The Holy Grail of Thanksgiving

With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, there is no better time to start planning your Thanksgiving dinner menu and selecting wines to complement the feast. Historically, the week before Thanksgiving is a great time to buy wine as many wine merchants run specials on preferred wines.

The big question - which wine or wines to go with the variety of tastes, textures and aromas that uniquely present themselves on Thanksgiving Day? The choice is entirely up to you, but we here at wines.com completely recommend the following seven wines!

Staete Landt 2005 Pinot Noir from New Zealand will tell you there is a certain magic in a proper Pinot that is just not in other red wines. This is a full-bodied wine with an elegant tannin structure and a lingering finish. Staete Landt Pinot expresses magic; it can retail for around $25; here it's markedly less at $19.89. For us this wine is pretty close to the Holy Grail, a great affordable Pinot. 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.

Or how about Jean-Luc Colombo Chateaun-du-Pape Les Bartavelles 2005? This red wine is forward, ripe and easy, with lots of grape, plum and cherry fruit backed by notes of sweet toast and spice. It has nice juicy acidity frames the finish, while a hint of grilled herb checks in at the very end. We are currently offering this wine at $24.89 and free shipping!

You can’t miss this wine from down under! Longwood McLaren Vale Shiraz 2006 is immensely rich with surface layers of vanilla, toasted coconut and caramel blend more readily with its blackberry core. It is regularly priced at $29 dollars a bottle but here at wines.com it is only $17.89 and has no shipping fee. The prevalent peppery notes of Shiraz will partner well with the herb-infused stuffing and both the white and dark turkey meat.

Another great Thanksgiving red wine is Chateau Dassault St. Emilion Grand Cru 2003 from Bordeaux, France. It has complex aromas of blackberry, smoke and meat follow through to a full-bodied palate, with soft and silky tannins and a long, flavorful finish. This wine is regularly priced at $55/bottle but is only $27 on wines.com. Currently on sale, with 6 packs and cases being brought to you with Free Shipping, until the end of November.

Not interested in red wine? Try some of our favorite white wines! Silvarado Chardonnay Carneros Vineburg 2005 offers light floral, perfumed aromas, with delicate vanilla, green apple, citrus and spice. Wines.com is currently offering this white, zesty wine at a special sale price at $19.89 with free shipping.

Also, Yalumba Viognier Eden Valley 2007 is appealing for its gorgeous apricot, pear and floral flavors, gliding smoothly over a silky frame and lingering effortlessly. It is pale gold in colour with green highlights, with a nose displaying aromas of apricot nectar, lifted honeysuckle and orange oil perfume. This wine is regularly priced at $20 a bottle but is only $13.89 at wines.com.

Our final recommendation for your holiday festivities is our Kunstler Hochheimer Kirchenstuck Riesling 2006. This white wine displays passion fruit, lemon and white pepper notes. It is regularly priced at $45.99 a bottle but online at wines.com is only priced at $24.89! 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.

These wines are traditional favorites for Thanksgiving. Try one or try several. Just remember to relax and enjoy the holidays!

The Truth about Verite La Muse

French for "truth," the wines of Vérité result from a confluence of old world experience and new world fruit. Each is an amalgam of distinct components harvested from small vineyard blocks (micro-crus), resulting in a carefully considered convergence of grape varieties, climate, soil exposition and winemaking technique. The Vérité Estate is located in the foothills of the Mayacamas Mountain range at the southern tip of Sonoma County's Alexander Valley. Vérité's unique location, shared by only one other winery, is just north of the confluence of the Chalk Hill and Knights Valley appellations.

“The Verite La Muse 2003 marks Pierre’s sixth vintage of La Muse and represents his continued dedication to craft wines without compromise. A blend comprised primarily of Merlot, La Muse demonstrates the elegance and finesse of a Pomerol-style wine. The wine begins with a rich purple color, followed by a sweet nose of blackberry, spices, tobacco, chocolate and incense. On the palate, it is full-bodied, complex and elegantly textured with a subtle hint of oak and pepper with soft ripe tannins and a clean long finish." - Pierre Seillan, Vigneron Acclaim.

