HOME FOR THE HOLIDAY WINES… From Weekend Wine Guy Mike Fraschilla

I’m of the opinion that Thanksgiving, more so than even 4^th of July, is OUR National Holiday Event that bests defines the unique nature of the American Experience.  A few other countries (i.e. Canada) may have national holidays to give thanks, BUT I am not convinced that in those countries Thanksgiving is for them what it has become to the cultural landscape and the psyche of America.  I find it interesting that, while WE are encouraged to give thanks, there seems no clear expectation of to whom or for what we should be giving thanks!   It never seemed clear if the creators of “National Turkey Day” did so with the intention to emphasize either the secular or the religious make up of American society.  So as I’ve pondered that question, the answer became clear to me that Thanksgiving is America’s most religious non-religious holiday…(OR perhaps that should be vice-versa???)

In any event, what is most important about Thanksgiving is that each of US, NOT our government, really does get to decide the type of holiday Thanksgiving will or will not be for our families!  You can’t be a freedom loving American and not appreciate that!  So with my 2 cents worth now said, lets move on to discuss something quite near and dear to our enjoyment of the Thanksgiving Holidays… That is of course the HOLIDAY WINES!

As Thanksgiving time is fast approaching yet again many of us will once again proclaim: Yay – Happy Happy Joy Joy Thanksgiving is here!  Yep, Thanksgiving, that most difficult of holidays for wine lovers is once again here to challenge and torture us!  Torture because you inevitably will have to endure a family member or friend who insists on telling you that 2-BC is “really fine wine”, AND challenging because selecting good wines to pair for your Turkey Day meal is just not that easy!

To start, just take a moment and look at the “average” family Thanksgiving feast –

Start with a busy salad perhaps overdressed with some type of vinaigrette (and hopefully NOT ranch or thousand island).  Then move on to the feast of a whole roasted turkey (both dark & white meat); accompanied with smashed potatoes loaded with butter & cream; a “family” stuffing laden with butter; rich artery stopping gravy; coma inducing candied marshmallow yams; a cheese filled casserole with either a bit of green beans and/or cauliflower; and a sweet & savory cranberry sauce.  After that gut buster of a meal you’ll hopefully finish off your feast with real whipped cream atop a piece of pumpkin and/or pecan pie… Say what you will, BUT that adds up to one hella-valotta big hot dining mess not just to sit down and eat, but also to successfully pair up with a bevy of decent wines!

So as wine lovers, what are we to do???  After many years of both Turkey Day success and failure I’ll take my moment and offer what I believe are a few sound bits of advice about Thanksgiving (and for that matter Christmas) Wine.  A few guiding principles if you will, that I’ve found to be tried and true for success… Who knows, perhaps I’ll get lucky and help inspire a choice of two or three for you!   These are Holiday Wines that I believe will certainly help yawl enhance your dinner time during that most wonderful of holiday family time WE all know and love as Thanksgiving!  Now, before simply giving you a list of wines you should look to pair with your Holiday Fare; I first want to begin my primer with the following disclaimer –

My list of Wines For The Holidays will not contain any recommendations of…  Big Chardonnays, Cabernets, Merlots, & Shiraz or Syrahs.  These Wines Will NOT Be On MY Must Look For & Buy Holiday Wine Recommendation! Also Expect A Negative for wines like Sargrantino, Algianico, Amarone, Barolo, Barberesco, or Brunello Wines…  Not that any of these are not fantastic wines (THEY ARE) – I just can’t recommend them as IDEAL choices to pair with your Turkey Day Fare!   Disagree if you like, but IMHO, “BIG” wines paired with ponderous amounts of ‘busy” food does neither the wine nor food any good!  So with that said, here’s my thoughts on what I believe will be inspired and delicious choices of wines for pairing to your Thanksgiving Holiday Festivities:

Sparkling Wines:  To be absolutely clear, there is no requirement that a Holiday Sparkler must be Champagne, but it is always a nice step up!  Any Sparkler you select for Turkey Day should however show notes and flavors of fresh apple (for white’s) or red berries (for rose’s).  They should also have nice acidity with a clean zesty finish.  Excessively dry “Extra – Brut” (and also some White Bruts) may not be the best choices among the long list of potential sparklers!  Traditionally you may know that many Sparklers are produced primarily from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and/or Pinot Meunier grapes, but notably there are many locations in France, Italy, Germany, Australia, AND the United States, where great sparkling wines are made not only from these grapes, but also using Chenin Blanc (Cremant), Glera (Prosecco), Muscat (Moscato), Riesling (Germany/U.S.), & Shiraz (Australia). Increasingly more people are finding sparklers from these later grapes to be very much in vogue as inspired choices!  It is still surprising that people overlook selecting sparkling wines for Holiday Dining.  In truth it seems a natural choice as they pair so well to so many types of foods!  WE should ALL remember to rethink sparklers as wines that are only appropriate for Weddings & New Years!   A List Of Holiday Sparklers Worth Featuring On Your Holiday Meal Table Might Include –
For Value (Under $20):

