The key to choosing your perfect Thanksgiving wine is to approach the
process both freely and confidently. The art of wine pairing is nothing
to be intimidated by.
For the novice, there are a few simple tricks to choosing the right wine for your Holiday meal.
The best wine pairings focus on the marriage of tastes, which means matching the right wine flavor with the right dish.
Patty Novo, of Crush and Cask in Saratoga, typically begins her meal with a dry Riesling.
"I prefer dry. It has a good acidity which gets the mouth watering for what's to come," she said.
Then she moves on to a Red, such as a Pinot Noir or a Zinfandel.
"The thing about Thanksgiving is that it's not hard to match turkey, but everything that goes with the turkey," she said.
Zinfandel is considered an all-American wine, which makes it a fitting choice for Thanksgiving dinner. Novo suggests Rosenblum Vintner's Cuvee which, at under $12, is the perfect introductory bottle. She also suggests Campus Oaks, a Crush and Cask customer favorite with its hint of black raspberry fruit and touch of savory spice. Novo says Campus Oaks is particularly good with savory stuffing and cranberry compotes.
However, Robert Biale Stagecoach is her favorite Zinfandel.
"Biales are my favorite Zins because they manage to possess rich fruit and elegance at the same time."
According to Novo, a Pinot Noir is also always a good choice for a red wine. Patty says Pinot Noir is very food friendly; it goes great with turkey and often has notes of cranberry or spice in it.
William Roach, owner of Putnam Wines, says the best advice for an apprehensive wine-pairer is to think logically. He says wine pairing is just like selecting a condiment.
Here's an easy food-condiment pairing: ketchup and French-fries. Now translate this easy match into the most basic vino language. If your dish is savory, you want to choose a savory wine. If you're serving something sweet, then your best bet is a sweet wine. If your menu is a myriad of rich flavors, then why not choose a rich wine?
"You don't mix dry with sweet. It's an easy mistake to make with wine, but think of it as the dreadful combination of toothpaste and orange juice," William said.
Wine-pairers must also consider the weight of their beverage, as the best pairings match the weight of the wine with the weight of the dish.
According to William, "weight" is easy. We know the difference between skim milk and cream, the latter is much heavier, much creamier and their tastes are entirely different. The same "rule" applies to the different types of wine.
Aside from weight, pairings must balance volume, richness and abundance. All-in-all the best matches will either compare or contrast these three aspects of flavor.
Now, let's get to the suggesting:
In general, Turkey works best with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. A Shiraz, Merlot or Cabernet Saugivnon will also work well. Your paradigm Thanksgiving plate - turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing and mashed potatoes - calls for certain pairings that are both timeless and divine. A dry, sparkling Shiraz or a fruity Zinfandel will always do the trick for this meal; Beaujolais, Riesling, or California Chardonnay will do your taste buds justice. Amarone is also a good choice.
A fruity Zinfandel should also run you about $20, and wines from California are your best pick in this category. Expect to pay at least $10 for a good Red Zinfandel.
Roach says it's best to steer away from "nouveau" when choosing Beaujolais, and you should expect to pay between $15 and $22. Terres Dorress' L'Ancien is a great pick.
Rieseling can be either dry or sweet. Dry Riesling is more alcoholic. You can get a good German dry Riesling for $15 to $25, or a bottle from South America for $7 to $9.
"A lot of people think a Riesling must be sweet; that's not true. But if you like sweet, look for low alcohol, around 10 percent maximum," Roach said.
"Amarone will make the red wine lover in your family very happy. But beware- they are typically 15 percent alcohol," Roach said.
Roach also has a small collection of books to help steer his customers in the right direction. According to one of these valuable resources, What to Drink with What You Eat by Dorenburg and Page, pumpkin-flavored dishes typically pair well with Viognier, sweet potatoes go well with a California Chardonnay, garlic mixes well with Sauvignon Blanc, and fresh fruit is magical with a rose or sweet Champagne.
For the next day, when eating cold leftovers, you can pair round two of your delicious meal with a Pinot Noir, Beaujolais or German Riesling.
White Zinfandel is an easy compliment for a sweet dish. But Roach suggests going further ahead for your Thanksgiving meal; if you know your guests like sweet, try a Riesling.
If you feel like being adventurous, Roach suggests a sparkling Australia Shiraz. The bubbles will add some brilliance to your meal.
"But beware because it's 15 percent alcohol. You don't want to be under the table before dessert," Roach said.
But the best Thanksgiving wine pairing combines family and friends with favorite foods and favorite wines.