This limited stock item has an elegant, sweet nose of espresso roast, chocolate, berries, kirsch, smoke, incense, and roasted meats is followed by a full-bodied, unctuously-textured wine with superb fruit, richness, complexity, and length. Its sweet tannin and heady personality suggest current accessibility as well as the ability to age for 15-20 years. It would be best paired with a blackened prime rib with garlic asparagus or a fluffy baked potato.

Gobble, Gobble by Jerry D. Mead

This classic wine column by the late Jerry D. Mead was first published on this web site ten years ago. The wine recommendations are still valid... and the references to the wineboard postings are a lot of fun. Cheers!

Instead of personally suggesting what wines to drink with turkey this year, I thought you might like to look in on an exchange on one of those interactive Internet wine sites where the subject of wines for Thanksgiving was a recent topic.

You can check out the site and this specific exchange for yourself at www.wines.com, where I happen to be one of the moderators under the screen name of Wine Curmudgeon. The turkey topic is in the section titled "For The Novice."

It all started when a fellow asked the other participants for recommendations for wines to take to a Thanksgiving dinner where he did not personally know the host. He wanted to make a good impression by bringing the "right" type of wine.

You may recall that every year at this time I tell you that turkey is one of the most versatile meats and especially because of the wide range of flavors provided by the turkey accompaniments...just about any wine will work.

One of the regular participants on the Wineboard is Randy Caparoso, beverage specialist for Roy's restaurants based in Honolulu and also wine columnist for a Honolulu daily. Because of his duties at Roy's, Caparoso is constantly staging wine/food affinity sessions with groups of people to determine which wines work best with the widely varied cuisine at his restaurants. He's one of the best I've ever seen for matching the right wine with the right food.

His first recommendation was that two wines be taken, one white, one red...something to please everyone. Specifically he recommended a huge, smoky-oaked Chardonnay and a round, opulently flavored Merlot.

Later, he got even more specific with a number of suggestions based on how the turkey is cooked and what ingredients go into the stuffing.

A player named Jason suggested Gewurztraminer (not too sweet) with turkey. I have to tell you that's one combination I never thought to try (but will this year), but several others came on with "me toos" for Gewurz.

"Tabby" and "Foodie" both like Beaujolais with turkey, and that's one I can endorse wholeheartedly. Some of the "Nouveau" versions available in fine wine shops this time of year would be ideal with a slight chill on them. These are light, fruity, very quaffable reds, by the way.

"Scoop" likes Zinfandel (the real red kind), and he likes them pretty big without being overripe and alcoholic.

"Bucko" is a fan of Rose and other pink wines, including such wines as Simi Rose of Cabernet Sauvignon, King Estate "Oregon" Vin Gris and Preston "Columbia Valley, Washington" Gamay Beaujolais Rose. All three wines sell for about $10.

I told you Caparoso got specific. Here's an abbreviated version: Turkey with buttery, bread, sage stuffing, especially if roasted in a smoker: Chardonnay.

Turkey with sausage stuffing, especially with fennel and other sausage spice: Gewurztraminer.

Turkey with mixed mushroom stuffing: Chardonnay or Pinot Noir...both like the earthy flavors.

Turkey with fresh fruit (plums, other stone fruits) stuffing: Jammy, ripe red Zinfandels, slightly sweet White Zinfandels or from France a Grand Cru Beaujolais.

Turkey with oyster stuffing: Chardonnay again, but lighter, crisper styles, like those from Santa Barbara or Oregon, or French Chablis or Macon. The heavy ones turn bitter in the presence of oysters.

Then Caparoso got a little far out for my experience. Maybe it has something to do with living in the Islands.

