| Holiday Wines: Showing Up With the Right Bottle |
| Written by Marianne Camarda | |
| Monday, 16 November 2009 09:29 | |
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Being the guest at someone’s Thanksgiving dinner has its challenges. Sure, they’re putting in all the hours of toil, while you buzz the door at the last minute, token gift at hand. Every guest wants his or her contribution to be a winner, and wine is the obvious way to live up to the occasion. But the choices can be a bit daunting—especially when you consider the abundance of good wine shops in the city. If you’re not in the habit of wine pairing, here are a few simple pointers, and some choices that will work at a reasonable price. First, you should feel free to select red or white wines, as turkey has enough of a gamey flavor to pair well either. But the lower-tannin reds, such as Pinot Noir, are less likely to overpower the bird, and less likely to put off guests who are not big red-drinkers. They also blend well with many of the hearty sides that show up on tables: stuffing, caramelized onions, baked yams. Whites that don’t lean too heavily on aromatics are also good choices. A top notch Pinot Grigio is safe, but a bit redundant of just about every cocktail party you’ve ever attended. Sauvignon Blanc, or even a good Riesling, are also great choices but require some background to make an appropriate selection. Here, then, are a few bottlings that are all well suited to the occasion, and will keep you at the top of the guest list.
This little jewel comes from one of the smallest wine regions in Italy. Winemaker Franco Bernabei runs a tight ship, with organic vines, nighttime hand harvesting and low crop yields. You can taste it in this super-smooth blend of Sangiovese (80%), Montepulciano (10%) and Shiraz (10%). It’s not overly fruity, but has a nice opening mouth of black cherry, leather and herbs. There’s an old chef’s adage that food from the inlands should be paired with wines from the inlands. That makes this big flavored juicy red from the wooded hills of Umbria a perfect match to farm-raised fowl. $21 at Ambassador Wines. Vavasour Pinot Noir 2007 This fruity, spicy crowd pleaser hails from New Zealand, land of craggy mountains and lush valleys. The Vavasour family is a leader in Awatere valley viticulture, with this wine as one of their flagships. The 2007 vintage enjoyed cool nights leading up to harvest time, a factor that is key for flavor development. All the fruit is from handpicked, low-yield vines, and is aged in both new and aged French oak barriques. You’ll notice the softness of the tannins, and a touch of licorice on the palate, as well as dark fruits and herbs. It’s a terrifically smooth Pinot Noir and a great buy. $22.99, at Garnet Liquors and West Side Wine. Bianco delle Regine This blended white strikes a perfect balance, and will serve you well at a holiday dinner. All the wines from the Castello delle Regine are single vineyard estate grown; plus, the management here takes their blending very seriously. This white has the structure and balance of a good Chardonnay (30%) as well as some of the citrus-y aromatics of a Sauvignon Blanc (30%), the floral notes of a Riesling (30%), and refreshing acidity from Pinot Grigio (10%). No matter what the other guests like in a white, there’s bound to be some of it in this beautifully balanced bottle. $18 at Ambassador Wines. Dashwood 2008 Pinot Noir An offshoot of the Vavasour line, where the family deftly blends the fruit from two of New Zealand’s most celebrated winemaking valleys: the high-mineral, cool-temperature Awatere and the more lush and warm-temperature Wairau Valley. The blend of source vines gives this Pinot Noir an extra touch of fruit on the nose and palate, and a wonderful bouquet of aromatics like fresh mushrooms, leather, and earth. The soft tannin finish and touch of subtle wild cherry make this a perfect pairing for roast turkey and hearty accompaniments. $15.99 at Union Square Wine & Spirits, and Columbus Circle Liquor. MPX Cava Brut Rosé If you’re lean on cash, this sparkler from Penedes, Spain, will do you proud. It is creamy but super dry, with subtle notes of fleshy fruit like apricot and melon. There’s even a little touch of—that famous fruit of the season—cranberry! It’s a blend of Monastrel and Pinot Noir, and made by the Cava method, where the second fermentation takes place in the bottle. It makes a perfect opening toast for the holiday. Plus, the vineyard is a mere 25 miles south of Barcelona, and you know everyone at the party will love that. In the US, rosés have lots of novelty appeal; so go ahead and steal the show. Not bad for $12.99 at Warehouse Wines & Spirits. Amisfield Pinot Noir 2006 If you can afford a small holiday splurge, this is the wine to do it. The Amisfield Famr vineyards lie in New Zealand’s Central Otago region, an area famous for its world class Pinot Noir production. Each segment of the terrain is delineated by slope and soil type, which is semi-arid, glacial moraine with large surface stones that absorb sunlight during the day and then re-release their heat at night. What that means is higher respiration of the vine plantings, which in turn yield a fruit with lower acidity, and riper, sweeter tannins at harvest. 2006 was also one of the few years where an excellent crop yield permitted single vineyard production. For those who appreciate this detail, a portion of the fruit was whole bunch fermented, which is a process that in moderation can yield magical results. You’ll taste the difference, and you’ll also appreciate the value of a top level NZ Pinto Noir from this vintage. $39.99 at Hudson Wine & Spirit, or The 67 Liquor Shop. Pierre Sparr 2008 Riesling While some Rieslings are a bit too sweet for a dinner, this one is pleasantly dry and full of flavor. While there are many delicious, light citrus fruit notes, they are balanced by just the right level of acidity. In particular, expect to pick up apple and pear, both toned down by a touch of flint. Just think of freshly sliced fruit dotted with refreshing minerality. Of course, Sparr is one of the more famous Alsace Rieslings, and they are well known for producing a wine that is light, full flavored and pairs well with a variety of foods. It makes a clever match for Thanksgiving turkey, and the price is a great value. $13.99 at Chelsea Wine Vault and 67 Wines & Spirits. Trumpeter Torrontes 2008 This white varietal from Argentina does a beautiful job of sharing the richness of its native terroir. The grapes are grown in the Tupungato district of Mendoza, where the fields get lots of warm sunshine by day with cool air at night. You’ll find lots of citrus and floral notes on the palate in this Torrontes, as well as apple, rose and violet. A great value for those who prefer more full-flavored whites that remains fairly acidic. $11.99 at Warehouse Wines & Spirits. Feel free to also ask your wine seller for recommendations, and be sure to enjoy the results. Happy holiday!
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