Thanksgiving Wine

Thanksgiving Wine Pairings

From appetizers, to white and dark turkey meat, mashed potatoes, yams, herb-filled stuffing, cranberry relish, pickled this and peppered that, all the way to pumpkin or pecan pie – is there truly a single wine that can take you seamlessly from start to finish? Enter, sparkling wines - an increasingly popular pairing partner, and not just for the holidays. Sparkling wines bring both elegance and phenomenal food-pairing versatility to virtually any meal, but with Thanksgiving these wines really shine. The art of pairing wines with food is largely a matter of personal preference; however, some safe bets for Thanksgiving wines are Pinot Noir, Syrah and Zinfandel for red winelovers and Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Viognier for those who prefer white wines. With white wines the pairing priority is finding a wine with well-balanced acidity, with reds you are shooting for fairly tame tannins that will yield to and support the flavors of the food.

Best Thanksgiving White Wines

Riesling: A white wine that may either be bone dry or fairly sweet, excellent with any dishes that are spicy, salty or sweet. Whether from Alsace, Germany or Washington – Riesling wines are a top pick white wine for pairing with Thanksgiving dinner. Riesling’s innate flavors of apple, apricot, honey and its clarifying acidity give it a significant pairing edge with the likes of sweet potatoes, turkey meat and spice-laden or herb-filled stuffing.

Gewurztraminer: This white wine tends to have the aromatic gusto and spicy palate appeal that give it a solid standing with turkey and gravy, bringing out the best in both. Gewurztraminer offers a delicious white wine option for Thanksgiving Day.

Sauvignon Blanc: This crisp white wine is known for its citrus-based flavors that can be surrounded by herb or mineral undertones, making it a prime pairing candidate for turkey and mashed potatoes.

Pinot Grigio: Capable of handling garlic and onions, herbs and rich, flavorful, high-fat dishes, this white wine is a natural for the demands of Thanksgiving Day.

Albarino and Viognier: while they may not boast the initial name recognition of say…Chardonnay, these white wine varietals, offer the perfect opportunity to shake up the Thanksgiving table and take your guests on a little wine adventure, while still maintaining perfect pairing power.

Top Red Wine Thanksgiving Options

Pinot Noir: This red wine is a traditional favorite for Thanksgiving. Pinot Noir’s subtle earthy undertones and often mushroom inspired flavors surround the fruit features of the wine and tend to show well with the traditional flavors of turkey and stuffing.

Zinfandel: A fuller bodied red wine that ups the intensity from a Pinot Noir, but still maintains a balancing effect on many traditional Thanksgiving side dishes. This would be a great wine pick for those looking for a heartier red wine with the capacity to accommodate spice, bitter and sweet flavor profiles.

Syrah/Shiraz: The Syrah grape can bring a spicy edge or a meaty character to the table often increasing the complexity, while graciously handling the cornucopia of flavors in a traditional Thanksgiving meal. The prevalent peppery notes of Syrah will partner well with the herb-infused stuffing and both the white and dark turkey meat.

Beaujolais Nouveau: A light, fruity red wine, from the Gamay grape, that goes quite well with turkey and all of the fixings. This wine is released from France on the third Thursday of November, just in time to highlight your Thanksgiving feast!

Rosé and Sherry wines : along with the aforementioned sparkling wine category are also worthy of consideration for Thanksgiving wine pairing potential. They all provide a capable go between for those that are not firmly camped in either the red or white wine trenches. If you are considering a sparkling wine you may choose one labeled as “extra dry” – which will offer a touch more fruit flavor than a "brut." As for rosé wines, a drier selection will be the most versatile for pairing with virtually any part of the Thanksgiving feast. Keep in mind that if you are hosting 5 or 50 guests this Thanksgiving that you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to offer a lovely selection of wines. There are many well-received, well-rated value wines that you can obtain for $10 or less.