Turkey with Chinese seasoned stuffing (star anise, ginger, etc): Rieslings or Chardonnays long on tropical fruit flavors, for whites. Or softer styles of Syrah like Fess Parker's from the Santa Barbara area.

Cajun deep fried turkey: German Riesling or Pinot Gris from Germany or Oregon...you need the crisply acidic edges to cut through all that oil.

Now, I've never even heard of deep-fried turkey before, but I'm betting Caparoso has the wines pegged.

All of the above just demonstrates what I've always said, you can pretty much drink any wine you like with turkey and it's going to taste pretty good.

Or you could do what I always do for all large family gatherings. Everyone gets at least two wine glasses (so comparisons can be made) and I open four or five different wine types. Perhaps a crisp white, a fat oaky white, something pink, fruity and a little sweet, a softer red and a big powerhouse red. First bottle empty is declared best wine of the night.

Frog's Leap Zinfandel 2006

Frog’s Leap stands tall in the heart of Rutherford, at home in its historically noted “ghost winery” Red Barn. It’s Zinfandel is considered America's own great indigenous grape, even though its origins lie on the Adriatic coast. Planted throughout California and the Pacific Northwest, Zinfandel is at its best in warm regions with cooler temperatures during harvest. The wines can range from off-dry Rosés, White Zinfandels, and light bistro styled wines, to big, rich powerful wines - even luscious wines for dessert bottling. The flavors range from plummy to raspberry, although deep blackberry fruit and brambly spice tones are most common.

True to their tradition, the Frog's Leap Napa Valley Zinfandel 2006 is a field blend that relies on the vitality of zinfandel (87%) and the depth of petite sirah (10%) for its trademark character. It was aged for 12 months in American oak. Zinfandel’s intense aromas of wild berry and fresh fruit are punctuated by spices that include clove, cinnamon, and white pepper. Lush layers of cherry and boysenberry fill the palate, while the nuances of oak and earth never overwhelm. The wine's bright acid and soft tannins offer a plush, lingering finish. It is rich yet quaff able.

Frog’s Leap 2006 Zinfandel is a wine that both complements a meal like Smoked Chicken and is delicious completely on its own. You try this wild berry wine online from wines.com!

A Vineyard with Attitude!

At 477 to 500 meters above sea level in South Australia, it is one of the highest properties in the Barossa Valley. Mad or not, McLean planted dry grown Shiraz, Grenache, Mataro and Riesling, mostly on their own roots. The vines are spaced 3 meters x 3 meters, maximizing natural uptake of moisture from these virgin soils.

To determine where to plant their four varieties, they looked first to the soils and then to the position and aspect. 6144 vines, planted as a garden, in a north south direction eastern side facing away from the afternoon sun. These plantings twist around the rocky granite outcrops and 500 year old ancient gum trees, then track around the peak on an east facing slope, finding protection in the lee of the north and westerly winds of summer.

2513 Shiraz vines are planted in hard earth with shallow top soil, over the knoll where they struggle and work hard to achieve optimum expression. One of McLean’s finest creation is their Shiraz/Cabernet 2004. It’s dark ruby/purple-colored with a sweet nose of high quality cigar smoke intermixed with dried herb, cassis, and cherry characteristics, this deep, fleshy, medium-bodied 2004 possesses delicious, ripe fruit, good underlying acidity, and notions of plums, Allspice, and loamy soil in the finish. It would be great to pair this wine with some grilled lamb kabobs. Drink it over the next 3-4 years. Readers should be buying this one by the case!

The boldness of Shiraz with the length and juicy fruit flavors of Cabernet Sauvignon giving us everything upon which Australian wine stands. They have been able to bring in two premium parcels of fruit, 50% Shiraz from the western Barossa in Greenock and the remainder Cabernet Sauvignon grown in Moculta in the Eden Valley. In the 2008 Australian Wine Companion, James Halliday rated this wine 5 glasses – 94 points and said, “Supple mouth feel and good line to the blackberry, dark chocolate, licorice and spice flavors; good oak and extract.”

