Chapter 11: WINE AND THANKSGIVING

Greetings and salutations!  It’s almost time for that most food-friendly of America’s holidays: Thanksgiving.  If you, like your Bargain Wine Sleuth, were clever enough to beg off from cooking the annual feast for your friends/family/spousal unit, then the least you could do is bring a great complementary wine to the big bird!  So, what are you planning to bring in order to complement the cornucopia of rich, wonderful foods of Thanksgiving?  The good news is there is no one automatic correct answer.  Instead, it depends on what you and your festive crew enjoy, as well as the way your turkey is prepared and the side dishes of choice.  Sweet sides or savory sides?  Deep fried turkey or roasted bird?   Pumpkin pie or pecan?  Is anyone else getting hungry here?

I have changed the format of this month’s Chapter 11, just slightly, to recommend several terrific Thanksgiving feast wines in the Value Wine category that fit into our Value Wines category.  However, there will be a couple of Splurge Wines as well.  You may notice that a recommendation or two from prior months are reprised here, but there will be several newly introduced wines as well. As always, our mantra is that Life Is Too Short To Drink Bad Wine, and its related corollary that Great Wine Doesn’t Have To Cost A Fortune.  I would also gently remind you to consult last month’s chapter for helpful hints to help you hone in on your target wine based upon the formality of the event, the preferences of your host or hostess and whom you are arm wrestling for that prized final drumstick!

Without further delay, here are this month’s recommendations for your Thanksgiving dinner:

Value Wine No. 1:   Bubbles from Spain  

Do you love dry, sparkling wine but don’t want to spend a king’s ransom?  Look no further than this high-quality cava from Segura Viudas:   the NV (non-vintage) Brut Reserva, an estate bottled wine.  The Segura Viudas is widely distributed, and I have seen it multiple locations for under $9.  This sparkler has a smooth, old-world finish that reminds one of much more expensive French Champagne.  If your feast crew hasn’t sampled quality Spanish cava, this is a great one for them to sample.  The cava is ideal for sipping before the meal and pairs nicely with spicy side dishes. You simply can’t go wrong in grabbing a few bottles of the Segura Viudas for the bubbles fans in your life.   (The Segura Viudas was first reviewed in January’s chapter and received a solid 89 rating from Wine Enthusiast).

Value Wine No. 2:  Beaujolais Nouveau from France

One of our family favorites for the traditional roast turkey is the just-released Beaujolais Nouveau, and I typically grab the latest offering from Georges Duboeuf.  Typically the Duboeuf wears a festive, multicolored label and sells for $14 or so.  If some of your crew are not necessarily wine experts but instead have whose tastes that lean to light-bodied, fruit-forward red wines, here is your easy choice.  I would describe this wine as fun, approachable and decidedly lowbrow, but you won’t care because it pairs so beautifully with the turkey, dressing and, naturally, lots of gravy!  For your wine experts, the Duboeuf’s dry French finish is still leaves an enjoyable experience.  Forget about storing this one—it’s designed to be popped and consumed right now!

Value Wine No. 3:  The All-American Cali Chardonnay 

If your crew is made up of white wine fans, then it’s hard to go wrong with the 2010 La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay.  Careful shopping can land you a bottle of this terrific California Chard for under $18, and it is a cut above your run-of-the-mill domestic Chardonnay.  Wine Enthusiast awarded this vintage a 90 rating, and noted that “this shows great structure, with a keen cut of acidity that brightens the mineral-driven orange and pineapple flavors.”   This is a big white wine that is perfect for cutting through the richness that is the Thanksgiving meal without overwhelming the food.  Chill a bottle or two and count me in!

Worth a Splurge Wine No. 1:  The Balance of Merlot

For a true red wine fan the Beaujolais Nouveau is a start, but sometimes you just need a perfectly balanced merlot.   The best merlot I have sampled this year is the 2007 Hall Napa Valley Merlot.  A tantalizing blend of the grapes from two of Hall’s premier estate vineyards, the 2007 Hall is a full-bodied gem that manages to combine a lovely, cherry cola nose with an intense, dark-fruited oaky finish that lingers with each sip.  And the best news is that although the 2007 Hall Merlot is priced outside the value wine level, it can be had for $30 a bottle with some careful shopping.  If my recommendation isn’t sufficient for your table, then perhaps this recommendation from Wine Enthusiast might convince you:  “A rich, dense, vital merlot, one of the best of the vintage.”   Oh, and a stellar 93 rating as well.

Worth a Splurge Wine No. 2:  Golden Dessert Nectar

If you have managed to stuff yourself to the point that last piece of pumpkin or pecan pie is simply a non-starter yet still have just a touch of a sweet tooth, does the Wine Bargain Sleuth have a tip for you:  the stellar 2006 Dolce late-harvest Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc blend, a treat of the winemakers of Far Niente in Napa Valley.  Described as “California’s most consistently great dessert wine” by Wine Enthusiast, the 2006 Dolce vintage was awarded a near-flawless 98 rating.  Strong hints of apricot, orange, pear, honey vanilla flavors are present in this remarkable, viscous dessert treat.  Serve the Dolce in a small aperitif or shot glass, as this amazing wine is to be sipped and savored.   While not inexpensive, the Dolce is likely to bring your guests a Thanksgiving memory for years to come.

Other Great Choices:

I have to confess it was quite difficult narrowing this month’s selections to just 5 wines.   I will also tell you that in choosing the Beaujolais Nouveau that is a family favorite I overlooked what some wine lovers will tell you is a fundamental choice for Thanksgiving:  pinot noir.   I will briefly mention that I considered Byron’s Santa Maria Valley Pinot from the Central Coast of California as well as several Oregon and New Zealand red pinots, most notably those beauties from the Willamette Valley in Oregon (2009 Argyle Reserve and the 2010 King Estate, for example) and the Kiwis from Marlborough (the 2011 Oyster Bay comes to mind).  You can spend from $18 on the low end to $60+ without any great effort on these pinot noir wines.  Make no mistake, however, any of the above would make scrumptious pairings for your festive holiday meal.  Besides, at the end of the day it doesn’t matter what I think—it matters what YOU think!   Go forth and acquire!

Thought for the Day:  A Thanksgiving Blessing

May you share your Thanksgiving feast with those you love and those who love you, and may your plate be filled and your wine glass overflowing…until it’s time to watch the Cowboys game, naturally.  We are very blessed to live in this bountiful country, and on this day let us pause and reflect upon our many blessings and upon those who risked their lives to afford us the privilege to celebrate.

Until next month– Cheers!

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