Thanksgiving is nearly upon us, and it's time to explore the metaphysical and sociological bases for selecting wine for Turkey Day. This probably sounds pretentious (and it is, a bit), but the truth is that picking wines for the Thanksgiving meal is at least as much about the people as it is about the food.
Case in point: You're going to friends' home for the Big Meal, and they're seriously into food and wine. Pinot Noir goes really well with turkey, so you splurge on a great bottle of red Burgundy or a top-flight bottle of Oregon P.N. Or...
You're having the family over for the feast at your house. You're interested enough in wine to be reading this blog, but your parents and Aunt Alice and Uncle Herb are definitely not. They drink wine at Christmas, New Years', Easter, and Thanksgiving. That's pretty much it. Riesling, White Zinfandel, and Merlot are their favorites.
You see the problem.
If you are one of those fortunate few who need a great bottle of wine for Thanksgiving, Grand Cru can help you find a superb bottle of $50, $70, or $100 dollar wine. That's easy. I'm here to talk to those of you who are expecting Alice and Herb for dinner.
There are two principles to be observed here. First - and most important - is that you must choose wines that will please your guests, Alice and Herb and the rest, and still be an enjoyable drink for you.
Second - remember that the Thanksgiving meal is complex. Wine pairings have to handle white meat, dark meat, cranberries and sweet potatoes. And don't forget the sausage - or oyster - stuffing, and the shrimp cocktail. One wine will not do the job.
So think about a lineup that includes ...
Sparkling wine/Champagne: nothing starts off festivities so well as bubbles. While my personal preference is toward the real French stuff (N.V. Billecart-Salmon Brut, $39.99 on sale for the holidays, and a delicious glass), it might make more sense to serve domestic on a day so steeped in American history (N.V. Domaine Carneros Brut, $24.99, elegant and stylish - a perfect aperitif, and one of my favorite non-French).
Are you used to having a crab or shrimp cocktail to start the meal? Fresh oysters? Consider a crisp Sauvignon (Blanc). I use the parentheses because there is no Sauvignon Rouge, so the Blanc is redundant. Be that as it may, try something local (2008 Buty Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc, $24.99, full of bright fruit yet with a gentle creaminess - and no oak to get in the way).
Red wine, we need red wine. The best choice for turkey is something on the fruity side, not particularly tannic, not particularly oaky. The French figured this out a few years ago - they changed the release date of Nouveau Beaujolais from November 15th to THE THURSDAY THAT PRECEDES THANKSGIVING. Arrogant they may be, but dumb about food and wine? not so much. So try a vibrantly fruity Nouveau, or a true Beaujolais (2007 Daniel Bouland Morgon, $19.99, a classic Cru Beaujolais from one of the very best villages in the region); it will go with virtually every dish on the menu, and ... it pleases just about everyone who tastes it, even folks who only drink white wine. A winner.
Nearer to home, Oregon Pinot Noir is a great match for the whole panoply of Thanksgiving. One of my consistent favorites are the two wines from Domaine Drouhin, the regular Willamette Valley at $44.99 and the “Laurene†cuvee at $64.99. Both are elegant, complex wines that you'll appreciate more with every sip.
At the other end of the price range, consider the 2008 Broadley Vineyards Pinot Noir $22.99, one of the very best Pinots from anywhere in the world for the money.
So come by the shop one day before Turkey Day and we'll guide you through these and hundreds of other choices - syrah, anyone? - to make next Thursday a great wine day, too. Saturday we're tasting some of the Beaujolais mentioned above - free. But remember, Sunday and Monday we're closed.
-Tom C