIEF-JOSHUA VINEYARDS, Kief Manning himself was rushing to find a screwdriver as a klatch of Sunday regulars were having a grand old time in the tasting room. There was an omelet station outside, and a warm, festive atmosphere.

Kief spent some time traveling around Europe as a youngster, and started working at a wine shop at age 15. That led to his experimenting with making wine, which has since snowballed. He wants to stay a relatively small operation, but plans to double in size over the next ten years. When I asked what that would entail, he replied, "Well, we're gonna need employees by that point."

The 2012 Kief-Joshua Cephus (90% Viognier, 10% Chardonnay) was pale with a green tint, lots of tropical fruits on the nose, and tart citrus, pear, and a bit of barnyard as an anchor. $18

I loved the incredible floral tones of the 2011 Kief-Joshua Lacrime Divino (80% Syrah, 20% Viognier) which were enhanced by licorice, a lot of mocha, and light red and black fruits. Soft tannins and a smooth finish. $28

The smooth trend continued with the 2012 Kief-Joshua Magdalena (72% Barbera, 28% Cabernet Franc). Rich, velvety black fruit, notes of graphite and eucalyptus, layers of flavor and mild, integrated tannins. $29. I remarked that his red wines had a nice structure even with the incredibly soft tannins, and Kief said with a shrug, "People don't want to age wine anymore; they want to drink!"

Finally, we sampled the 2012 Kief-Joshua Zinfandel (late harvest). A deep ruby color, loads of fresh rosemary with mesquite and cinnamon on the nose. Very ripe plum and fig in the mouth, this had a somewhat sweet finish, but wasn't at all cloying—my notes say "very interesting,"—while it would pair well with dessert or cheese, I'd be curious to try it with a meaty, flavorful hunk of beef. $32

Already we had tasted single varieties and blends, from international grapes as well as signature grapes from Italy, Spain and the Rhône... yet the wide-ranging potential of Arizona wines seemed barely scratched.

Bocce courts and vines at Lightning Ridge

And the trend of hospitality continued at LIGHTNING RIDGE CELLARS where owner and winemaker Ann Roncone ushered us immediately into her barrel room to taste a number of barrel samples. A former mechanical engineer, Ann began by making garage wine at her home in the Bay Area near San Francisco. Her oenophile interest quickly led her to twenty acres in Sonoita where she took a former grazing property and built a winery from the ground up.

After discovering that "Italian reds like it here," she has focused on red Italian varietals, like the 2013 Lightning Ridge Aglianico, which was a very dark ruby red with a luxe nose of plum and cherry. Some licorice and cherry liqueur came through on the finish, though the wine still seemed a little youthful and green. Ann nodded at her glass and said, "It's like a teenager, being stupid." Guess that teenager will remain confined to his oak "room" for a while!

I really loved the 2011 Lightning Ridge Montepulciano: a heady nose of oregano, with lots of red fruit and spice. Very warm and rich with a long finish of herbs, well-balanced. My notes say, "Fantastic, tasty, slurping," meaning (I think) I wanted to lap this up all day.

As we tasted, Ann clarified the issue behind why Arizona wine was such a mystery to the rest of the country: most estates are so small that they sell almost ALL of their wine on site in the tasting room! Finding a distributor is ultimately not cost-effective. (Perhaps as these wineries grow, they can work together to get more of their wine out to the rest of the country, but for now they are clearly worth a visit if you're in the Tucson area.)

After departing the barrel room, we sampled a few of Ann's current wines, like the 2013 Lightning Ridge Muscat Canelli, with fragrant florals and pear on the nose, a bit of a "grapey" feel, very very light and vinified totally dry. A very pleasant white wine, perfect for an aperitif.

The 2010 Lightning Ridge Montepulciano was also wonderful, with a pizza-dough-y spice, a hint of barnyard, and lovely development, with jammy black cherry fruit, and a well-balanced finish with good acidity.

