My Thanksgiving Wine Picks, Part 1: The Purchases

What am I drinking for Thanksgiving? My family constrained my budget, so everything is under $20. Really tough but given how much we all drink, if we wanted to get lots of variety, we needed to go for budget wines. The special ones will have to wait until Christmas, when it's a smaller group.

That said, here's the planned lineup for tomorrow. I'll report back and let you know how the pairings went...I have a feeling it's going to be a divine meal!

Wine #1: Aperitif (Starter) Wine: 2010 Les Lauzeraies, Tavel (Rosé), Rhône Valley, France
Why did I pick it? Tavel is a dry, dry, French Rosé. Made of mostly Grenache and a blending grape called Cinsault, it's refreshing and delicious but a little more serious than other Rosés, with more flavor and acid than a garden variety Rosé. I was careful when I choose this, because with Rosé the vintage has to be current (Champagne is the exception). The Les Lauzeraies is 2010, so it should still be fresh, fruity, but dry with some acid. With its raspberry juice color, Rosé is beautiful in the glass and should be a great way to begin the festivities.




Wine #2: Appetizer/Cheese Wine: Non Vintage, Willm Blanc de Blancs, Cremant d'Alsace, France
Why did I pick it? Made from 100% Pinot Blanc, this wine should be refreshing, with apple and citrus flavors, but because it's from Alsace it will be more oily and thick than bubbly from other regions. Made in the same way Champagne is made, this wine should be dry, but still a little fruity and bread-like (I've said it before -- Champagne and sparkling wine can taste like toast or a croissant because of the yeast). Should go well with the variety of starters on the menu -- cheeses (the acid should cut through the Brie like a knife), Spanakopita (feta and spinach in phyllo dough can be heavy, but the Cremant's citrus should give it a lift), and some Mediterranean-like dips that will be smokey and tangy and complemented well by the sharp, clean flavors of the bubbly.


Dinner Wines
Wine #3: 2010 Willm Riesling, Alsace, France
Why did I pick it? Like the Crémant, Riesling from Alsace is fuller, kind of oily in texture but still extremely acidic. The peachy, appley fruitiness and the mouth-filling soft texture of the wine should work with creamy mashed potatoes, baked brussel sprouts, green beans with almonds and butter, and savory turkey. Although the wine is dry, its fuller texture should make the buttery green vegetables and the turkey taste more flavorful and moist, and maybe add a little spike of fruitiness that gives the food an extra dimension. The acid in this wine will lift up the buttery dishes, making them feel lighter -- a very positive thing when the table is loaded with buttery food.





Wine #4: 2008 d'Arenberg "Footbolt" Shiraz, McLaren Vale, South Australia
Why did I pick it? Yes, Australian Shiraz can be over the top with too much fruit and alcohol, but this one is more on the herbal/spicy side, perfect for the thyme and rosemary in the stuffing and on the turkey (smells so great baking!). The licorice/anise note in the wine is going to ROCK with the broccoli and fennel soup (similar flavors), which is heavy enough to stand up to a red wine. The black pepper, leather, and plum aromas and flavors are more restrained in this wine than in a lot of other Aussie Shiraz, which should make it food-friendly but still bold enough for the folks at my dinner who like big wines (and would have hated me if I'd gone all French!).


Wine #5: Dessert Wine: 2006 Maison Nicolas, Sauternes, Bordeaux, France
Why did I pick it? I'll admit that this was kind of a risk because it's a cheap Sauternes and usually there is a correlation between price and quality with these sweet wines of Bordeaux. That said, it could be pretty good, just because it was a good vintage and even cheap Sauternes is usually worth the sip. Given that MC Ice and I will probably be the only ones drinking it, we didn't want to go too big. Apple pie, here we come. The honeyed, apricot, peach flavors of this sweety should be divine with the cinnamon spice of the pie. It shouldn't be too shabby with the pecan pie either, as it adds fruity flavors to that nutty, sweet, buttery bit of deliciousness.



So that's our experiment this year. I've said it on the podcast and I'll say it again -- Thanksgiving pairing is tough business. I tried...I'll post tomorrow on how it went for me and I hope you'll share your experiences too!

Have a GREAT holiday if you're in the United States! If not and you have a turkey dinner for another occasion, I hope this will help guide your selections.

Regardless, please let me tell you how thankful I am that you've read this and that you're interested in what I have to say. I love normal wine people! Happy Thanksgiving!