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+--- Thread: Thanksgiving Wine (/thread-685.html)
- Innkeeper - 11-14-2001
For those of you who haven't heard from Randy C. lately, here is an excellent piece he posted over at Wine Lovers: http://www.wineloverspage.com/randysworld/turkey.shtml
He recommends just about everything except cabernet and merlot. The red he gives the nod to is pinot. He's probably right, but for us it's tradition. We are having 1997 Peachy Canyon, Paso Robles, Lakeview Vineyard, Zinfandel.
[This message has been edited by Innkeeper (edited 11-14-2001).]
- Botafogo - 11-14-2001
Here's our take:
WINE EXPO’s last word on what to serve with the bird.
What to do when twenty or so of your nearest and dearest, their appetites enraged by the waft of Grandmother's secret stuffing recipe coming from the kitchen, are eyeballing all those great wines you've squirreled away for the future (or at least to be appreciated by your knowing friends)? No occasion lends itself to our selection of great food-friendly, crowd pleasing, popularly priced quaffers than Thanksgiving. We've gone out of our way to find some truly phenomenal wines at incredible prices that are perfect matches with the traditionals and all the trimmings. First, a few basics about the tactics in selecting wines for what is probably the largest and most diverse meal any of us eat in any given year. The main attraction, Thom Gobbler, is content with almost any wine. From lighter whites to hearty reds, just about any well made wine (or rich ale!) is delicious with roast turkey, a classic no-brainer. The slippery slope begins with the supporting cast, specifically cranberry sauce (sweet and bitter, one of the few foods with more tannin than a Howell Mt. Cab) and the aforementioned Granny's secret stuffing (full of culinary depth charges like cumin, sage, coriander, thyme, raisins, nuts, oysters if you're from the south, and usually a fair bit of salt). These flavors often tend to accentuate the astringency in oaky Chards and make tannic Cabernet/Merlot based wines taste metallic. And, let's face it, many of your guests are just not ready to get their teeth stained with the newest 99 point MonsterCab while you point out that the wine will be great in another forty or fifty years! Through extensive research using the excellent roast chicken with all the trimmings from Marmalade on Montana as a control we have discovered that the best choices include lighter, fruitier whites based on Riesling, Tocai, Pinot Bianco, Sauvignon in its less herbal renditions and reds with lots of fruit, some spice but low tannins, typically Valpolicella, lighter Chiantis, Teroldego Novello and the fruitier side of the Pinot Noir spectrum. Our specific pick hit list begins with our four very top selections in the moderate price range:
Taltarni Brut Taché, Victoria & Tasmania, Australia
Elegant, refined, ever so slightly tinted. Compares with $$$ French Fizz yet is very affordable, a WINE EXPO Cult Classic.
Kálike Vermentino di Gallura 1998, Sardegna
Medium bodied, smooth and quaffable with hints of anise and almonds make this one a no-brainer with turkey and stuffing.
Salvalai Vino di Ripasso di Valpolicella 1998, Veneto
As the only store in America (other than perhaps NYC’s Burgundy Wine Co) that doesn’t sell Merlot, we keep a posse of
dragon slaying substitutes that are just as rich and soft and plummy but more interesting. This is the Sheriff, Marshall Monile!
Il Falchetto Moscato d’Asti “Tenuta del Fant†2000, Piemonte
Sweet but uplifting, low alcohol but high charm factor, super fresh, pear and citrus scented plus we guarantee Grandma will love it.
We then follow this with about thirty choices in all price ranges and NO Cab or Chard or Merlot.....
[This message has been edited by Botafogo (edited 11-14-2001).]
- Innkeeper - 11-22-2001
The 1997 Peachy Canyon, Paso Robles, Lakeview Vineyard, Zinfandel was all we hoped it would be with: Spit roasted organically raised Maine turkey, stuffed with cornbread and chestnust dressing, and accompanied with cranberry jelly, and gravy made from the drippings. For sides we had: salted nuts, candied white sweet potatoes, peas & pearl onions, Waldorf salad, potato bread, and Long Island cheese pumpkin pie. Had all the dishes finished by 5:30 PM. Wonderful.
[This message has been edited by Innkeeper (edited 11-22-2001).]
- barnesy - 11-23-2001
We had a fabulous Moscato d'Asti for an appertif. Will post info on it when I get the bottle back (left it at my parents house).
Barnesy