Although Ann advocates educating consumers about varietals that may be new to them, she does make the fine 2011 Lightning Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon. With a nose of eucalyptus and cedar, and soft cassis and red cherry in the mouth, this very light Cab has an easy, pleasant finish.  (While all prices were not available, most of the Lightning Ridge wines sell in the $22-29 range.)

Front stoop at Callaghan Vineyards

We bid goodbye to Ann to head to our last stop of the day, CALLAGHAN VINEYARDS. Kent Callaghan is one of the pioneers of modern Sonoita winemaking, and Ann herself singled him out as a "standard-bearer" for the region. The tasting room ambiance was convivial, and it was evident that the production area that spread out into the room beyond was an exercise in organization.

In fact, Kent routinely pulls out and replants vines to experiment with many different varieties, and his tasting sheet reads like an encyclopedia of grapes.

We started with his only estate white, the 2012 Callaghan Lisa's: a field blend of Viognier, Roussanne, and Malvasia Bianca. It had a very aromatic nose, with peach and apricot notes, and a long, fresh finish with integrated acidity. $28

Another white from 100% Arizona fruit was the 2010 Callaghan Ann's, a blend of Grenache Blanc, Verdelho, and Symphony (Muscat crossed with Grenache Blanc.) A soapy, lemon nose, with nice mountain florals, soft melon, a bit of pear, and a soft, balanced finish. $25

I quite enjoyed the 2012 Callaghan Mourvedre, with a nose of crunchy red fruit and earth, and notes of pepper and cherry, very juicy and quaffable, nice and bright but with a smooth finish. $28

The 2012 Callaghan Graciano had a dusty, floral nose with a bit of mossy tang. Lots of herbs on the palate, pepper, and a bright note of grapefruit pith. $28

We tasted two vintages of the Callaghan Padres: the 2009 is a blend of Tempranillo, Gernache and Syrah, with a sexy nose of velvety red fruit, good acidity, and raspberry and mocha notes. $35. The 2007 is a blend of Tempranillo, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Plush nose of blue and black fruits, and cigar leaf, a little merde, nice acidity and apparent tannins. $NA

When I asked Kent about his winery's potential growth, he inferred that he was almost a bigger operation than he wanted to be, and I got the feeling that he'd rather jog right back into the vineyard or the blending room instead of answering any more questions. He did jog to a case in the back of the room and pulled out a few single varietals he wanted us to try: the 2012 Callaghan Petit Verdot, which had strong notes of blackberry, Asian spices and a woodsy quality. Nice density and sexiness in the mouth, with a long finish. $NA. And the 2012 Callaghan Tannat, of which he only made two barrels. I loved the big notes of berry salad and cassis on the nose, with pencil shavings. It's a pretty huge wine, with a bit of grapefruit citrus that keeps it light. Excellent richness and complexity. $NA.

Aaron and I headed back to Tucson with a few of our favorite bottles in the back seat, and I pondered the future of Arizona winemaking. Considering the difficulty in distribution of such small quantities, I wondered how AZ wine would ever claim its deserved place on the U.S. wine map. However, the near-exponential growth of their industry over the past five years does hint to unlimited potential in the future. Unless these wines stay where they are: born, raised and consumed in the neighborhood.

It could go either way, and is up to the winemakers themselves; for as Kent said, "These are people who like what they do—out working in the vineyard, not jetting around, trying to sell wine."

All I can say is that amazing wines are being made in Arizona, and it's worth a trip, if that's the only way you may get to sample them. Cheers!

[All photographs by Aaron Downey ©2014 All rights reserved.]

CLEVER IDEA, BUT DOES IT WORK?

Dave Phinney, the creative mastermind behind Orin Swift (The Prisoner and others,) has embarked on another cheeky scheme; make a wine that in one fell swoop defines an entire country's terroir.

I am on the fence about this concept, Wineaux.  On one hand, it is an interesting gamble to see if blending a number of a particular country's signature grapes somehow distills the entire character of a huge area into one wine.  On the other hand, I think it is an absolutely ridiculous idea.

