With Thanksgiving dinner bearing down on us once again, we confront the annual challenge of selecting wines that will harmonize with the highly varied flavors involved in this complex meal.
The challenge is heightened in most homes by the need to please a whole spectrum of personal preferences. Many gatherings will include guests with established loyalties to wines that are red or white, dry or sweet, light or heavy, delicate or strong. There's also the problem that your guests will likely include both vinous novices as well as others who-like you-are sufficiently into wine to read websites like this one.
Add this up and you'll see that picking a wine for Thanksgiving is a tough job. You could approach it in at least three different ways: First, you could adopt the slightly autocratic approach of forcing everyone to drink a single wine. This option has the virtue of simplicity, but you may not find it particularly interesting or very well attuned to the spirit of the occasion.
Second, you could try to please everyone by purchasing eight or nine different bottles. However, a traditional Thanksgiving dinner already involves so many different dishes that this strategy threatens to turn your dining room into a madhouse.
Finally, you could try serving two different wines selected with differing purposes in mind: one that steers a middle course in a way likely to please most palates (including those of novices), and another, much more daring choice that will stretch your inventory of experience while also interesting the other wine geeks around your table.
I hope that you are as eager as I was to learn what some of our Wine Review Online regulars would select as their 'play it safe' and 'go for broke' choices. I'll run them in alphabetical order by author below, and chip in with a couple of recommendations of my own at the close of the article:
Play It Safe: Louis Jadot, Beaujolais-Villages (Burgundy, France) 2005 ($12, Kobrand): Suggesting wine for Thanksgiving always reminds me of advice my friend Bob Harkey, owner of Harkey's Fine Wines in Millis, Massachusetts, gave me years ago. 'Match the wine to the guests, not the food.'
Our esteemed editor at WRO, Michael Franz, chided me the first time he heard this advice by commenting, 'Don't you always think of the guests when you pick the wine?' Of course, but at Thanksgiving, it's best to ignore the food (if it were your choice, would you have really selected turkey?) and focus on the guests, who often range from close friends intently interested in wine to distant relatives who could care less about what's in the glass.
Enter Beaujolais, a fruity, check-the-tannins-at-the-door kind of wine. Beaujolais is the quintessential easy-to-drink, crowd-pleasing wine because it's fresh and fruity. But true wine geeks appreciate it as well, especially a well-chosen one that delivers more than just plain fruit flavors. Even though the French release Beaujolais Nouveau a week before Thanksgiving, for this year's meal I prefer a Beaujolais-Villages from the exceptional 2005 vintage. Although I've recommended Jadot's 2005 Beaujolais-Villages previously, it is so perfect for Thanksgiving that it is worth re-emphasizing the suggestion now.
Jadot, one of Burgundy's best producers, is restoring the reputation of the region from one that produces alcoholic grape juice to one than makes exciting wines. In addition to their purchase of Château des Jacques, the leading estate in Beaujolais, they have invested in a new winery to enhance the quality of their 'simple' Beaujolais-Villages. They've succeeded admirably and you can taste the results in Jadot's 2005 Beaujolais-Villages.
Go For Broke: Craggy Range, Te Muna Road Vineyard (Martinborough, New Zealand) Riesling 2005 ($22, Kobrand): With regard to wine and food pairing, my longstanding principle is: 'When in doubt, serve Riesling.' And there's always doubt about what to serve at Thanksgiving.
Riesling-with its cutting acidity-is the perfect foil for the varied foods of the Thanksgiving table. Craggy Range has managed to combine the best of both worlds of Riesling-the delicate, floral character of German Riesling, with the more substantial power of Alsace Riesling. To make it even better, their Martinborough Riesling has a touch of intriguing minerality that keeps you coming back for more. Its fresh and delicately flowery character means you can sip it as an aperitif, but its substantial body also allows it to stand up to turkey and whatever else the table throws its way. And it comes bottled with a screw cap so any of your guests can open it.
Selecting wines for Thanksgiving dinner can be either fun or folly. The exercise is often a minefield of possible hazards, but all of the bother disappears if you have a clear understanding of what will be on the holiday table.
In my family, the Thanksgiving meal is a traditional menu of roast turkey and gravy, stuffing (dressing?), and a few side dishes. Other meats like roast beef, prime rib and duck have never been a consideration. And while turkey meat, white or dark, is an easy call with wine, some side dishes can be problematic; what do you do with candied yams topped with marshmallows, or a stuffing heavy on the poultry seasoning?
