Your Thanksgiving Wine-Up

photo by Christian Koepke via Unsplash

photo by Christian Koepke via Unsplash

Wines to drink with all the things during Thanksgiving

What for some is an annual, obligatory and inescapable clashing of Boomers, Gen X, and millennials in the dining room battlefield is upon us: Thanksgiving. It’s the time of year where it’s socially acceptable (if not required) to not turn away a third helping of your aunt’s mac-n-cheese (even though the boxed-stuff is somehow so much better) and to dive in headfirst with grandma into that bottle of Harveys Bristol Cream Sherry (which happens to be back in circulation!).

At least there’s wine, right?

Ah yes, vino, for many of us, an extension of one’s self during the holidays—where would we be without it? Perhaps stuck in a conversation with no foreseeable refuge with your techie cousin or your mother-in-law who is too comfortable sharing marriage advice. Wine helps, alright?

With so many different personalities in attendance, wine and food preferences undoubtedly tag-a-long. How do you make everyone happy without (or with) spending a fortune? How can you finally put a stop to your brother’s wife’s constant criticism of your beloved apple pie? How about a nice glass of Sauternes with your slice, Karen? And what about your boss who went to Napa once and all-of-a-sudden knows everything about wine? How do you convince him to try something else? A nice bottle of Marqués de Griñón Cabernet Sauvignon from Spanish Vino de Page Dominio deValdepusa could suffice—and on average it’s about $20 cheaper than Napa cabernet. He even could be impressed with your economics.

Good food and good wine make everything better, maybe even the company. Sometimes, not always, these pairings are more easily digested than the cast of characters sitting across from you. Have another glass and laugh—either to yourself or out loud. ‘Tis the season.  

Some of this year’s suggested food and wine duos:

George duBoeuf Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau 2019 -  Beaujolais, France ($15) 

with charcuterie, cheese,  green salads

Hot of the presses! Who can have Thanksgiving without a bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau in arm’s length? Released the third Thursday every November, this fresh and fruity, low ABV wine is a Turkey day staple. Nouveau (French for “new”), as the name suggests, means the grapes are from the recent 2019 vintage—harvested just weeks ago! Coming from the Beaujolais-Villlages AOC, this 100% Gamay wine was destined for hard cheeses, hors d’ouevres and light conversation. 

Milbrandt Family Wines Chardonnay 2018 - Columbia Valley, Washington ($15)

with pumpkin/butternut squash soup, mashed potatoes and gravy, turkey

This is the wine you want with the main course. Once a potato farm (so why not have the wine with potatoes?) the land was established as a winery and vineyard in 1997 by brothers Butch and Jerry Milbrandt. Butch was also recognized for assisting in establishment of the AVAs of Wahluke Slope and Ancient Lakes. With a combination of stainless steel and neutral oak and only partial malolactic fermentation, Milbrandt’s Chardonnay has something for everyone. It was even a favorite at the 2019 New York International Wine Competition where it was a winner for Wahluke Slope Winery of the year. Crisp, round, with a peachy, custardy mouthfeel. It can even make an overtly dry turkey more tolerable.  

Laurent-Perrier Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature NV - Champagne, France ($80)

with anything fried

Decadance starts with Champagne. Perhaps you’re deep-frying a turkey this year (it’s a thing). Time to pop the bubbly and have a classic, but seasonal take, on the bubbly-and-fried chicken pairing.  How about a groundbreaking new cuvée from a historic Champagne house? Laurent-Perrier released a sinfully dry, zero-dosage, luxurious blanc des blanc this fall. Though the house has produced zero-dosage since the 19th century, the style has never been combined with a cuvée of 100% chardonnay until now.  With grapes being sourced from only the finest vineyards in Champagne, the wine is agreeable and elegant. Chances are your well-heeled friends haven’t even heard of it yet! Good news for you, but don’t steal this wine’s thunder. 

Elio Perrone Bigaro Brachetto Blend 2017 - Piedmont, Italy ($21)

with cranberry sauce

Some people love cranberry sauce and make no apologies about it. Whether from the can (no judgment here) or freshly made, that tart sauce needs a sweet companion. Elio Perrone’s sweet frizzante rosé Bigaro (meaning “mixed” in Piedmontese) is a blend of Brachetto and Moscato. The wine a beautiful mix of sweet and fizzy with sensual red fruit notes on the palate. It’s also low in alcohol, which makes it ideal for those who want to maintain a steady balance throughout the night. 

Stefan Vladimir via Unsplash

Stefan Vladimir via Unsplash

Penny Royal Farm Muscat Vin Doolsey 2018 - Anderson Valley, California ($32)

with all of the pies 

Pie, pie and more pie. So many pies, so little time. You’re lucky if you’ve made it to this point in the meal. From apple, pumpkin, mincemeat, to banana cream—you need a crowd-pleasing dessert wine of substance to balance all the things you’re throwing at your taste buds. Penny Royal Farm in Anderson Valley, California makes a wide range of wines from dry to sweet from their 23 acres of sustainable vineyards. The Muscat Vin Doolsey is a vin doux natural style of wine (á la Port or Banyuls) made from muscat blanc. It was a clear winner at the 2019 New York International Wine Competition where it was awarded Silver Medal for Best Fortified Dessert wine. Layers upon layers of honied apricots, white flowers, orange blossoms notes can sweeten up even the saltiest of relatives.

photo by Caroline Hernandez via Unsplash

photo by Caroline Hernandez via Unsplash

Other suggestions

For more bubbly: Don’t want to spend $80 and up but still want a spectacular bottle of Champagne? You can’t go wrong with Nicolas Feuillate Reserve Exclusive Brut. At only $36, this dry, chic, aromatic Champers is a little black dress of sparklers—food friendly from starters to mains, and elegantly takes its place at any occasion. It also comes in pink, if you prefer that with the main course.

An American sparkler: Of course, there is beautiful sparkling wine made in US terroir, too. An outstanding example is Gran Moraine Brut Rosé ($55). Released only once a year from this Yamhill-Cartlon, Oregon-based winery, this stunner made of a Champagne-reminiscent chardonnay-pinot noir (tell your uncle Drew not to pronounce it “pinoh no-wah”) blend is juicy, refreshing, and very focused. The subtle citrus peel (grapefruit, tangerine) flavors go splendidly with a variety of hors d’oeuvres as well as the main event or even fruity dessert.

Food-friendly white: Terlato Pinot Grigio 2017 DOC Friuli Colli Orientali ($19) is another excellent food pairing shapeshifter from soups to mains. Your aunt could never complain that it’s too “sour”, but there is just the right balance of acidity from its orchard fruit flavors—peach, pear, golden apple—with an almond earthiness that makes it especially delicious with the herbs in the stuffing. It also goes exceptionally well with mushroom and truffle dishes.

All around reds: Some of the best grapes to stick to with a meal that includes a lot of both savory and sweet dishes are ones that are likewise in the fruitier or jammier range. Syrah, grenache, mourvedre (or a combination of all three and more, as they do in the Côtes du Rhône, Australia, Paso Robles, New York State and Washington State for starters, are a sure bet. A fruit-forward style of American pinot noir is also never a bad idea with a feast such as this. Some suggestions:

photo by Amanda Schuster

photo by Amanda Schuster

Wine not your thing? You can also mix up this crowd-pleasing punch especially for Thanksgiving, or try one of these whiskey punch recipes!

Happy Thanksgiving from everyone at The Alcohol Professor!

Featured, PairingAndrew McFetridgewine, thanksgiving, new york international wine competition1 Comment