Take France for example (as I am currently sampling "F1" - for France) in Phinney's new Locations series.  This wine is a blend of Grenache from the Roussillon, Syrah from the Rhône and "assorted Bordeaux varietals".  It does not seem to be vintage designated, although 2011 was their first vintage so I imagine that's what I'm drinking.  (The label is like those stickers Europeans put on their cars to say what country they're from... cute.  But there's no vintage to be found, and relatively little other information, for that matter.)

So, the thing is, of course France is a huge and significant winemaking country with a storied history.  Grapes that grow in the northern areas are not typically blended with grapes that grow in the southern areas, with good reason.  They are signatures even of their sub-regions.  Northern Rhône - Syrah is king.  Grenache is very successful in the South of France.  Bordeaux varieties - well, Cabernet Sauvignon reigns on the Left bank and Merlot on the Right, but I imagine this could include Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and even Malbec.  Someone deciding to smush these all together is plain CUH-RAZY.

Well, you know what they say about genius and crazy... they kind of go hand in hand.
So the real question is: does it work?

Wineaux, I'm not going to say that this is the best wine I've ever had in my entire life, but I will grant you this: yes, it's pretty tasty.

I am getting the spice from the Syrah, the black fruit from the Grenache, and the Cabernet Sauvignon's structure for sure.  The wine is dense and complex, if a little fumble-y in the mouth.  I love the violet and lavender florals but they kind of butt heads against the ripe strawberry jam and meaty notes.   This wine makes me wonder how the whole process went down - my wine-nerdiness wants to know about harvesting and vinification - but the result is a pretty big, relatively interesting French red for around $16, so who can complain about that?

Ultimately, I would recommend this wine, especially for its value, but I remain wary of the gimmick.  It remains a clever idea, but the jury is still out if this experiment truly works.

FYI - Phinney also makes a Spanish offering - "E 1" - that I will attempt to seek out, and is at work on an Italian example.  (THAT one I'm very curious to try!  Let's blend Nebbiolo and Sangiovese and Aglianico and Nero d'Avola and and and?!?! Hm...)

I remain on the fence - I love the gall in attempting this, but wonder if Phinney should have put down the proverbial Oenophile Crack Pipe before embarking on this odd odyssey.  It's at least worth a try, so seek it out and let me know what you think!  I'd love to hear what your experiences are.

Cheers!

GIVING THANKS: FOR WINE.

photo via How to Roast a Turkey (The Simple Way)by Aimee of Simple Bites

Oh, Wineaux - this is the perennial question: what, oh what, to serve with Thanksgiving dinner?!?!

This question transcends the usual food-and-wine-pairing quandaries.  Thanksgiving dinner is arguably the most scrutinized meal of the year for American families.  It is a gathering fraught with family-dynamic stresses.  Not to mention culinary ones: cooking a large turkey can be a pain in the rear.

Even if you have a relatively harmonious group of relatives and a sure-fire way of brining your bird, the fact of the matter is that Thanksgiving dinner is a pretty bland affair.

Boring turkey, fatty gravy, bready stuffing, other starchy sides mashed within an inch of their lives... maybe, just maybe, a tang of cranberry.  "What in the world do you pair with this?"  Wineaux ask me every year.

The answer is not that helpful:

"Pretty much anything."

Before you fling a spoonful of mashed potatoes in my face, hear me out.  With the exception of a humongous, hearty red wine, almost any other wine will stand up to this blob of boring, starchy food.

A white with a lot of acidity will cut through the fat of the gravy and butter-infused starches.  A heartier white with maybe less acidity will balance out the bland turkey (I mean, come on - even if it's juicy, turkey is pretty bland, people.)  A light red with good acidity and even a medium-bodied red will enliven the table of beige in front of you.

But wait - before you whine, "That Minx is no help at ALL, so we'll just open that Cheapo Chard Aunt Maud brought," let me implore you to have some fun with your wine choices this Thanksgiving!