While this fabulous Aussie red regularly sells for $16 per bottle, we are currently offering it On Sale for $14.89/bottle, while limited supplies last at wines.com.

Underneath the Fog

Howell Mountain lies well above the fog line along the northeastern side of Napa Valley. Since the 1880s, adventurous winemakers have been drawn to the mountain's unique climate and soils, as well as the challenges of mountain winemaking, a consistent attraction that has resulted in a legacy of wines that have garnered high critical acclaim.

On many summer mornings, a white blanket of coastal fog covers the Napa Valley. Howell Mountain, in stark contrast, rises gracefully above the fog line, giving it slightly warmer nighttime temperatures and cooler mid-day temperatures than the valley floor. While the differences in temperature between day and night on Howell Mountain are still pronounced enough to maintain balanced acidity in grapes, the steadier climate allows the berries to develop thicker skins that impart intense color, texture and structure to wines.

Furthermore, during the hours when the valley floor is covered in fog, the vineyards are bathed in sunlight. As a result, the grapes experience the rich advantages of warmth while the altitude—more than 1,700 feet—protects them from stressful heat spikes. Plus, the vines enjoy more rain high on Howell Mountain, and the wet winters give way to the sunny, dry growing seasons that develop the finest expression of the fruit.

Underneath Howell’s fog lays La Jota Howell Mountain 21st Anniversary Cabernet Sauvignon 2002. Classic Howell Mountain tannins, powerful and focused, but ripely sweet, frame opulent cherry, cassis, plum sauce and new oak flavors, and for all that, there’s a crisp edge of acidity that makes everything clean and bright. Drink now through 2012. Classic Napa mountain Cab, intensely concentrated in fruit, richly tannic, and dry, and of course, such a wine needs and deserves the new oak they lavished on it. Flavors and structure perfectly balance, with massive cherry pie, cassis and mocha flavors meshing with sweetly ripe tannins and rich barrel notes of vanilla and char. This is a dramatic, complex young Cab that will hold for six years. It would be best paired with ribeye with blue cheese stuffed morel mushrooms.

An outstanding high mountain fruit-forward wine at a limited-time special deal at $38 per bottle online at wines.com.

Chateau Dassult's Exquisite Taste

Laurence Brun who succeeded her father and was given the esteemed command of the Grand Cru Estate Chateau Dassault in 1995 which is pictured to the left. At the urgency of Laurent Dassault, she set up a major quality development plan. Fundamental work was undertaken, with drainage and replanting of plots where required. Mass selection to preserve distinctive features and identity of the oldest vines was also carried out, together with a return to pruning using the double guyot configuration, followed by bud removal to spread out the bunches of fruit on the vines.

She states that a sustainable approach to combating disease and leaf removal in two stages have contributed to the excellent health of the fruit, making it feasible to postpone harvesting to the latest possible date and thus achieve the ripeness required. Chateau Dassault produces wine characteristic of its terroir. Fruit with just ripe pulp is not enough for them; They are looking for extreme ripeness, from the grape skin to the seed. In this way, I can extract the utmost from this terroir and allow it full expression.

Want to explore what Brun is buzzing about? Try our favorite - Chateau Dassault St. Emilion Grand Cru 2003. Complex aromas of blackberry, smoke and meat follow through to a full-bodied palate, with soft and silky tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Solid wine here with plenty of ripe fruit and firm tannins. Well-structured and rich. Medium to long finish. Delicious. The sweet black cherry fruit is offered in an uncomplicated, spicy, earthy format. Exhibiting medium body, light tannin, and a fleshy mouthfeel, this is a corpulent offering to drink over the next 4-6 years. A deep ruby/plum color is accompanied by lovely aromas of black fruits, figs, and underbrush, an excellent texture, fine body, and well-integrated tannin as well as wood. Best paired with Brie en Croute. Free shipping on this item if you buy online from wines.com.