"Thanksgiving is the day to drink what you like," he said. "It's the time to give Grandma what she likes, not necessarily the time to broaden her horizons," Roach said.
The best wine pairings focus on the marriage of tastes, which means matching the right wine flavor with the right dish.
Patty Novo, of Crush and Cask in Saratoga, typically begins her meal with a dry Riesling.
"I prefer dry. It has a good acidity which gets the mouth watering for what's to come," she said.
Then she moves on to a Red, such as a Pinot Noir or a Zinfandel.
"The thing about Thanksgiving is that it's not hard to match turkey, but everything that goes with the turkey," she said.
Zinfandel is considered an all-American wine, which makes it a fitting choice for Thanksgiving dinner. Novo suggests Rosenblum Vintner's Cuvee which, at under $12, is the perfect introductory bottle. She also suggests Campus Oaks, a Crush and Cask customer favorite with its hint of black raspberry fruit and touch of savory spice. Novo says Campus Oaks is particularly good with savory stuffing and cranberry compotes.
However, Robert Biale Stagecoach is her favorite Zinfandel.
"Biales are my favorite Zins because they manage to possess rich fruit and elegance at the same time."
According to Novo, a Pinot Noir is also always a good choice for a red wine. Patty says Pinot Noir is very food friendly; it goes great with turkey and often has notes of cranberry or spice in it.
William Roach, owner of Putnam Wines, says the best advice for an apprehensive wine-pairer is to think logically. He says wine pairing is just like selecting a condiment.
Here's an easy food-condiment pairing: ketchup and French-fries. Now translate this easy match into the most basic vino language. If your dish is savory, you want to choose a savory wine. If you're serving something sweet, then your best bet is a sweet wine. If your menu is a myriad of rich flavors, then why not choose a rich wine?
"You don't mix dry with sweet. It's an easy mistake to make with wine, but think of it as the dreadful combination of toothpaste and orange juice," William said.
Wine-pairers must also consider the weight of their beverage, as the best pairings match the weight of the wine with the weight of the dish.
According to William, "weight" is easy. We know the difference between skim milk and cream, the latter is much heavier, much creamier and their tastes are entirely different. The same "rule" applies to the different types of wine.
Aside from weight, pairings must balance volume, richness and abundance. All-in-all the best matches will either compare or contrast these three aspects of flavor.
Now, let's get to the suggesting:
In general, Turkey works best with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. A Shiraz, Merlot or Cabernet Saugivnon will also work well. Your paradigm Thanksgiving plate - turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing and mashed potatoes - calls for certain pairings that are both timeless and divine. A dry, sparkling Shiraz or a fruity Zinfandel will always do the trick for this meal; Beaujolais, Riesling, or California Chardonnay will do your taste buds justice. Amarone is also a good choice.
A fruity Zinfandel should also run you about $20, and wines from California are your best pick in this category. Expect to pay at least $10 for a good Red Zinfandel.
Roach says it's best to steer away from "nouveau" when choosing Beaujolais, and you should expect to pay between $15 and $22. Terres Dorress' L'Ancien is a great pick.
Rieseling can be either dry or sweet. Dry Riesling is more alcoholic. You can get a good German dry Riesling for $15 to $25, or a bottle from South America for $7 to $9.
"A lot of people think a Riesling must be sweet; that's not true. But if you like sweet, look for low alcohol, around 10 percent maximum," Roach said.
"Amarone will make the red wine lover in your family very happy. But beware- they are typically 15 percent alcohol," Roach said.
Roach also has a small collection of books to help steer his customers in the right direction. According to one of these valuable resources, What to Drink with What You Eat by Dorenburg and Page, pumpkin-flavored dishes typically pair well with Viognier, sweet potatoes go well with a California Chardonnay, garlic mixes well with Sauvignon Blanc, and fresh fruit is magical with a rose or sweet Champagne.
For the next day, when eating cold leftovers, you can pair round two of your delicious meal with a Pinot Noir, Beaujolais or German Riesling.
White Zinfandel is an easy compliment for a sweet dish. But Roach suggests going further ahead for your Thanksgiving meal; if you know your guests like sweet, try a Riesling.
If you feel like being adventurous, Roach suggests a sparkling Australia Shiraz. The bubbles will add some brilliance to your meal.
"But beware because it's 15 percent alcohol. You don't want to be under the table before dessert," Roach said.
But the best Thanksgiving wine pairing combines family and friends with favorite foods and favorite wines.
"Thanksgiving is the day to drink what you like," he said. "It's the time to give Grandma what she likes, not necessarily the time to broaden her horizons," Roach said.
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