The CellarPass team just got back from their annual "Turkey-Wine Hunt" with some wonderful wine suggestions for traditional Thanksgiving fare. From no-fail options to some very surprising perfect pairings these wine suggestions will help you select the perfect wines to balance and enhance your holiday feast.
CellarPass Wine Picks
Pinot Noir
Some might say Pinot Noir is a boring pairing that's been overdone, but to us this is a classic and classic is always in style. From our point of view, an excellent Pinot Noir can be your Turkey's best friend on the dinner table.
Saintsbury 2008 Brown Ranch Pinot Noir
"A reticent red berry fruit nose remained so even with 30 minutes of air. The detailed and dusty medium-bodied flavors possess good depth and mid-palate concentration before terminating in a sappy, mouth coating and focused finish."
Available at Saintsbury Napa, CA
Belle Glos Clark & Telephone Vineyard Pinot Noir
"Scarlet in color; bursting with aromas of cinnamon, caramel and hints of ginger-spiced tea." This wine is available (vintage may vary) at Caymus Vineyards.
Syrah
Not exactly the traditional pick, but maybe that's exactly why we like it so much. The spicy notes of pepper stand up nicely with herb infused stuffing as well as both light and dark meat and robust gravy.
Delectus 2006 Napa Valley Syrah
"The nose advances through a succession of enticing aromas, starting with smoke and tar, opening into lychee, and arriving at deeply concentrated roasted chestnuts, pepper, and sandalwood. The powerful mouth features a condensed center, with jammy and earthy flavors, and a focused yet extremely long finish."
Visit Delectus a luxury winery tucked in an urban environment in Napa, CA
Burgess Cellars 2007 Napa Valley Syrah
"The aromas of spice and varietal characteristics of blueberries and red fruits are quite pronounced and complemented by oak tones."
Enjoy sweeping views of Napa Valley from Burgess Cellars located in St. Helena, CA
Sparkling Wine
A very popular pairing selection, and not just for special occasions. Sparkling wines are elegant and incredibly food friendly, but the flavors of Thanksgiving will really make this wine stand out. Sparkling wines are a perfect selection that can easily take you from appetizers to dessert.
JCB # 69 Brut Rose
"For Jean-Charles Boisset, our dry rosé No. 69 sparkling wine is not a dainty
pink thing. It's a FLAMBOYANT, profound mouthful of serious bubbles. The VIBRANT crispness of No. 69 is thirst quenching. Yet the flavors—evocative
of pinot noir—are beautifully SENSUAL."
You can taste and procure this wine at the JCB Tasting Room in Healdsburg, CA or the JCB Lounge located at Raymond Vineyards in St. Helena, CA.
Mumm Napa Brut Reserve Rose
"The elegant Brut Reserve Rosé displays alluring notes of dark cherry, cranberry, and raspberry on the nose. The yeast characters on the palate nicely balance the fruit, and the wine is notable for its great structure and long finish. The robust quality of this Brut Rosé makes it an excellent wine to pair with many cuisines, ranging from California fusion to Indian curries. It is especially wonderful as an aperitif, served with hors d’oeuvres."
Visit Mumm Napa to sip this delightful wine and pick up a few bottles while you are there.
Rose
We always tuck away a few bottles of our summer rose just for Thanksgiving. This versitile Thanksgiving wine is a perfect go between for those who are not firmly set on just reds or whites.
Flora Springs 2010 Syrah Rose
"A wonderfully balanced dry rose with essecnce of strawberry and peach and a crisp acidity that begs to be paired with spice, herbs and of course turkey."
Head to Flora Springs' Tasting Room "The Room" located in St. Helena, CA next door to Dean and Deluca.
Sauvignon Blanc
These wines tend to be crisp and bright with abundant citrus flavors that love spice and herbs and the acidity is a wonderful counterpart to rich high-fat dishes. Sauvignon Blanc naturally goes well with turkey and creamy mashed potatoes.
Robert Mondavi 2009 Fume Blanc
A drier wine that stands out from sweeter Sauvignon Blancs. "Plush, exotic aromas of guava, passion fruit and verbena layer over flavors of ripe white peaches and nectarines on the palate, wrapped in mouth-watering acidity and extending into a lively finish."
Visit Robert Mondavi Winery in Oakville, CA. Tour the gournds, sip bottled history.
Raymond Vineyards 2009 Reserve Sauvignon Blanc
"Opening aromas of lemongrass, thyme, and white apricots are layered with notes of licorice and tart fruits, followed by citrus and grapefruit flavors with
a crisp, lively acidity. Refreshingly bright, with hints of minerality and a well structured mouth feel. "
Visit Raymond Vineyards located in St. Helena, CA
Pinot Grigio
Balances quite well with garlic, onions, herb and decadent high fat dishes making this wine an absolute go to pairing for your Thanksgiving meal.
Swanson Vineyards 2009 Pinot Grigio
"Year after year, this is a stunner: vibrant aromas, flavors of ripe peach and pear, and a clean goodbye kiss will leave you feeling strangely tingly, giggly even—and possessed by the perfectly outrageous notion of pairing it with caviar and potato chips (as we do in the Salon), the centerpiece of a picnic in bed or a sunny afternoon doing nothing at all. Wanna know what a Pinot Grigio grape tastes like on the vine? Buy a case and find out; this grape loses nothing in translation."
Swing by the Sip Shoppe at Swanson Vineyards it's like a candy store for adults.
All of us at CellarPass wish you a very Safe and Happy Thanksgiving!
