nyt thanksgiving wines

J

Joel Stewart

Joel Stewart
well, eric asimov's really

i was impressed by his admissions. does that say anything about the state of wine today...(or just wine still being mysterious, no matter who you are?)

love the muscadet idea...and 07 morgon sounds good to me too.....even the 07 lapierre beaujolais fits the "by the case" bill at the price i've been getting it at here. when eric wrote gamays from the loire, it reminded me of my love for the puzelat gamay petillant, which i think would be perfect enough it could be the only wine served all day. (or the brundlmayer brut rose.)

after 22 yrs in japan with only one thanksgiving visit back home to the US, we will head back this month to join my folks and family. looking forward to cooking with mom and making some pulls from the cellar that i share with dad.
 
Since it's usually just my wife and I drinking wine, I don't go too overboard with the wine on Thanksgiving. But, last year I opened the '07 Pepiere Muscadet and '07 Gamay from Clos Roche Blanche and thought they both worked fantastically with the various odds and ends that is our usual Thanksgiving dinner. And, hell, if the food was going to suck, then at least the wines would be awesome (which I knew they would be).
 
To be honest, the only wines mentioned I would go with are of the Gamay variety and Zin, but that's not really breaking any new ground in a Thanksgiving food and wine pairing article, though they're certainly ideal choices. The Nero D'Avola falls into the Zin category, imo.

I found the white choices particularly problematic, maybe with the exception of the Gruner Veltliner, though that certainly wouldn't be at the top of my list. Imo, you need fruity whites and reds because of the inherent sweetness found in traditional Thanksgiving fare. Chenin, Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Gewurz are much better choices, imo. To my tastes, dry whites simply don't work with cranberries, yams, giblet gravy, etc.
 
We did a big Thanksgiving one year at my brother's place and I brought a bunch of wine. My folks, who know nothing about wine, were there and with each bottle I opened, they would take a short pour and, after tasting they'd say, "that was very nice."
After several bottles I opened the 1989 Lynch Bages and poured them some. After tasting they both said "could we have some more please."

I have no idea what 'goes' with turkey - but they seemed to.
Best, Jim
 
Given the culinary chaos and overload that reign at the typical Thanksgiving table, it's hard to think of a perfect match or of a wine that would be completely useless. It's often best to bring a several quite different wines, especially given the hodge-podge of palates that are likely to show up at a Thanksgiving feast.

Personally it seems to me that a Muscadet could get a little lost or underappreciated, except as an aperitif. I like medium or light Zins at T-day, partly for its philosophical appeal (American wine with American holiday) and partly because it handles sweet potatoes, cranberries, sausage stuffing, dense gravies and other unclassic wine pairings pretty well. Substantial Beaujolais makes complete sense to me. Aromatic but potent whites are another personal favorite - big GV, Gewurz, richer Pfalz Rieslings.
 
I plumped for Soave Classico on Asimov's blog, but CMM is right: A big T-Day spread is a chaos of aromas, flavors, and textures. So I'm going with Jim: Never mind pairing, open something really good. As Jim points out, even people who don't know nuthin' know when they're drinking something really good.

(I'm going to open a Cavallotto Freisa, just because I can.)
 
Often in the past I've gone with lighter pinot noirs and alsatian tokay pinot gris. I can see gamay working really well and I'm maybe going to try the 08 ESJ ros this year, cause it's local and american and I'm curious and all.
 
With turkey/dressing/trimmings/etc./etc., my inclination is to go subtle with perhaps a Pinot Noir based wine or otherwise go all-out with a hearty wine e.g. Zin or Southern France red wine.

. . . . . Pete
 
Bubbles make everything better. I'll probably open some of the current Pinon Brut (recently scored from CSW) -- it may not make for the greatest match, but I sure won't mind drinking it.

Mark Lipton
 
From a old post on eGullet, I found that this is what I served last year.

2007 Marcel Lapierre Morgon
2005 Domaine Rene Leclerc Bourgogne
2006 Clos Roche Blanche Touraine Cuve Cot

That was the progression in which they were served and all I can recall is that they were good and we had a good time. The same selection would show well if not better this year.

I don't buy into the Zin program, even Dashe's l'Enfant Terrible. Too much food and too long an event to be weighted down by the sweetness and/or alcohol of Zin.
 
Who distributes the Dashe wines? I have enjoyed several bottles thanks to a friend but here in Boston they are not available, anyone know of how they get around?
 
originally posted by lars makie:
Since it's usually just my wife and I drinking wine, I don't go too overboard with the wine on Thanksgiving. But, last year I opened the '07 Pepiere Muscadet and '07 Gamay from Clos Roche Blanche and thought they both worked fantastically with the various odds and ends that is our usual Thanksgiving dinner. And, hell, if the food was going to suck, then at least the wines would be awesome (which I knew they would be).
Click to expand...

You made a much better choice than me last year. I opted for the Briords last year and I think the regular Pepiere was much better in '07.
 
I'm thinking of bringing an '07 Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett and a 2000 Bruno Clair GC Fonteny for Thanksgiving. Would these work for a traditional Thanksgiving spread? (i.e. turkey, stuffing, yams, mashed potatoes, cranberries)
 
Who distributes the Dashe wines?
Click to expand...
They're available because they're at, of all places, the Star Market/S&S (how do they get away with not changing the signage?) on Mt. Auburn, and I think Commonwealth carries them. No?
 
originally posted by Yule Kim:
I'm thinking of bringing an '07 Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett and a 2000 Bruno Clair GC Fonteny for Thanksgiving. Would these work for a traditional Thanksgiving spread? (i.e. turkey, stuffing, yams, mashed potatoes, cranberries)
Click to expand...

Sure, why not. Don't expect the Clair to play well with the sweeter stuff (cranberries, yams), but most Thanksgivings that I have been to have never been about precise food/wine matches anyway. Not sure how you organize yourself.
 
Echoing the points made by several, I'm sure there are many combinations that work well enough....

Brad's point about the sweetness issue is well taken....so, I'd add a sweeter white to the roster as well, though I guess I would aim more towards an austrian. I can see plenty of reds working and a few working less well for my tastes, but I guess I would have a tendency to steer away from heavier stuff, considering the long haul at the table....(and speaking of which...anyone got digestifs planned for afterward? I had an Underburg recently that was quite impressive.)
 
I don't buy into the Zin program, even Dashe's l'Enfant Terrible. Too much food and too long an event to be weighted down by the sweetness and/or alcohol of Zin.
Click to expand...
What?! Thanksgiving is all about being weighted down! >:^)

Which is why Joel is absolutely correct - a digestif is required.
 
originally posted by Christian Miller (CMM):
I don't buy into the Zin program, even Dashe's l'Enfant Terrible. Too much food and too long an event to be weighted down by the sweetness and/or alcohol of Zin.
Click to expand...
What?! Thanksgiving is all about being weighted down! >:^)

Which is why Joel is absolutely correct - a digestif is required.
Click to expand...

Well, when it's time to retire to the couch, I'm all for cracking on the single malts or better yet, how about some American bourbon?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top