People
count on AWS members to be knowledgeable about wine. It's normal.
Normally,
the pairings for your Turkey Day meal
are reds made from Pinot Noir or Gamay grapes and whites made from Chardonnay
or Sauvignon Blanc. Occasionally, American Zinfandel, Champagne, or whites such
as Chenin Blanc, Riesling, or Gewürztraminer will get invited, too. These are
the "usual suspects" for one reason: they’re good with standard
Thanksgiving food staples.
We would
never advise anyone against these conventional wine picks. People love Beaujolais (made from Gamay) on
any day of the year. That said, the holidays are an opportunity to try food and wines that are unexpected, as we learned at our last tasting.
Part of the fun of celebration is having things you don’t normally eat or
drink, because a holiday is ultimately just a party. Let's get away from
"normal" for one day!
Instead of domestic Chardonnay or
Chablis, try semi-dry Vouvray
Wines
from the Loire Valley are popular right now, and the grape Chenin Blanc is
having a renaissance. Vouvray is an appellation from the Touraine region of the
Loire that produces whites from Chenin Blanc grapes with a little Arbois mixed
in. They range from dry to sweet and can be sparkling, semi-sparkling, or
still. What’s great about Chenin Blanc
is that it isn’t necessarily the most fruit-forward white, so a semi-dry bottle
can have notes like honeysuckle and spice. If you’ve ever dipped a French fry
into soft-serve ice cream, you’ll understand why the contrast of slightly sweet
with salty works here.
Instead of domestic or French Sauvignon
Blanc, try one from the Marlborough region of New Zealand
Marlborough’s
unique terroir gives these wines a palate with tropical notes like grapefruit
or passion fruit. While tropical fruit probably isn’t the first flavor that
comes to mind when you think about fall in the U.S., the acidity of these wines
matches up nicely with the tartness of cranberry sauce. When buying a
Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc for Thanksgiving, look for one with a moderate ABV
that won’t overpower the food.
Instead of Champagne...get a
Champagne
When it
comes to Champagne, just spend the money to get real, capital-C Champagne. A
brut nature (no sugar added during secondary fermentation) Blanc de Blancs
(made entirely from Chardonnay) is great.
If you splurge for Champagne, you should enjoy it before your meal
unless you’re a Rockefeller heir, in
which case, you should drink Champagne with every meal.
Beyond
Champagne, there are lots of sparkling beverage options for actually pairing
with your food. A French sparkling wine made in a region other than Champagne
is a great option as they can have really great flavor components for a more
reasonable price. Try a Crémant de Loire or a Crémant D’Alsace. Another great
choice is to get a Cava from Spain.
Another
great sparkling beverage to have with your Thanksgiving meal is a sparkling
apple cider! Apples are very autumn, ciders are cheap, and they have a lower
alcohol content, which makes them approachable for most of your guests and appropriate
for marathon eating and drinking. The stewed fruit flavors, round mouth-feel,
and crispness accent the saltiness in savory dishes, enhance the fresh flavor
of vegetables, and tone down the sweetness of your sweet sides.
Instead of domestic Pinot Noir or
Burgundy, try Jumilla Monastrell
Jumilla
is a DO in southern Spain. A number of red grapes are grown in the
region, but Monastrell (also known as Mourvèdre or Mataró) is the most
successful varietal grown there. You'll
find enough acidity in the wine for it to clear the palate, and the notes of
vanilla, cocoa powder, green pepper, and olive are smooth and offer some
complexity with the food pairings. The flavor characteristics are subtle enough
not to clash with the cranberry sauce or the green beans, but they're really good
with a bite of turkey and gravy.
Instead of domestic Zinfandel, try
an Amarone della Valpolicella
Not only
is Zinfandel good with game meat, but we grow a lot of the stuff in the U.S.,
making it an American classic in some ways. They’re also notoriously high in
alcohol, making them great for pairing with assertive foods like BBQ and
roasted peppers. If you can find one with high enough acidity, these wines are
balanced enough not to overpower Thanksgiving dishes, but the price tag for a
good California zin can be high.
Like a Zinfandel,
Amarone della Valpolicella is a powerful wine high in alcohol, bursting with flavors.
They usually run well above the $20-a-bottle mark, but regulations in the wine
producing regions and sub-regions of France, Spain, and Italy make wine quality
more consistent across price points. Amarone della Valpolicella is made near
Venice from mostly Corvina grapes left to partially desiccate in whole bunch
clusters before being slowly fermented. This process brings out intense raisin,
currant, fig, and fruit compote richness while rounding out tannins. Because it
is high in alcohol, you’ll want this wine to come last. Think of it as the wine
to drink with your plate of seconds and up to your pre-pie nap.
If you
can’t find an Amarone on the cheaper end, look for a “ripasso” wine instead.
Ripasso della Valpolicella are red wines that are “passed through” the pomace
(grape leftovers) from Amarone, lending them some dried fruit flavor and
viscosity. Because this process is less labor-intensive, they run on the
cheaper side.
Remember,
unusual wine pairings are holiday fun in an experimental way, so don’t stress.
You can’t pick a “wrong” wine. And, if you discover an unconventional pairing
that works, tell us about it!