Over the years, I've tried different wines, but always come back to the yeoman red choice of Pinot Noir. So I was happy to read that in a recent survey conducted by The California Wine Club, 38% of the respondents named Pinot Noir as their first choice. Chardonnay was the second choice, followed closely by Cabernet Sauvignon, then Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc and Champagne in a tie for fifth place.
Although our Thanksgiving meal is both sweet and savory, it is not highly spiced, so Pinot seems to be a good choice. This year, I have decided to push the envelope and put two bottles of red on my Thanksgiving table; a juicy fruit-forward New Zealand Pinot Noir and a structured red from Italy's Sardinia.
Play It Safe: Central Otago, at the bottom end of New Zealand's South Island, produces Pinot Noir that almost jumps out of your glass. The ripe, cherry-berry aromas and flavors, with a hint of spice in Olssens, Central Otago (New Zealand) Pinot Noir 'Jackson Barry' 2004 is just right with both the turkey white and dark meats. Also, the fruit-forward flavors easily compliment mildly seasoned stuffing, vegetables, mashed potatoes with horseradish and even a family favorite, creamy onion bake. Via Pacific Imports makes this juicy pinot available for $31 or less.
Go For Broke: An Italian red blend of Carignano (Carginane in French), Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from the island of Sardinia is my other choice. Agricola Puncia, Isola dei Nuraghi (Sardinia, Italy) Barrua Vineyard 2002 ($50, Kobrand Corp.) may look dense and forbidding, especially as a turkey wine, but the aromas and flavors are ripe and rich, more like a big Pinot Noir or Syrah than a Cabernet Sauvignon. I liked the supple and sensuous flavors supported by excellent acidity and nicely integrated refined tannins. The fruit-forward character and subtle herbal back notes of this juicy wine lend themselves nicely to turkey dark meat and other savory side dishes that complete the traditional Thanksgiving meal. One of the forces behind this wine is the noted Tuscan enologist Giacomo Tachis, who helped develop the Super Tuscan Sassicaia.
So, with the potential pitfalls of wine pairing avoided, it's time to have fun at the Thanksgiving table with Pinot and Carignane.
Play It Safe: I'm writing this from the Rhône Valley in France, a long smörgåsbord of a wine region that's home to more than 20 grape varieties, and nearly all of them seem to have been created for the complex and savory flavors of Thanksgiving. The white wines, especially those made with Marsanne, Roussanne, and Grenache Blanc, have a beautiful savory quality that seems to sort out the complex herbs and spices in the meal. And Côtes du Rhône, especially those made with Grenache, can be light, easy drinking red berry wines, great just for quaffing. But if you want a wine with a little more spine that will tow the line with the food, uncork a Crozes Hermitage, a lighter, fruitier Syrah from the northern Rhône. The wine from 2004 Guigal has a smoky, dark berry scent with a nice herbal quality that suggests anise or English thyme, but is dark and juicy on the palate, beautifully girded by a granitic spine of minerality.
Go For Broke: For something a little different, stay in the Rhône but head south. Châteauneuf du Pape has the warmth, the garnet fruit, and the pantry-full of spices (sage, thyme, rosemary, and in some wines, such exotic scents as mace, allspice, and white pepper) to pair well with the meal. But my most treasured find on this trip was the village of Cairanne, particularly the wines of Domaine Boisson and L'Oratoire St. Martin. I loved the wines from both of these producers, and their common thread was old vine Mourvedre, a dark, brooding, spicy, leathery, even ornery variety that is often used in blending in the Rhône. Winemakers Bruno Boisson and Frederic Alary both use high percentages of Mourvedre in their Cairannes, and they're extraordinary. Boisson's is ripe and heady, with a smoky tinge and tons of black plum fruit. Alary's Cuvee Prestige is darker still, a complex, unoaked wine with spiced plum flavors and a stirring minerality that's met with sweet, silky tannins. Both have that classic Mourvedre gamey, sauvage tinge that matches up to the bird beautifully.
I'm a big proponent of serving American wines on Thanksgiving. After all, it's the one day in the year that the whole country actually cares about food. Drinking imported wine seems almost blasphemous.
I've tried all sorts of wines over the years, and most seem to do just fine. You don't want something too light or too heavy, so as to neither overwhelm nor be overwhelmed by all the disparate foods; but beyond that, most wines will work well. I've especially enjoyed Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, and Viognier (for whites), Pinot Noir and Rhône-style blends (for reds).
