Essential Bottles For Thanksgiving

By Pam J. Bernd

I awake to loud noises…pots and pans, shutting of the oven.  I walk out into the living room; the windows are covered with steam.  The smell of Thanksgiving lingers.  This is always my first memory of Thanksgiving Day.  This same scene repeats itself every year.  I am usually not happy about the loud noises, but I give thanks that I have this…and wine.

I have become the person everyone looks forward to seeing during the Holidays.  My only problem is half the family likes dry wine and the other half enjoys sweet.  I have this dilemma every year.  I used to serve them “pop” wines, but little by little I’ve tried to wean them away.  If you have the same quagmire, here are my suggestions for Thanksgiving.

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Sweet Wines

Selbach-Oster Riesling Spatlese Bernkasteler Badstube 2007brings a touch of sweetness to the table ($30 average).  Ripe Riesling flavors flow through this creamy structured wine, with hints of baking spices. Sokol Blosser Evolution brings together 9 different grape varietals to complete this slightly dry and aromatic wine full of nectarine, mango and melon flavors ($15 at the winery).  Evolution is a little drier then the “pop” wines, but a nice transition.

A red that is a nice pairing for turkey is a Beaujolais Nouveau.  Nouveau is the first wine of the year in Beaujolais.  Beaujolais lies in the Southern Burgundy region of France.  The only varietal allowed is Gamay.  Nouveau day is always the 3^rd Thursday of November.  By law, Nouveau cannot be sold until this day.  This day is hugely publicized and marketed all over the world with the traditional phrase, “Le Beaujolais est arrive!” (“The new Beaujolais has arrived!”).  The wine is about 6-8 weeks old.  Grapes are hand harvested and produced using carbonic maceration.  Carbonic maceration is the process of taking whole berry clusters and letting the grapes ferment before the grapes are crushed.  This creates a fresh and fruity wine with low tannins.  Most are very easy to drink and can be chilled.

My recommendations would be the most famous Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau 2009 ($10 average).  This should be available at every retailer.  A lesser known producer would be Domaine Chatelus de la Roche Beaujolais Nouveau 2009 ($11 average).  Check your local wine retailer to see if they are hosting a Nouveau tasting.

Dry Wines

Now that we’ve covered some sweeter style wines, it’s time to talk drier.  For whites, I suggest something from Northern Rhone.  The region is mainly known for its 100% Syrah reds, but produces some amazing whites.  Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne are the three varietals that can be used in this region.  Guigal St. Joseph White 2007 is a perfect choice ($30 average).  Luscious peach and melon notes bring together this blend of 95% Marsanne and 5% Roussanne.  Oak aging brings some hazelnut and creaminess to the wine.  This would pair wonderfully with an apple and walnut stuffing.

Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir from Oregon are nice addition to the Holiday table setting.  Pinot Gris is a mutant clone of Pinot Noir and referred to as Pinot Grigio in Italy.  Pinot Gris from Oregon can produce a delicate floral and light wine to a rich and full-bodied wine. King Estate Pinot Gris Signature 2007 brings pear and apple aromas with a lively citrus finish ($17 average).  My go to Pinot Noir from Oregon is Montinore Estate Pinot Noir.  The 2007 has sweet aromas of raspberry with ripe cherry and vanilla, hints of cinnamon that is rounded out by soft tannins ($18 average).

We tend to think of Rose as sweet wines, like White Zinfandel.  These days most Rose are produced in a dry method with can be great with Turkey for any wine drinker.  Roses are made by taking red grapes and leaving the skins in contact with the juice to produce a light pink colored wine.  Turkey Flat Rose 2008 is more on the dry French style rose.  Fresh strawberry and raspberry aromas rise from the wine with a clean, medium body finish ($15 average).

Don’t Argue With Your Taste Buds

Please remember that wine is fun.  These are just some suggestions that would be great with Thanksgiving dinner.  Regardless of the suggested pairings, the best match is what tastes good to you.  Drink what you like.

As ProLong Magazine’s official Wine Expert, Pam J. Bernd is excited to share her knowledge and advice with readers and show that even the most hardcore beer drinker can become a fan of wine. Pam started her college years wanting to work in the field of Information and Technology.  Bachelor’s degree in hand she started selling wine.  After learning about the different regions that make up the wine world, she started teaching a beginners class.  Now she purchases wine for a retail organization.  Having moved from her home town, she always enjoy going home and hanging with friends.