JHUZZH Up Your Turkey Day With These Amazing Wines!

It's that time of the year... all the wine writers' Thanksgiving recommendations! There are a lot of great ones out there, sure, and by all means heed whichever suggestions you want, but let me REALLY break it down for you:

Thanksgiving food is boring. Seriously, without that pop of cranberry, and maybe some green(ish) beans, the entire meal is a neutral palette. Nothing has spice or personality. So your wine has to jhuzzh up the entire feast… without overwhelming it!

This means pretty much any wine that’s not too heavy or overly fruity with gobs of acidity will do the trick — which gives you a LOT of options!!

Here are some of the Minx’s personal faves:

BUBBLY

Kind of a no-brainer. A) it’s a holiday, so let's celebrate! Plus b) the zippy acid and lively bubbles will complement every single kind of delish beige mush on your plate.

SAVE: NV Gruet Blanc de Noirs, New Mexico

A blend of 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay, this fizz will have a scootch more round red fruit and depth, while still maintaining its freshness. Plus, it’s from New Mexico, so… ‘Murica! ~$17

SPLURGE: 2004 Dom Ruinart Rosé Champagne, France

This was the “meatiest,” most savory Champy I’ve ever had. (Might be due to an unusually high percentage of still red wine added in? Either way…) Utterly captivating. Roasted orange peels, iodine, fresh herb garden, sweet summer strawberries, toasty brioche, candied ginger, dried rose petals… total splurge, but worth every penny. ~$325

CHARDONNAY

But get a good one. Chard is a kind of neutral grape, but it can sing if coaxed into its own by a deft winemaker. A more mineral-driven, lean style (say Chablis) will vibrate through the meal like a plucked high piano string, while one with more oak influence will bring out the spice of the sweet potato and pies.

SAVE: 2017 Charles Smith Eve Chardonnay, WA

I tell you over and over to snap up Smith’s value offerings because they always deliver! This Washington State Chard ticks all the boxes — fruit, acid, bright but with depth — at a price that can’t be beat. ~$10

SPLURGE: 2015 Kistler Les Noisetiers Chardonnay, CA

Big and round with buckets of rich fruit; peach, apricot, pear, a meadow full of white flowers, some baked apple pie… perhaps a hint of grilled pineapple and some dried herbs  too — this Kistler Chard with a few years of age will be a meal unto itself. ~$65

OTHER WHITES:

I also love a Grüner Veltliner or Furmint for Thanksgiving; they can have savory notes like celery and white pepper or ginger and spice, and both have strong acidic backbones. 

SAVE: 2017 Evolúció Tokaji Furmint, Hungary ~$12

SPLURGE: 2017 FX Pichler M Smaragd Gruner Veltliner, Austria ~$80

ROSÉ

How many times do I have to say it? Rosé is a red wine in a white wine’s body — the best of both worlds! You could literally have ANY quality rosé on Turkey Day and you’ll be happy. I might pop these:

SAVE: 2018 Anthony Road Rosé of Cabernet Franc, NY

This Fingerlakes producer coaxes the perfect balance of red cherry fruit and herbs out of Cab Franc; supremely quaffable all year round. It's so slurp-worthy, I'm drooling just writing this. ~$16

SPLURGE(ISH): 2018 Hersly “Mae” Rosé, CA

100% Merlot, from a small single vineyard in Calistoga, this juicy, vibrant rosé is packed with fruit, yet has plenty of structure to hold it all together. The Herslys are a husband-wife team producing some seriously good juice; this, their first rosé, is named after their sushi-loving dog Mae, who is featured on the label. (She was a rescue, so portions of the sales of this wine go to support animal rescues and shelters!) ~$28

RED

Here’s where the fun happens! Yes, Pinot Noir is the classic high-acid, zesty, cherry-berry and herby-earthy, low-tannin red, and you can find great examples from the Willamette Valley in Oregon or from New Zealand, not to mention the rhapsodic icons of Burgundy. But why not try something a little different this year?

SAVE: 2017 Hillinger Zweigelt, Austria

An Austrian specialty, Zweigelt is a crossing of St-Laurent and Blaufrankish (< also good for Turkey Day!) Like a lighter Pinot Noir, expect spicy cherry notes, maybe a bit of cinnamon. Lip-smaking! ~$16

SAVE: 2015 Pietro Caciorgna Etna Rosso Ciauria, Sicily

Red wines from Sicily’s Mt. Etna region are based on Nerello Mascalese, which thrives in the volcanic soil there. This has crunchy red fruit and great woodsy earth and herbs, buoyed by rose florals. While fresh and invigorating now, it also has serious staying power (grab a few bottles, and see how it evolves next year!) ~$22

SAVE: 2016 Avancia Mencia Cuvee de O, Spain

Mencia is one of those grapes you wonder why everyone doesn’t know about it already. This one is like a bowl of blackberries dusted with mocha powder and black pepper that you eat in a freshly-tilled field. More on the oomphy side, but still kept fresh by its acidity. ~$15

No matter what you decide, I hope you spend a wonderful Thanksgiving with your friends and family. Let me know what you end up popping, and how you enjoyed jhuzzhing up the big meal! 