My favorite, though, is probably Zinfandel-with the caveat that the wine has to be fashioned in a so-called 'claret' style, meaning not excessively alcoholic or heavy. The spicy character of a restrained Zin meshes expertly with sweet, spicy Thanksgiving fare-not just the turkey, but all those trimmings (creamed onions, cranberries, sweet potatoes, and the like).
Play It Safe: Quivira, Dry Creek Valley (California) Zinfandel 2003, $22. Quivira's Zinfandel from the Dry Creek Valley exemplifies this style. It's a wine I enjoy every year, so one I can recommend with confidence.
Go For Broke: Horton Vineyards, (Virginia) Sparkling Viognier, NV, $25. I tried this wine (which the winery claims is the world's only sparkling Viognier) the other evening. Even though Horton Vineyards long has made an excellent still Viognier, I confess that I had my doubts about how good a sparkling rendition would be. But the wine turned out to be delicious-faintly floral, with sweet fruit flavors, and a fairly dry finish. It's lusher than most Champagne-styled sparklers, but not at all heavy or cloying. My bet is that it would pair well with a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, since its sweet fruit flavors should accentuate all the sweetness in the meal. And of course, everyone loves bubbles. So if you're looking for something different this year...this might be the ticket.
Play It Safe: Louis Jadot, Moulin-à-Vent (Beaujolais, Burgundy, France) Château des Jacques 2003 ($25, Kobrand Corp.): The diverse foods of Thanksgiving dinner, including the turkey, call for a young wine with great fruit and not too much tannin. Beaujolais is the ideal choice, but not just any Beaujolais. Yes, $25 is rather pricey for a Beaujolais, but after all, this is Thanksgiving! Louis Jadot has always been one of the most reliable Beaujolais producers, and its single-estate 2003 Château des Jacques from the Moulin-à-Vent cru, its top-of-the-line Beaujolais, is full-bodied and firm. It will gamely complement the turkey, stuffing, and the rest of the goodies on the plate. Think of it as the wine equivalent of a triathalon track star. This wine will cover all bases. And 2003 was a great vintage for Beaujolais.
Go For Broke: Joseph Drouhin, Griotte-Chambertin (Burgundy, France), 2003 ($175, Dreyfus Ashby): A special day calls for a special wine. A great red Burgundy is my ideal wine to accompany turkey at the Thanksgiving dinner table. I would rule out Bordeaux, as Cabernets and Merlots are too tannic for turkey. Pinot Noir fills the bill with its soft fruitiness and low tannin. And Burgundy produces the best Pinot Noirs in my book.
Joseph Drouhin's Burgundies at the top level are very fine, and decently priced. The 2003 Griotte-Chambertin, a Grand Cru, is the most elegant of all the Chambertins, and also the tiniest Chambertin vineyard. But Drouhin owns a sizable chunk of this little gem of a vineyard, and did a wondrous job with its Burgundies in the torrid 2003 vintage. An alternate choice for me would be Joseph Drouhin's 2003 Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses, a glorious wine.
I've heard talk that virtually all French citizens today can whip together some sort of authentic Thanksgiving feast for their ex-pat American friends, but when I lived there years and years ago this was not the case. Then, the very mention of a plateful of roasted turkey and sweet potatoes and marshmallows and jellied cranberries all pooled together on a slick of flour-thickened gravy was enough to make our French pals turn pale and politely change the subject. So when November rolled around, four or five of us Americans in Paris, plus a couple of our more adventuresome French friends, quietly joined forces and managed to cobble together a respectable interpretation of what we dubbed Le Jour des Mercis (Day of Thanks).
I can't remember many details of the menu other than a scrawny but deliciously herb-infused turkey, some good buttery mashed potatoes, and three bottles of Burgundy contributed by one of the French guests. None of the wine's salient details-producer, vintage, etc.-have stuck in my mind, but what I do recall is that it was simply sublime with the rest of the meal. To this day I continue to believe in an epicurean Franco-American détente cordiale on the Day of Thanks, for nothing, in my opinion, goes better with turkey than Burgundy.
Play It Safe: This year my choice is Domaine Bouchard Père & Fils, Beaune du Château Premier Cru 2002 ($35) for its refined earthy qualities balanced by just enough fruitiness, its firm structure, and the way its soft, plushy tannins fairly purr on the palate.
