By: Karl Furem, Wine Manager Beverage Superstore Suwanee
Thanksgiving is almost here. Time for family and friends to gather, watch football, drink and of course eat! But now comes the question: what wines to serve with the feast? My family has made me responsible for selecting our Thanksgiving wine for the last 15 years or so. I have had some success (and some failures) over the years, so I would like to share my insight and our family favorites!
Duckhorn Vineyards Decoy Sauvignon Blanc is an excellent choice. This full-bodied white opens with apple and melon flavors on the nose, with a hint of grapefruit. There is a slight touch of minerality layered in with peach, pineapple, grapefruit, and melon. The finish is long, crisp and velvety. At $16.99 a bottle it’s a great wine to accompany your turkey. My grandmother’s favorite is without a doubt, the Conundrum White Blend. What’s in it? Well, the winery will never tell us exactly – but I do know it is delicious! The blend changes each year, but according to the winemaker’s notes, consistently includes: “Chardonnay for its weight and complexity, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon for crisp acidity, Muscat Canelli for floral qualities and Viognier for unctuousness.” It pairs incredibly well with turkey, ham, cranberries, and stuffing. Lots of tropical flavors, just slightly sweet, and very easy drinking. Only $19.99 a bottle, you can’t go wrong.
Now, on to some reds!
Yes red wine can go with poultry. Most wine aficionados will recommend Beaujolais, or Beaujolais Nouveau, which are light and fruity reds. They are a nice choice and can be served chilled or room temperature. But I have found that Pinot Noir is also an excellent Thanksgiving addition. One of my favorite Pinot Noir’s is the Willamette Valley Whole Cluster. It has a big, fruit taste with nice complexity, flavors of blackberry, cherry, vanilla, and a nice earthiness. With a soft finish and just a hint of acidity, it won’t overpower your food. At $19.99 it’s a steal to accompany any holiday meal!
A few years ago we decided to deep-fry the turkey. Welcome to the South! This made my wine pairing homework a bit more challenging, as I had never paired wine with fried turkey. I brought several different bottles for us to try, but the best performer was the Hahn GSM. GSM stands for the Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre grapes used in the blend. It opens with big fruit flavor of raspberry, strawberry, blueberry, cherry and a nice bit of pepper on the finish. It was outstanding with the fried turkey! At only $12.99 a bottle, you won’t be disappointed.
The friends and family at your Thanksgiving table will typically all have different wine tastes and preferences. I recommend having a bit of variety to please every palate by serving a couple chilled whites and some “not-too-heavy” reds, such as the varieties that my family loves. Truly, there is no right or wrong answer to what you like or don’t, but I hope my suggestions will serve as a guide and give you the opportunity to explore new wines.
