Author: Dirk Chan
Wow…Thanksgiving week is fast upon us, where did September go? So here is our annual picks to accompany the classic turkey and/or ham dinner with all its fixings. Start your evening off with a sparkling wine, followed by whites, reds, a dessert wine and perhaps a port to end.
Sparkling Wines
Sparkling wines are a great way to start any function whether its a greeting aperitif or to pair with appetizers. Lively and clean, these will get everyone ready for what’s to come next.
NV La Tordera Saome Prosecco DOC Brut (Veneto, Italy) – $22.99
NV Famille Moutard Pere & Fils Brut Nature Grande Reserve (France) – $27.99
NV Adami Garbèl Prosecco doc Treviso (Veneto, Italy) – $28.99
NV Tomato Wheels Lambrusco (Emilia-Romagna, Italy) – $34.99
2018 Gruber Roschitz Sekt Brut Reserve (Weinviertel, Austria) – $39.99
Champagne
Now if you serve Champagne, your audience will immediately know you’re here to do some serious partaking and celebrating.
2014 Champagne Lancelot Pienne Brut Accord Majeur (Champagne, France) – $74.99
NV Bereche et Fils Brut Reserve Vieilles Vignes (Champagne, France) – $81.99
NV Champagne Philipponnat Rosé (Champagne, France) – $89.99
NV Champagne Gardet 120th Anniversary Brut Cuvee (Champagne, France) – $119.99
2010 Moet & Chandon Dom Perignon x Lady Gaga Limited Edition Brut (Champagne, France) – $369.99
Whites & Pinks
Whites with a touch of sweetness is preferred because of the sweetness of some of the fixings – candied yams, cranberry sauce, and honey for the glazed ham. A completely dry white will seem more austere and void of fruit due to the sweetness of the food so I recommend Rieslings (dry or off-dry, both work), sweet Chenin Blancs or other Germanic or Alsace varietals. Having said that, some will always go with a dry creamy Chardonnay irregardless and that’s perfectly fine. Also, don’t forget that rosés work really well too!
2018 Château Sainte-Marie Les Hauts (Bordeaux – Entre-Deux-Mers, France) – $19.99
2019 Fielding Estate Riesling (Ontario – Niagara, Canada) – $22.99
2019 Paul Zinck Pinot Gris (Alsace, France) – $28.49
2019 Domaine Raymond Usseglio & Fils Cotes-du-Rhone Les Claux Terroir Blanc (Rhone Valley, France) – $28.99
2021 Villa Matilde Falanghina Avallone (Campania, Italy) – $29.99
2020 Domaine Bernard Defaix Chablis (Chablis, France) – $39.99
2018 Sybille Kuntz Organic Orange Riesling (Mosel, Germany) – $46.99
2018 Garam Les Trois Mains Blanc (Bordeaux – Graves, France) – $79.99
2018 Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Rangen de Thann Clos Saint-Urbain Grand Cru (Alsace, France) – $156.99
2021 Weingut Franz Netzl Christina Rosé (Austria) – $29.99
2021 Domaine Tempier Bandol Rosé (Provence, France) – $63.99
Reds
For reds, try to avoid the big oaky tannic monsters. Oak and tannins are the enemies when pairing with slightly sweet food, try for a red with lots of up-front fruit, little oak and a soft tannins like a Beaujolais (served slightly chilled) or a Pinot Noir.
2019 Edoardo Miroglio Soli Pinot Noir (Thracian Valley, Bulgaria) – $21.99
2019 Casa Silva Cool Coast Pinot Noir (Colchagua Valley, Chile) – $29.99
2018 Guignier St. Amour Amethystes (Beaujolais, France)- $33.99
2019 Quinta da Taboadella Alfrocheiro Reserva (Dao, Portugal) – $41.99
2017 Johanneshof Reinisch Grillenhugel Pinot Noir (Thermenregion, Austria) – $48.99
2011 Tenuta Monteti Toscana (Tuscany, Italy) – $74.99
2019 Cakebread Cabernet Sauvignon (California – Napa Valley, United States) – $124.99
2009 Niepoort Charme (Douro, Portugal) – $129.99
2015 Domaine de la Pousse d’Or Volnay Clos de la Bousse d’Or Monopole Premier Cru (Burgundy – Cote de Beaune, France) – $156.99
2009 Château Canon-la-Gaffeliere (Bordeaux – St. Emilion, France) – $259.99
2012 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili DOCG (Piedmont, Italy) – $279.99
2004 Petrolo Galatrona (Tuscany, Italy) – $379.99
Dessert
Sweet dessert wines and Port are always good for the final touches of a meal:
2015 Chateau d’Armajan des Ormes (Bordeaux – Sauternes, France) – 375mL – $29.99
2017 Domäne Wachau Beerenauslese Terrassen (Austria) – $35.99
2017 Mullineux Straw Wine (Swartland, South Africa) – 375mL – $49.99
1982 Thunevin-Calvet Maury Vin Doux Naturel (Languedoc-Roussillon, France) – $87.99
2011 Château Climens Premier Cru (Bordeaux – Barsac, France) – 375mL – $114.99
2012 Pocas Junior Late Bottled Vintage Port (Douro, Portugal) – $37.99
NV Taylor Fladgate Historic Limited Edition Reserve Tawny Port (Douro, Portugal) – $54.99
1966 Kopke Colheita (Portugal) – $218.99
1994 Taylor Fladgate Vintage Port (Douro, Portugal) – $499.99
Note our regular store hours are in affect this long weekend, except holiday monday when we’re open from noon-5pm.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!