Choosing the right wine for Thanksgiving dinner is slightly more complicated than just picking a wine that complements turkey. The Thanksgiving dinner table can be filled with food choices, many of which can be on the sweet side. This makes choosing one wine to accompany the traditional cacophony of flavors a somewhat daunting task. I will offer my humble opinion about wine styles that I like with the traditional Thanksgiving dinner and make some recommendations. And then, to prove me completely wrong, some of my associates at Schneider’s will offer entirely different opinions...My first recommendation is to serve both a red and a white. Both can work well with the Thanksgiving meal. Serving both red and white also allows your guests to drink what they like. I recommend wines that possess an abundance of fruit; they will enable the wine to meld together the myriad of flavors on the table. This doesn’t mean sweet, although a little sweetness in a wine is not really a bad thing for this particular dinner. Fruit is, after all, what the wine is made from.
On a side note, when I call a wine “fruity”, I’m referring to intensity of fruit aromas in the bouquet and that richness of fat, fruity flavors in the taste. A wine can taste like a fruit salad and still have a dry finish.
White wines that that work well on Thanksgiving include dry Rieslings, Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminers from the Alsace region of France. Dry Riesling from Germany also works well; these wines will be labeled trocken (dry), halb trocken (half-dry) and Kabinett, a quality wine with only a little residual sugar. Other fruit forward whites include Viognier, Marsanne and Verdelho.
This same “fruit forward” theory applies to reds. A classic pairing is California Zinfandel. Known as “America’s Varietal”, Zinfandel is wonderfully American with a ripe, rich, fruit forward style that does a excellent job of bringing all the flavors of the Thanksgiving table together. Other good choices include Grenache (the primary grape of Chateauneuf-du-Pape), Syrah (or Shiraz in Australia) and some Pinot Noir.
Here are some of my suggestions that will help make your Thanksgiving meal extra special this year.
Jon Genderson, Managing Director - Schneider's of Capitol Hill
Whites:
Wunsch & Mann Pinot Blanc 2005 ($6 on close-out)
The importer for the wines of Wunsch & Mann*, a very good Alsace producer, has gone out of business and over 500 cases of these wines are available at way less than half price. This is a good $15 Pinot Blanc and a really great $6 one.
*Schneider’s has 12 different Wunsch and Mann wines on sale at similar savings!
Wunsch & Mann Riesling Grand Cru Hengst 2002 ($15 on close-out)
An excellent price for a full bodied, rich, fruit driven Grand Cru Riesling. The richness and ripe complexity of this wine is perfect for Thanksgiving.
Hunold Pinot Blanc 2005 ($10 on sale)
Hunold’s wines filled with ripe fruits and a rounded mouthfeel which makes this $18 Pinot Blanc a great buy at $10. Flowers, fresh apples, and hints of tropical fruits can be discerned in the nose. Flavors of apple and pear dominate in this delightful wine.
Weinzorn Pinot Gris Grand Cru Sommerberg 2003 ($40)
I feel Weinzorn’s wines are real bargains when compared to other top Alsatian producers (Weinbach and Zind Hunbrecht) whose Grand Cru wines sell for $70 and up. This big, lush, extracted wine has beautiful depth of lacy mineral-laced fruit and flowers. Satin-textured, full and elegant, this is an extremely well-made wine that is perfect for your holiday table.
Anheuser Kreuznacher Kroenberg Riesling Spatlese 2005 ($12 on sale)
If you want something a little sweet for your Thanksgiving dinner, this is the wine for you. This is a normally a $25 Spatlese on sale for only $11.99. A nice bouquet of flowers, mineral and stone fruits is followed by balanced, slightly sweet flavors of peach and lime. Simply delicious!
D'Arenberg Stump Jump White ($11)
A lovely Aussie white, this is a blend of 63% Riesling, 16% Sauvignon Blanc and the balance Marsanne and Roussanne. It exhibits a fragrant nose of mineral, spring flowers, honeysuckle, and citrus. Just off-dry, it is tasty, clean, refreshing, and a notable value.
Ferngrove Cossack Riesling 2005 ($18)
This dry Riesling from Western Australia is a delicious effort featuring minerals and hints of peach on the nose followed by crisp, white fruit flavors lasting into a balanced, long finish.
Reds:
96 Points Durif 2005 ($12)
Despite the too cutesy and misleading name, this delightful Petite Sirah (Durif is the French name for Petite Sirah) is ripe and fruit forward with red berry fruit flavors and a soft finish. This is a great wine for the budget conscious.
Black and White Shiraz 2005 ($18)
This Australian is a big and broodingly dark Shiraz with deep, jammy blackberry fruit aromas joined by soft, spicy flavors. There is a lot of flavor and body in this reasonably priced bargain.
Chusclan Cotes du Rhone Les Ribieres 2003 ($10 on close-out)
This is a top of the line Cotes du Rhone at half price. It is simply drinking beautifully now. It possesses classic aromas of kirsch liqueur, licorice, and pepper leading to abundant fruit, a lithe texture with good body and richness on the palate.
Craneford Merlot 2005 ($20 on Sale)
Aged 16 months in 100% new French oak, this wine has excellent definition and purity of fruit with hints of sweet blackberries, plums, red currants, mocha, and coffee. It also posseses a lovely texture, fine purity, and serious concentration. This delicious Merlot can be enjoyed this Thanksgiving or at any other time over the next five years.
di Arie Zinfandel Southern Exposure 2005 ($35)
This may be my favorite Zinfandel. It is full bodied with intense fruit that is not over the top. Its perfect balance and soft, elegant flavors keep it in check and will have you going back for another glass…and another!