Chandon NV Brut Rose (CA), Korbel NV Brut Rose or Sparkling Riesling  (CA); Gloria Ferrer NV Brut & Brut Rose (CA); NV Gruet NV Brut Rose (NM); Cristilano NV Brut & Brut Rose (ESP); Segura Viuda NV Brut Rose (ESP); Domiane St Michelle Brut Rose & Luxe Brut (WA), La Marca, & Jeio NV Prosecco (ITL); Candoni NV Moscato (ITL); Allimant Laugnerr NV Cremant D’Alsace

For A Step Up (Over $20):
08 Flying Goat “Bubbles”, Laetitia NV Brut & Brut Rose, Iron Horse Wedding Cuvee or Brut Rose, Roederoer Estate Brut & Brut Rose, & Domaine Carneros Vintage Brut (CA), Nicolas Feuillatte NV Brut & Brut Rose; Black Chook Sparkling Shiraz (AUS)

For IF Money Is NOT A Concern:
Soter Vintage Brut Rose (OR); Richard Grant Vintage Brut Rose (CA); Tattinger Brut Rose, Ruinart NV Brut & Brut Rose, Hendroit NV Brut. & Moet “Ice” Imperial (FRA); Mollydooker Goosebumps Sparking Shiraz (AUS)

German Austrian & Alsatian Whites: I love when people ask me about these wines during Thanksgiving Season… The rising new found popularity of Sylvaner, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer and even more so Riesling all brings a smile to my face.  These wines are often the most commonly uttered request for people wanting “off-beat” varitials to feature on their Thanksgiving Table. Add Austria’s quirky Gruner-Vetliner to that list and you have the makings of some fairly eclectic, but delicious whites to pair with your Holiday Fare.  All are known as great food wines that easily pair to a multitude of styles and flavors of cooking. . Fine examples of these wines should possess some fine floral notes while also showing flavors of delish fruit, minerality, and acidity.  Even better is knowing that many fine examples of these wines made from these same varietals are now produced in countries like Australia, Italy, Slovenia, and the United States…  Here Are A Few Fresh & Lively Wines Sure To Enhance Your Holiday Fare –

For Value (Under $20):

08 or 09 Dr Loosen  “L” & “Blue Slate”, Dr Loosen St M Riesling, Villa Wolf, Kellar “Trocken Qba”  & Monchhof Estate Rieslings (DEU); Trimbach Riesling (FRA); 09 Columbia Crest “Grand Estate” & Hogue Cellars Rieslings (WA); 09 Rancho Sisquoc,  Claiborne & Churchill “Alsatian” Riesling (CA); 08 or 09 Trimbach & Allimant Laugner Pinot Blanc; 09 Carr & J Pinot Gris ( CA); 09 Elk Cove & Kings Estate Pinot Gris (OR); 09 Navarro & Claiborne & Churchhill “Alsatian” Gewürztraminer (CA); 09 or 10 Nigl, Soliner & Weinrieder  Gruner Vetliner (AUT); 09 Racho Sisquoc Sylvaner (CA); 09 Trimbach Sylvaner (FRA)

For A Step Up (Up To $40):

Flying Goat Pinot Gris (CA); Batic Reserve Pinot Gris (SVN); 08 or 09 Trimbach Gewürztraminer (FRA); 09 Pyramid Valley Pinot Gris, Riesling, & Gewürztraminer (NZ)

Rosé: Yes first and foremost, Rosé Wines are most often thought of as summer-BBQ wines!  That does not mean that a crisp fresh Rosé will not pair up to you Thanksgiving Feast.  The number grapes used to make Rosé wines is almost limitless.  Some Americans may still think only of “White Zin” (or “White” Merlot), BUT in throughout the US as in other parts of the word you can find Rosé wines made using Pinot Noir, Syrah, Grenache, Tempranillo, Samgiovese, Malbec, or even Aglianico grapes. No matter what country they’re from, the best Rosé Wines will show great floral notes with subtle flavors of berry or cheery fruit.  Add the plus of a fresh vibrant acidity and you have a whole slew of wines just perfect for the Holiday Meal!  To our benefit there are plenty of fine Rosé wines from throughout the world and with few exceptions most are priced well south of $20 a bottle!  Here Are A Few Rosé’s That Will Bring Vibrancy & Color When Paired To Your Holiday Meal –