Pumpkin and Pecan Pie Pairing Recommendations

fortified wines come immediately to mind. Pairing port with pies is a pretty straightforward matchup and goes way beyond just pumpkin and pecan pie. If you are a sherry fan then, you will want to take a look at either Pedro Ximénez or a Cream Sherry, to contribute a delicious nutty, sweet spice-filled character to the pumpkine or pecan pie pairing combination. Or count on a late harvest Riesling to bring rich, concentrated flavors of honey to a variety of desserts. Fortified wines and late harvest wines offer the sweetness and the viscosity to support the rich flavors and robust spice of the pumpkin pie as well as the caramelized flavors found in a pecan pie. They are also easy to find especially at this time of year.

Your wine Dr.

KHAN

CS,CSW,CSC

RHONE

Rhone

Is divided into two parts the Northern Rhone and the Southern Rhone.   Two rivers are in the Rhone, the Rhone River and the Drome river.

Northern Rhone

Narrow strip of land on steep granite hills.

-Syrah is the only black grape and is best in Cote Rotie and Hermitage

Viognier is the main white grape and is best at Condrieu and Chateau Grillet (one of the smallest AOC’s in France) There is also Marsanne and Rousanne and the whites are allowed to be mixed with the reds.

Cote Rotie – The most Northern in Rhone on very steep slopes.  The slopes are southeast facing and are protected from the mistral winds.  The soils are schist and each vine has its own stake.  Syrah with up to 20% Viognier.

Condrieu – Just south of Cote Rotie.  Is 100% viognier.

Chateau Grillet – Is located with in Condrieu and is one of the smallest ACs in France.

Saint Joseph – Overlaps half of Condrieu and extends south on the west side of Rhone to just north of St-Peray. Majority is red Syrah with up to 10% Marsanne and Roussane.

Hermitage – on Saouth facing granite slopes.  Crozes hermitage is the lesser AC.  It is Syrah with up to 15% Marsanne and Rousanne.

Cornas – Small AC between St-Peray and Saint Joseph.  Syrah

St-Peray – Most southerly AC in Northern Rhone. Produces still and sparkling wine from Marsanne and Rousanne. 

Clairette de Die and Cremant de Die produces sparkling wine.  Clairette de Die is made from the Muscat grape and Cremant de Die is made from the Clairette grape.For the sparkling it is produced in Methode Dioise Ancestrale (begins bottling a partly fermented must with at least 55 grams and fermenting down to 35 grams of residual sugar) The soils consist of schist, granite and are high in Alkaline.

Southern Rhone

Grenache is the main grape but also there is Syrah, Cinsault and Mourvedre being the most important.

-Rocks absorb the heat from the sun keeping the wines warm at night often referred to as Pudding Stones.

-Can be affected by mistral which is a very strong, cold wind.

Coteaux du Tricastin – Just south of Montlimar produces good red from Grenache, Syrah with Carignan, Mourvedre and Cinsault.

Cotes-du-Rhone – The AC Cotes-du-Rhone Villages which may have the village name attached.  There are 16 villages which can append their name to the Cotes-du-Rhone Village AC:

Beaumes-de-Venise         Sablet

Cairanne                        Saint-Gervais

Chusclan                       Saint-Maurice

Laudun                          Seguret

Rasteau                         Saint-Pantaleon

Roaix                            Valreas

Rochegude                    Vinsobres

Rousset-les-Vignes         Visan

Cotes du Vivarais -  Produces red, white and rose. Min 90% Syrah and Grenache.  The rose is from Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault.  The whites are from Clairette, Grenache and Marsanne.

Rasteau – Produces red, white and rose sold under Cotes-du-Rhone.  The are naturally sweet wines known as VDN’s which can originate from Rasteau, Sablet and Cairanne.

