Wine Around The Bay… and beyond
with Rolfe Schaumburger
Thanksgiving Wines
With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I wanted to talk a bit about wines that work with a broad range of food. Keep in mind the whole idea of food and wine is that they have a symbiotic relationship that enhances both, having one not overshadow the other.
Since your typical Thanksgiving meal is not served in courses it seems to work better (though you may like a bold tannic cabernet) to pick wines that are more versatile and appealing to a broader palate. And if your
Thanksgiving dinner is like mine you will have many people around the table, from novice to serious wine drinkers. Some of these folks may only drink wine at holidays so they may be looking for something a little “lighter”.
In my opinion, for most Thanksgiving dinners, you can go with three wines
Always include a sparkling wine or Champagne. Most everyone already has a favorite sparkler in mind that will work with Thanksgiving fare. These delights are light and flavorful with high acid which means that your palate gets cleansed with every sip enhancing your entire dining experience.
An inexpensive sparkler that comes to mind (around $12.00) is Costa Del Mar. Available at most Specs and Kroger stores. This Argentine masterpiece is beautifully balanced and delicate with tight tiny bubbles and a long pleasant almost creamy finish.
Another favorite of mine is Rose’. Long a favorite in France it is finally getting its “just do” in the U.S. These are beautiful food friendly wines that vary in style depending on country, producer and grape variety used.
These “pink” wines unfortunately have been in peoples minds associated with the overly sweet white zinfandel. This could not be further from the truth. Though Roses vary in color from almost orange to a bright pink and have the look of what people perceive to be a “sweet wine” most are dry with beautiful fruit flavors. They are typically low alcohol with adequate acidity to make them a perfect food wine that matches with both turkey and ham.
At my table, as I am sure with many of you, there is always a Cajun fried turkey. I’m not sure if it’s the taste of the turkey my family likes or if it is the actual act of dropping a large bird into a vat of boiling grease with the jet burner howling. This always seems to draw a crowd. Typically I have to fry two birds to insure that at least one of them makes it to the holiday table.
I always enjoy a cold beer while frying however I highly recommend a nice Rose to accompany this fried delicacy. The spiciness in the Rose pairs well with the spicy flavors of the bird making the turkey and the wine even better together (if that’s possible.)
One of my favorite Roses is produced by the Robert Hall Winery out of Paso Robles California. This wine is made by one of my dear friends, native Texan and Texas Tech grad Don Brady. Don is “living the dream” in California making great wines. His Rose is extraordinary using the same traditional varietals and old world techniques as the winemakers in France. Beautiful flavors and aromas of strawberry, red cherry and peaches lead into a crisp dry finish. This wine is available at Spec’s for around $13.00. Give it a try you won’t regret it.
Finally, the Pinot Noir. Pinot is another versatile wine that typically is lighter in style; depending again on region and producer. I have always been a fan of Oregon Pinot Noir. I have to believe that the reason is the similar climate, soils and wine making techniques that Oregon has to Burgundy, France where the finest and most expensive pinots in the world are produced.. Don’t get me wrong I love red Burgundy but can’t afford to drink them all of the time. This is why Oregon Pinots are not only a great value but the quality rivals some of the top French producers in the world.
Pinots seem to work especially well with smoked turkey and ham. One of my favorites is Firesteed, which also happens to be the top selling Oregon Pinot Noir in Texas. This wine has soft flavors of cherries and blackberries with just the perfect balance and a long smooth finish. This flavorful wine is available at Kroger, Randall’s, HEB and Spec’s for around $12.00 to $15.00.
Have a safe and happy holiday and look for our next feature coming soon.
“Drinking a lot, so you don’t have to”
We want to extend many thanks to Charlie Felts and the folks at Opus Bistro for inviting us to their wonderful  restaurant. Be sure to stop by Opus for a sampling of the wines recommended and a plate of those delicious Stone Crabs.
Learn more about our “Connoisseur of Libations”, Rolfe Schaumburger! |