For Value (Under $20): 09 Beckman, Carr, Groundworks, Juliette’s “Dazzle”, Ampelos, Ojai, Point Conception, Stolpman, Villa Creek, & Solo Roso (CA); Soter (OR); Whispering Angel, Clos Caillou (FRA); Crios (ARG); Terredora Rosato (ITL)

Beaujolais: If I’ve said it once, I’ll say again till the day I check out… A Cru Beaujolais (NOT the more well known & cheesy Nouveau) is THE best choice for a red wine from Burgundy France to open and enjoy for THIS Holiday.  To often this wonderful region is treated like the proverbial “Red Headed Step- Child” of Burgundy. No the Gamay grape is not Pinot Noir, BUT the Gamay found in Great Beaujolais offers you a combination of beautifully delicious bright cherry fruit and acidity that is not only a spot on choice to pair with your Holiday meal, but also will provide you with a world class Cru Beaujolais at a fraction of the cost as a good DOC Pinot Noir from Burgundy!  Good to exceptional vintages over the last 5 years also means that there is plenty of great wines available… IF you’re willing to Seek, Find, Buy, & Enjoy these wines!  For Those On The Look For A Gem Or Three I Recommend These –

For Value (Under $20): 08 & 09 Michael Rey “Julienas Tres Vielles Vignes Les Paquelets”; Vissoux, Louis Jardot “Beaujolais Villages”, “Morgon”, & “Moulin a Vent”; and 08 & 09 Georges Duboeuf  “Beaujolais Villages” & “Morgon” (FRA)

For A Step (Over $20): 08 or 09 Vissoux Moulin a Vent & Brouilly Pirreux (FRA)

Italian Whites: You say – Too obscure for all but the most committed Wine Geek… Perhaps, but that doesn’t equate to mean that white wines from Italy won’t be inspired choices to pair to your Holiday Fare!  Better yet to know Italian white and red wines are fast developing in the US and other countries.  Why are Italian whites a fine choice… like many things Italian it comes back to the food!  Most Italian cuisine is noted for featuring strong and (certainly in Southern Italy) contrasting flavors.  Many Italian whites will offer flavors that complement Holiday Food and a crisp finish and nice acidity that cuts through and stands up to richly flavored foods…  When discussing Sparkling Wines earlier I already touched upon a few Prosecco recommendations from Italy. So Now Here Are A Few Still Whites From Italy That Are Certain To Bring Smiles & Joy To Your Holiday Dinner Guests –

For Value (Under $20):  08 & 09 Coenebium (ITL); 08 & 09 Damilano “Arneis” (ITL); 08 & 09 Maso Canali and Italo Cescon Pinot Grigio (ITL); 08 & 09 Palmina and Buon Natale Pinot Grigio & Tocai Friulano (CA); 08 & 09 Terredora “Greco di Tufo” & “Falanghina” (ITL)

For A Step Up (Over $20): Songo Duo “By Savannah Samson” (ITL); 08 & 09 La Scolca “Gavi” (ITL); 08 & 09 Livio Felluga  Pinot Grigio & Tocai Friulano (ITL)

Italian Reds: I did mention that I would not be recommending any of the “Noble” Reds from Italy, BUT that did not mean there were NO Italian Reds worth recommending for the Thanksgiving Holiday!  Italian Reds such as Barbera, Dolcetto, Sangiovese, Corvina, and Nero di Avola (and a few light bodied Nebbiolos) are like Italian Whites in that they are often loaded with bright fruit and a food friendly acidity that makes them wonderfully inspired choices to pair with your Holiday Foods!  They are more often seen produced outside of the Italy (US) AND they also come much better priced than the more well know bigger powerful “Noble” Italian red wines of which you may already know…  Look For These Italian Reds To Be A Big Mealtime Hit With You, Your Family, & Friends –

For Value (Under $20):  08 & 09 Coenebium (ITL); 08 & 09 Damilano “Arneis” (ITL); 08 & 09 Maso Canali and Italo Cescon Pinot Grigio (ITL); 08 & 09 Palmina and Buon Natale Pinot Grigio & Tocai Friulano (CA); 08 & 09 Terredora “Greco di Tufo” & “Falanghina” (ITL)