Cotes du Ventoux – Large district between Cotes-du-Rhone AC and Cotes-du-Luberon AC.  Red, white and rose are produced

Gigondas – Max of 80% Grenache and a min of 15% Syrah and Mourvedre.  Alc is 12.5% min

Beaumes-de-Venise – Muscat de Beaumes do Venise AC wines take their name from the village Beaumes de Venise.  Wines are sweet naturally and add grape spirit (brandy) to the fermentation to arrest it (as in port production)  This ensures that plenty of unfermented  sugar remains in the wine producing14-15% abv.  There is also Beaumes de Venise AC for still red wines.

Vacqueras – A min of 50% Grenache

Chateauneuf du Pape – The name comes from the 14^th Century Pope.  Most of this area is covered with Pudding Stones. This assist in draining the ground and keep the vines warm as they hold the heat.  Wines are nearly all red and have 13 grape varietals permitted.

Grenache              Picpoul

Syrah                   Roussanne

Cinsault                Terret Noir

Counoise              Vaccarese

Mourvedre            Picardin

Bourboulenc         Carignan

Clairette

Alc min is 12.5.  Wines from Estates have the two keys on the bottle.  Chateau Beaucastel is a complex blend of all the grapes and 30% Grenache.  Chateau Rayas is all Grenache.

Lirac – Produces red, white and rose.  The roses are similar to Tavel.  The red are 40% minimum Grenache plus 25% Morvedre and Syrah, the rest is Cotes-du-Rhone varietals.

Tavel – Only AC for rose wines only.  Grencahe and Cinsault followed by Mourvedre and Picpoul are the most important but 10 total are allowed.  No single grape can be more than 60% of the blend.  A max of 13.5% abv.  It is pelure d’oignan (onion skin) color.

Cotes du Luberon – Produces red, white and rose.  The red and rose wines are a minimum of 60% Grenache and Syrah.  The remaining are Cotes-du-Rhone varietals.  The white are made  from Clairette, Grenache blanc, Roussane, Ugni Blanc, Bourboulenc and Vermentino.

Vinsorbres – Awarded in 2005 as an AC. 50% Grenache and either Mourvedre and Syrah 25% minimum.

Your Wine Dr.

KHAN

CS,CSW,CSC

Loire

                                            Loire  

The Loire is one of the most diverse wine region in the world…

it is approx. 960 km long (OVER 600 MI.) Rising from the Massif in the South it flows over 140 km before the Central Vineyards, and on toward the Atlantic.  The river keeps the region a few precious degrees warmer and the warmest area is Touraine where some very good red wines are produced. The region also produces some of the greatest Sweet wines in the world!  There are several soil types and at least a dozen grape varieties.

The upper Loire area of Cote du Forez VDQS produces Red and Rosé from Gamay grapes.  The Cote Roannaise AC (upgraded in 1996) produces AOC red wine from Gamay. These areas are across from Beaujolais on the map. 

 Many producers are using the  Maceration Pelliculaire  or Cold Soak process to obtain more flavor in the white wines.

Grapes :

·     White

1.  Sauvignon Blanc

2.  Chassalas

3.  Chenin Blanc

4.  Muscadet (Melon de Bourgogne)

5.  Gros Plant (Folle Blanche)

6.  Romorantin

7.  Chardonnay

8.  Malvoise

·     Red

1.  Cabernet Franc

2.  Cabernet Sauvignon

3.  Cot (Malbec)

4.  Pinot Noir

5.  Gamay

6.  Grolleau

7.  Pineau d’Aunis (Chenin Noir)

The 4 Main Loire Districts (with sub-districts)  :

·     Central Vineyards:

Pouilly-Sur-Loire – Chassalas

Sancerre

Pouilly Fume

Menetou-Salon

Reuilly

Quincy

·     Touraine:

Cheverny

Vouvray

Montlouis

Bourgueil / St.-Nicolas-Bourgueil

Chinon

Loir Valley :    1. Jasnières   2. Coteaux du Loir

·     Anjou:

Anjou

Saumur

Coteaux du Layon

Savennieres

Haut Poitou

·     Nantais:

1.  Muscadet

2.  Muscadet de Sevre-et-Maine,

3.  Muscadet Cotes de Grand-Lieu,  

4.  Muscadet des Coteaux de la Loire

        *VDQS Gros Plant 

*Coteaux d’ Ancenis

Central Vineyards

·      Pouilly-sur-Loire  (the best wines are of 100% Sauvignon Blanc) and is sold under these three ACs:

1.    Pouilly-Fumé AC

2.    Pouilly Blanc Fumé AC 

3.    Blanc Fumé de Pouilly

·       Pouilly-sur-Loire AC   wines are made from Chasselas grape  

·      Sancerre AC is made mostly from Sauvignon Blanc but a little red is made with Pinot Noir

·      Menetou-Salon AC  is a small area producing red/ rose from Pinot Noir and white from Sauvignon Blanc.

·      Quincy AC  This has only one AC and it is 100%  Sauvignon Blanc

·      Reuilly AC  produces Sauvignon Blanc white wines, red wines and great rosés from Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris

·      Orleans AC produces Red/Rose from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay

·      Orleans-Clery AC produces dry red wine from Cabernet Franc

·      Chateaumiellant AC produces Red/Rose Gamay Noir, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Gamay

·      Coteaux de Giennois AC produces Sauvignon Blanc, Gamay and Pinot Noir

Touraine  

The warmest district produces white, red and rose wines

·      Cheverny

Red/Rose: 40-65% Gamay, + Pinot Noir, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon (until 2000);

White:65-80% Sauvignon Blanc + Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Arbois;

Rose: min 50% Gamay + Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Pineau d'Aunis, Pinot Gris

·       Cour-Cheverny was upgraded in 1993 to AC status.

The white Cour-Cheverny white wine is made entirely from Romorantin grape.

·      Vouvray

A delimited district of Eight Communes

Well known for tufa sub-soil.  This white wine is made from Chenin Blanc grapes and can be a most raspingly acidic wine in cooler years.

    

The Vouvray wines are in three degrees of dryness:

1.    Dry (Sec)

2.    Semi dry (Moelleux)

3.    Sweet (Liquoreux)

And three Vouvray styles:

1.    Still

2.    Slightly Sparkling (Pétillant)

3.    Sparkling (Mousseaux) from Methode Traditional

·      Mountlouis  Directly across Loire River to the South from Vouvray (used to be sold as Vouvray)

Dry, semi-dry, sweet and sparkling from “method traditional” made from the Chenin Blanc grape.

·      Loir Valley    LOIR is pronounced    LOW - EAR

                                              i.     Jasnieres AC wines are made from Chenin Blanc and have steep south facing slopes

                                             ii.     Coteaux du Loir AC Red: min 30% Pineau d'Aunis+Gamay, Pinot Noir, CF, CS; White: CB; Rose: Pineau d'Aunis, CF, Gamay, Malbec + 25% Grolleau

                                           iii.     Coteaux Vendomois Red: min 30% Pineau d'Aunis+Gamay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon;

White: Chenin Blanc + max 20% Chardonnay

Rose: Pineau d'Aunis + max 30% Gamay

·      Bourgueil  AC  &  St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil AC

They produce red wines from Cabernet Franc

with up to 10% of Cabernet Sauvignon

·      Chinon AC  produces mainly red wine from Cabernet Franc with max 10% Cabernet Sauvignon some rose and a little Chenin Blanc

·      Valencay VDQS Red: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Gamay + 25% Gascon & Pinot d'Aunis, max 10% Gamay de Chaudonnay;

White: Arbois, SB, Chard, max 40% CB & Romorantin; Rose: CF, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Gamay + 25% Gascon & Pd'Aunis, max 15% Gamay tienturier de Chaudonnay

Anjou

·      Saumur   also has the Tufa sub-soil  and has an abundance of limestone caves. Produces still or sparkling wines from Chenin Blanc - and a max of 20%  Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc

o   Two Sparkling wine ACs : 

1.    Saumur d’Origine AC

2.      Crémant de Loire AC

·      Saumur-Champigny AC  red wine from Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Pineau d’Aunis