Cheers.

WHAT TO DRINK WITH THE BIRD!

image: foodandwine.com

Hi Wineaux -- I know this is last-minute, but a lot of you have been asking, so I'm putting down my study books and closing my script and ANSWERING YOUR CALL.

Thanksgiving can be a crazy time; figuring out what to drink shouldn't be. There are a few basic things to keep in mind:

1) Lots of Turkey Day food is, well, bland. Potatoes, stuffing, turkey... YAWN. Your wine should provide the PIZZAZ! However, now is not the time to pop open that super-concentrated, oak-aged, dense, intense Cab. It'll overwhelm.

2) You might love and appreciate wine, and Aunt Frieda is definitely a Wineau, but the rest of the fam? Maybe not. Look for excellent values, so when Uncle Fred puts ice cubes and a packet of Splenda in his red, you won't pass out.

3) Acid is always your friend, when it comes to food-and-wine pairing. You might not first think of red wines with turkey, but a high-acid red... PERFECTION.

Let's get to it! (PS all of this goes for the rest of your holiday dinners as well!!)

ALWAYS A WINNER: Champagne

Yes, this might violate guideline #2, but substitute a good-value sparkling wine made in the Champagne method and you're good to go.
WHY? Bubbles! Festive! And its acidity and rich toasty nutty flavors will pair perfectly.
Value -- Lucien Albrecht Crèmant d'Alsace ~$17, Gruet Blanc de Noirs (NM) ~$14 Louis Boillot Crèmant de Bourgogne Rosé ~$20.
Mid-price -- Taittinger Brut La Francaise Champagne ~$38, Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial Champagne ~$38.
Splurge -- Krug Grande Cuvée Champagne ~$160,  Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé Champagne ~$75.

DARK HORSE: Lambrusco

Skip the sweeter inexpensive versions and head straight for this herby, dark-fruited Italian bubbly.
WHY: Also bubbles! Rich earthiness and plum/blackberry fruits are lifted by its freshness.

Ca Montanari Opera 02 Lambrusco ~$17, Zanassi La Grasparossa Lambrusco ~$13.

FRESH AND FRUITY: Beaujolais

If you're tempted to throw a Beaujolais Nouveau in your cart, I won't stop you. But the mass-market ones are so ephemeral, you'll miss the gloriousness of what a Beaujolais with some oomph and character can give. If you do want in on the fun, ask for a smaller, recommended producer. Non-Nouveau is a different story! And named crus (named regions, like Morgon below,) will cost a bit more, but will definitely deliver, so a splurge here is worth it!
WHY: Gamay (the grape) is bright, fruity, and fresh. Flirty personality, and smooth sailing. And most are under $20-25.
Value -- Ch. du Basty Lantignié Beaujolais ~$12, Pierre-Marie Chermette Beaujolais ~$14
Splurge -- Marcel Lapierre Morgon Beaujolais ~$40

ALSO

A lighter-style Shiraz/Syrah shpicy crowdpleaser like Charles Smith Boom Boom Syrah (WA) ~$13 (I'm bringing this to our company's TGiving!)
Heavy-duty but real fruity oak-influenced Chardonnay like J. Lohr Riverstone Chardonnay (CA) ~$11 (This has been my dad's "house wine" for decades!)
A white with savory elements like a dry Furmint (Hungary) like Evolúció Tokaji Furmint ~$12 (I am obsessed with dry Tokaji!)
Or a Grüner Veltliner (Austria) with its white pepper/celery character, yet often with yummy stone fruit like the Weszeli Langelois ~$17
I'm also a sucker for a delish Sangiovese: Villa Sant'Anna Chianti Colli Senesi ~$19 or Antinori Santa Christina Chianti Superiore ~$13. Other Sangiovese wines are Rosso di Montalcino ($20-30 range,) and Brunello di Montalcino if you want to get a bit more splurgy, ask for good (and good-value) producers from your purveyors.
Other high-acid reds to look for: Pinot Noir from all around the globe, Zweigelt, Blaufrankish.

As always, many of these may not be available in your local wine shop; bring this list with you and ask for comparable suggestions! Your wine merchant should be your new best friend, always. This is just the tip of the iceberg; there are so many suggestions, you really can't go wrong... let me know what you paired with YOUR bird!!

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!