For A Step Up: 07 Antinori “Peppoli”, Felsina, Fontadi, Castella della Paneretta or Nippozanno Chianti Classico & Riservas (ITL); 09 Palmina Nebbiolo (CA); Stolpman “Estate” Sangiovese (CA)

Pinot Noir: Ok so some one is going to say that I must add a Pinot or three to my wish list of Thanksgiving Wines.  Not MY first choice, but ok I understand the idea… An easy drinking fruit forward low tannin red wine with nice acidity… What’s not to like?  With that said, my recommendations will lean more towards “value” than age worthy gems.  I love Thanksgiving, but in my experience opening $50 plus Pinot has been a less than fulfilling experience…  Look For These Price Friendly Pinots To Gracefully Enhance Your Holiday Fare –

For Value (Under $20): 08 & 09 Au Bon Climant, Byron, Bishops Peak (Tally), Sean Minor, A By Acacia, Bishops Peak, Chandon, Cambria, Fluing Goat “Ynot”, Greg Norman, Melville “Vernas”, 3-Saints, Thorne Family, Luli. Paraiso, Migration, & Angeline (CA); 08 & 09 Kings Ridge, Argyle (OR); Vermonte-Paul Hobbs “Ritual” & Kingston Family “Tobiano” (CH); Cooralook (AUS)

For A Step Up (Under $40): 08 & 09 Zotovich Family, Lucia, Loring Wine Co, Rodney Strong Reserve, Jayson, & Richard Grant (CA); 08 & 09 Cristom, Shay, Pennar Ash, Sineann, North Valley-Soter (OR)

Zinfandel: I could not in good conscience write an article about recommending wine for America’s Holiday without including a moment to speak of Zinfandel for those that must enjoy a big red wine during the Holiday. Zin makes the list, more so than Cab, Merlot, Syrah, and other big reds because Zin is simply a food lovers red wine… Great Zins are loaded with rich thick berry fruit and while not overly acidic can have enough muscle to mesh with all the busy flavors you experience during Turkey Day Dining.  While Zin is most associated with the United States, it is actually a European grape – A sibling of Crljenak Kaštelanski in Croatia, and a cousin to Primativo in Italy.  In addition small vintages of excellent Zin have also been produced in Australia, so you should have no problem finding excellent international wines made from “America’s Red Grape!”  It is also worth noting that when winemakers choose to blend Zins, most commonly with grapes like Alicante Bouche, Petite Sirah, Carignane, and/or Mourvedre, the resulting blends gain both power & structure to balance all that great juicy fruit for which Zins are prized.  That’s a fine way to keep your “Big Red” Lovers happy and satisfied throughout your Holiday dinner.  A Few Fine Examples Of America’s Red That You Can Show Off To The Holiday Feasters Include –

For Value (Under $20):
09 Karly “Bucks Ten Point”, Four Vines, Renwood, & Ravenswood OV Zins; 09 Layer Cake & Amano Primativo (ITL); 08 or 09 Bogle OV Zin or Phantom Zin Blend (CA); 08 JRE “Tradition Rouge” Zin Blend (CA)

For A Step (Up To $40):
09 Four Vines “Biker” or “Mavrick” Zins; 08 or 09 Valdez “Rockpile” Zin; 09 Seghiseo Sonoma Co, OV, or Home Ranch Zins (CA) Zin; 09 Owen Roe “Abbot’s Table” Zin Blend (WA); 08 or 09 Orin Swift Saldo Zin or The Prisoner Zin Blend (CA); 08 St Fracis & Gamba “Old Vine” Zins (CA)

For IF Money Is NOT A Concern:
08 or 09 Biale Zins (CA); 08 or 09 Turley Zins (CA), and the 08 or 09 Martinelli “Jackass Hill” Zins (CA); 08 or 09 Ridge “Geyserville” Zin Blend (CA)

In spite of the breath of this piece, I don’t mean it to be A definitive list of go to wines for the Holidays!  There are just so many wines to recommend and so little time give them all their due!!!  BUT, it is a start to show you that the world is full of great wines that are just waiting for you to Seek, Find, Buy, AND Enjoy!!!  My goal is always to encourage you to look beyond the known and discover the many opportunities to pair and enjoy fantastic wines during OUR most American Holiday –  That’s Right… Thanksgiving!

Now here’s wishing you all the best for a happy healthy and sane Thanksgiving Holiday… Remember: “In Vino Veritas” …  Salud!!! : )