·      Saumer-Petillant AC minimum 80% Chenin Blanc with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc

·      Savennières AC  plus two others:

1.    Savennières-Coulée-de-Serrant AC

2.    Savennières-La-Roche-aux-Moines AC

Savennières is a commune north of the river just south of Angers. The fine dry white wines from Chenin Blanc can take many years to reach maturity. The soil is very different than that of the surrounding area and thus the three ACs.  Nicolas Joly is a Biodynamic pioneer owns the Coulée-de-Serrant and La-Roche-aux-Moines sites.

·      Coteaux du Layon

Produces red,  rose, dry white and outstanding sweet white wines. The rose wines are sold under Anjou Rosé or Rosé de Cabernet.

§  The sweet white wines of these Coteaux du Layon ACs can be sold either demi-sec, moelleux or liquoreux

§  All the outstanding white dessert wine is made from Chenin Blanc, in good years they can be as glorious as the greatest Sauternes and ausleses of Germany.

·      Rosé-d’Anjou AC is made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Grolleau, Gamay, Pineau d’Aunis (Chenin Noir) and Pinot Noir

·      Cabernet d’Anjou is made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc

·      Cabernet de Saumer is made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc

·      Rosé de Loire AC is made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Grolleau, Gamay, Pineau d’Aunis (with  COT replacing Pinot Noir).  The sweeter versions are from Grolleau gave rose from the Loire a bad name.

·      Vins du Thouarsais VDQS Red/ Rose: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gamay; White: Chenin Blanc + max 20% Chardonnay

There are two quality vineyard areas for sweet wines with their own AC:

o  Bonnezeaux AC

o  Quarts du Chaume AC

 two additional ACs:

o  Coteaux du layon Chaume AC

o   Coteaux du Layon Villages AC

( 6 villages) can add their name to label :

1.    Beaulieu-sur-Layon

2.    Faye d’Anjou

3.    Rablay-sur-Layon

4.    Rochefort-sur-Loire

5.    St Aubin de Luignés

6.    St Lambert-du-Lattay

Nantais

The cold and wet area around the town of Nantes (close to the Atlantic Coast) has four AC areas:

1.    Muscadet AC

2.    Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire AC

3.    Muscadet Cotes de Grand Lieu AC

4.    Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine AC (best)

o   The white wine from this region is from Muscadet. The local name is Melon de Bourgogne grape.

o    Aging requirements: On sediment for one winter, not bottled before 3rd week of March, or mid-October to mid-November for fuller bodied wines.  Bottled directly off its lees (no fining, filtering)

o   The wines may have a slightly “salty” or briny minerality at times, high acid and most are of  low to moderate quality and very light and thin.  Much improvement has been made in recent years and the wines are improving.

o   Sometimes these wines are sold under sur lie (which means they have been matured on their fine lees over the winter. This creates a richer and somewhat “yeasty” flavor, and a slight “prickle” to the wine. Some actually can be confused with Chablis if made well.

o   Other Areas of interest are:

                                              i.     VDQS Gros Plant du Pays Nantais (Folle Blanche grape)

                                             ii.     VDQS Coteaux d’Ancenis   Red/Rose: Cabernet Sauvingon, Cabernet Franc, Gamay max total 5% Gamay de Chaudenay and Gamay de Bouze; White: Chenin Blanc, Pinot Gris

                                          iii.     VDQS Fiefs Vendeens  Red: Min 50% Gamay and Pinot   Noir, + Cabernet Sauvignon, Nefrette, max 15% Gamay de Chaudenay; White: min 50% Chenin Blanc, + Sauvingon, Chardonnay.  Max 20% Melon in Vix and Pissotte; max 30% Groslot Gris in Les Sables d'Olonne; Rose: Same as Red, except Max 30% Groslot Gris in Les Sables d'Olonne

Your Wine Dr.

KHAN 

CS,CSW,CSC