You put an array of food out there on the table in front of you, why not do the same with wine?  Grab a few extra glasses off the shelf and let your guests pour a few different wines to sample with their meal.  Each guest can have a smorgasbord of food-and-wine-pairing options in front of him or her!

Here are some ideas to get you started:

Champagne or other sparkling wine: (White or Rosé)
Champagne is festive, Thanksgiving is festive, Champagne is Thanksgiving, QED.  Plus, the bubbles and acidity will perk up the food.  If your budget is tight, try a sparkling Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley, a Spanish Cava, or an American bubbly like my faves Gruet (from New Mexico, of all places!) and Domaine Chandon.

Grüner Veltliner from Austria: (White)
With light, citrus fruit and a characteristic note of white pepper, GV is an easy-drinking and affordable white option.  Just call it "Groo-ner."  While many people, myself included, usually think of Grüners as a summertime quaffer, they are a good wine to have on hand as a lighter option in this kind of array.

Alsatian Riesling, Gewürztraminer or Pinot Blanc: (White)
I have twice in the past month enjoyed outstanding wines from Alsace with my meal.  The 2005 Domaine Weinbach Riesling Clos des Capucins was viscous and rich with outrageously heady florals - a party in its own right, and perfect to pair with food.  (~$60)  Also, scroll down to the prior Hurricane post for my reports on some of MaisonTrimbach's amazing offerings.  Gewürz-es will have rounder fruit and spice, and the Pinot Blancs will show more clean citrus when they're young and gain a special complexity as they age.

Beaujolais (Beaujolais Nouveau): (Red)
Beaujolais is a region in France near Burgundy and it is where the Gamay grape shines.  Gamay is one of the lightest, flirtiest red grapes out there.  And later this week (Nov 15 to be exact,) le Beaujolais Nouveau will be arrivée!  The Nouveau is the first wine - from anywhere - released from this year's harvest, because the freshness of this grape requires no aging.  It is made to be consumed straightaway, so it coincides wonderfully with our Thanksgiving holiday, and darned if it doesn't go perfectly with this kind of meal.

Spanish Grenache: (Red)
Another favorite grape for the crunchy red berry, cranberry, pomegranate experience.  In many cases, it will also exhibit spicy notes, chocolate, and dark fruits for a richer experience.  Ask your wine merchant for a recommendation - as Grenache is a less-common solo grape variety, chances are your purveyor has hand-picked his or her selections and will be very familiar with their personalities.  These should also be quite affordable with many good options under $20.

The Boom Boom Syrah, a rosé from Provence,
and a bubbly (Cava) that is ALSO rosé!

New World Syrah: (Red)
Like our friend Grenache, Syrah wines can swing far into the spicy, meaty, big and bold range.  But there are some, like the 2011 Charles Smith Boom Boom Syrah from Washington state, that gloriously exhibit a berry salad of fruit.  I have written about this wine before, and return to it again and again for its fun personality and brightness.

Viognier: (White)
A white grape that should have more fans, Viognier is naturally lower in acid so often ends up as a richer wine-drinking experience in the glass.  Some styles are light and floral, but there are others - many from CA or Australia - that are quite complex.  And many from the South of France have intense herb and earthy notes.

Rosé: (erm, Rosé)
Finally people are catching on to the idea that rosé wines aren't just for the summer.  Since they can be made well from almost every red grape, just imagine the array of styles out there!  With the lightness of a white wine and the oomph from the red grape skins and personalities, you have to try at least one rosé with your Bird.  I did a post in 2011 highlighting a number of different styles if you need a few ideas: Rosé Around the World, or, Not Yo' Momma's White Zin.

Me: "Maggie, put the bottle down before you
drink it all, I need to get a picture for my blog!"

And, please, skip the White Zin - if you want something a little sweet, try a German Riesling Auslese or a slightly sweet Brachetto from Italy, like the NV Banfi Rosa Regale.  Muuuuuuch better.

Here's hoping your Thanksgiving is a glorious celebration with family and friends, and if it is also an opportunity to sample a few different wines, so much the better!

Cheers!