Go For Broke: Since Thanksgiving is the one repast when overindulgence is the law of the land and all dietary caution is thrown to the winds anyway, why not pull out all the stops and splurge on a bottle of great dessert wine to go with the pumpkin pie? Personally, I'm not normally much of a fan of sweet wine paired with sweet dessert (with very few exceptions, to my palate neither partner in the usual juxtapositions is actually improved by its affiliation with the other). But when pumpkin pie is teamed up with Dow's Vintage Port 1997 ($60-75, Premium Port Wines), some kind of gastronomic magic transpires. The wine unleashes rich, concentrated perfume and power, with notes of gorgeous dark cherries, dense espresso coffee, and wonderfully bitter black chocolate, finishing with a flood of sweet tannins. But what makes this Port so good with the pie are three noteworthy qualities. First of all, while sweet, it is not overwhelmingly sugary itself, so therefore does not get cloyingly tangled up with the sweetness of the dessert. Secondly (and perhaps related to the first point), the wine has a remarkable freshness that also keeps the overall effect from becoming syrupy. And finally, this Port has a spiciness that connects with the cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg spices in the pumpkin mix, and its creamy texture is perfectly balanced with the silkiness of the pie filling.
Play It Safe: Bouchaine, Carneros (California) Chardonnay 'Estate' 2004, $25: I always like to have a white wine at the Thanksgiving table, alongside an array of reds. This one in particular should go very well because of its emphasis on bright, clean fruit. Fruit-driven wines are essential for this feast because of the combination of sweet and savory flavors that abound at Thanksgiving. Bouchaine's Estate Chardonnay is plenty rich enough to stand up to bold flavors, and yet proves refreshing as well, thanks to lively, palate-cleansing acidity.
Go For Broke: Beckmen, Santa Ynez Valley (California) Purisima Mountain Vineyard Grenache 2004, $36: If you're looking for something off the beaten path, there is almost no more rare wine than a high class California Grenache. They are few and far between, and this is one of them. Winemaker Steve Beckmen has crafted a Grenache that has intense, almost jammy red berry fruit with bold acidity and a generous thread of minerality. This wine would make a stunning addition to any Thanksgiving feast.
The conventional wisdom holds that there's no such thing as a perfect wine for Thanksgiving, but there is one that comes pretty damn close once you consider all the parameters that are in play. I figure that the wine must be, first, relatively light in body (to avoid overwhelming either the white turkey meat or Aunt Doris). Second, it must nevertheless be fairly substantial in flavor so that it won't be overwhelmed by rich foods like stuffing laden with gravy. Third, it needs a little bit of acidity to deal with the cranberries and to keep the wine refreshing through a meal that can be pretty stultifying. Fourth, it should be pure and fresh and very slightly sweet to please the novices at the table, but not overtly grapey or insipid (advice from Apstein and Lukacs notwithstanding).
So, after patiently considering the advice of my WRO colleagues, I must playfully follow the arrogant lead of political commentator John McLaughlin by noting that THE ANSWER IS:
Play It Safe: Joseph Drouhin, Volnay (Burgundy, France) 2004 ($32, Dreyfus, Ashby): The only wine in the world that hits all four criteria is Pinot Noir from Burgundy's Côte de Beaune. There's nothing easier than providing a tasting note for this wine, since it is the physical embodiment of what Thanksgiving dinner demands: light body, with substantial, dark cherry flavors lifted by refreshing acidity and structured by just a bit of grippy tannin that is in turn balanced by a reprise of sweet cherry fruit in the finish. Bingo. This is the wine. And, as an added bonus, it doesn't come from the United States, enabling me to blaspheme against the parochial gospel of Paul Lukacs.
Go For Broke: I believe that I've just provided the perfect choice, but just as you can't leave a basketball court after a game of 'horse' without replicating the winning shot by hitting a 'prove it' basket, here goes: Conde de Valdemar, Rioja (Spain) Gran Reserva 1997 ($22, CIV): Mature Tempranillo grown in a cool climate can split the Volnay arrow in the bull's eye, and this wine will prove it. There's a little more tannin, oak and spice in this than the Drouhin Volnay, but there's plenty of sweet, primary fruit to balance the whole package and deal with everything on the table. The added bonus here is that the wine is made from a noble grape and not Gamay or Zinfandel, and thus shows a degree of class and refinement appropriate for a special occasion.