Elderton Shiraz 2005 ($30)
This excellent Shiraz has a huge bouquet of cassis, blackberries, smoke, and earth. Muscular and full-bodied, with supple tannin, a silky texture, and a voluptuous finish, this gorgeous effort can be drunk now and over the next decade.
Farleigh Zinfandel 2005 ($10 on sale)
A real bargain in Zin, this has a classic, briery, jammy black cherry and berry fruit flavors intermixed with earth. It is full-bodied with big pure levels of fruit, a savory, full-throttle texture, and excellent purity as well as length. It is a steal at this price!
Ferngrove Dragon Shiraz 2005 ($25)
This gem has an expressive bouquet of smoke, violets, spice box, pepper, blueberry, and blackberry. Medium to full-bodied, it has good depth and concentration while retaining its elegant personality. It is ncely balanced, with excellent length.
Hewitson Miss Harry GSM ($25)
This classic Rhone blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre is deep and full-bodied with peppery kirsch and blackberry notes as well as hints of licorice. It has tremendous density, supple tannin, and a mouthfilling, elegant style.
Domaine Jaume Cote du Rhone La Friande 2007 ($12)
The 2007 vintage in the Southern Rhone is one of the finest in history. This lovely example has beautiful aromas of kirsch liqueur, melted licorice and ground pepper. It is a superb, medium-bodied effort with terrific precision, definition, and concentration.
Domaine de la Sauveuse “Cuvee Philippine" Provence Rouge 2004 ($20 on sale)
This beauty is a blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Syrah, and the balance being Grenache and Mourvedre. It has sweet aromas of pepper, black currants, and cherries. It is a beautifully made wine and perfect for Thanksgiving dinner. This serious, up-and-coming producer in the Cotes de Provence appellation has made a real gem.
Here, our wine staff provide their recommendations for wine that will make Thanksgiving dinner a bit more delicious this year...
Recommendations from Terry Brown, Wine Manager
Schneider's of Capitol Hill
Finca El Retiro Torrontes 2007 ($12 on sale)
Torrontes is a grape originally from Spain that, grown in Argentina, produces a wonderfully crisp, aromatic wine. This Torrontes is pale yellow in color with silver tinges. The nose has subtle floral notes with lively aromas of tropical fruits and a hint of peaches. Crisp, yet round with superb creaminess, it ends with a wonderfully balanced finish. This wine will be perfect for the richness and spice that the Thanksgiving menu offers.
Reilly’s Grenache 2005 ($18)
This delicious wine is perfect for Turkey and all the fixings. Big, soft cranberry and raspberry fruit mixed with white pepper spice give this wine enough body and richness to stand up to the rich flavors of turkey, dressing, and cranberry sauce. This is one of my favorite wines in the store at this price.
Recommendations from Benjamin Page
Assistant Wine Manager, Schneider's of Capitol Hill
Chevalier Ladoix 2004 Bois de Grechons ($20 on close-out)
This is a lovely perfumed chardonnay has scents of honey and wild flowers joined by flavors of ripe apples and pears on the palate. It has a touch of oak to give it some extra body and a creamy texture balanced with lovely acidity.
Vicchiomaggio Chianti Classico 2006 San Jacapo ($20)
Vicchiomaggio is a fantastic producer of fine Chianti. This Classico has dark berry and cherry fruit with earthy undertones. What will make this great with your Thanksgiving meal is the soft, smooth tannins with a light hint of oak. Open this wine up 45 minutes before you sit down and enjoy your holiday dinner.
Recommendations from Michael Kennel
Wine Consultant, Schneider's of Capitol Hill
Alex Gambal Bourgogne Chardonnay 2006 ($30)
This tasty little Chardonnay is brought to us by Alex Gambal, a native of the Washington DC area who fell in love with the wines of Burgundy and has been working there on and off since the early 1990s. This wine is rich in texture with a steadying core of minerality. In the nose scents of butterscotch and pear intermingle with citrus fruits. On the palate this wine has nice acidity balanced by flavors of pear and citrus, making this a wonderful compliment to your Thanksgiving dinner.
Domaine du Gueret Beaujolas 2006 ($10 on sale)
At a time when Beaujolais’' little cousin Beaujolas Noveau gets all the attention, I find this wine (not rushed to market) far more satisfying. This lovely little 2006 is filled with wonderful raspberry and light red cherry flavors that will mingle well with not only the turkey on the table, but also with pretty much everything else spread across the tabletop. For a great little red wine to go with your Thanksgiving dinner, this is a great choice.
Recommendations from Michael Davidson
Wine Consultant, Schneider's of Capitol Hill
Navarre St. Chinian 2001 ($15)
This is a fully mature wine from St. Chinian in Languedoc, France. It starts off earthy and funky but when you let it breath it will explode with dark rich red cherries. Luxurious and full with softened tannins and a plum filled finish, it is a steal for fifteen bucks as the rich fruit makes it go great with turkey.
Apex Chardonnay 2006 ($15)
The Apex winery in Washington State makes a whole range of beautiful wines but my favorite is their very reasonably priced Chardonnay. A perfect balance of toasty oak with rich apple and pear make this a delight with the traditional thanksgiving meal.
Don't forget the perfect Turkey! Our very own Terry Brown has the perfect recipe for turkey that will be delicious and juicy every time!
Have a happy Thanksgiving, from all of us at Schneider's of Capitol Hill!
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