Thanksgiving Dinner Wines

GhostRyder · 11-24-2009, 04:54 PM

So I saw the Thanksgiving Dinner Beer thread but nothing about wine.

Any suggestions for types of wine to buy for Thanksgiving? My mom asked me to pick up the beer and wine, with no further guidance than that. She mentioned possibly a pair of reds and a pair of whites. Other than that... I'm SOL.

I'm a wine rookie--I spend most of my time with beer. However, I was thinking a Rieseling and a Viognier for the whites and a Pinot Noir and a Beaujolais Nouvea for the Reds. Thoughts?

Keep in mind I have pretty much no idea what I'm doing, so some help would be in order. The crowd I'd be purchasing for has roughly 50% that prefer whites and 50% that will drink and enjoy just about anything. Pretty easy crowd...

Thanks for the help,
Sam

BigAsh · 11-24-2009, 05:02 PM

All good choices......and fine pairings with turkey....make sure the Reisling is DRY, otherwise too sweet for this meal

The Poet · 11-24-2009, 05:06 PM

If you're having turkey, you want something lighter, so no reds with big body like a cabernet sauvignon. It's not easy to find a cheap pinot noir, but there are some under $20 that are drinkable. Or you can ignore that movie Sideways and get a decent California merlot for maybe 10 bucks.

As for white, many people don't like the oak-y taste of chardonnay, so maybe a sauvignon blanc or an Italian white would be best for the novice. Pinot grigios are "hit-or-miss", as you can't tell if it is tart or sweet until you crack it. Now I've been selling the p!$$ out of a Castelvero Piedmonte Cortese which is spot on - fruity and clean, and neither too sweet or tart. A German riesling can also work, if you don't mind sweet, but they can be a bit costly. If you go this way, don't sweat the "early harvest/late harvest" crap too much - those Krauts are real anal about that stuff, but there's no good reason for you to be so.

Hope that helps a little.

newcigarz · 11-24-2009, 05:18 PM

This is a wine we enjoy. I picked up a couple of bottles today.

2008 Fumé Blanc - Sonoma County [ $15 ]
Zesty flavors and aromas of orange blossom, grapefruit and lemon mingle with a subtle mineral note that is complemented by a lingering finish of guava and pineapple in the Ferrari-Carano 2008 Fumé Blanc. Aged partially in stainless steel and older French Oak gives this wine a crisp freshness and a subtle oak character that adds great complexity and depth.

11-24-2009, 04:54 PM	#1
GhostRyder Still Watching My Back Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Sam Location: SW Virginia Posts: 185 Trading: (2)	Thanksgiving Dinner Wines So I saw the Thanksgiving Dinner Beer thread but nothing about wine. Any suggestions for types of wine to buy for Thanksgiving? My mom asked me to pick up the beer and wine, with no further guidance than that. She mentioned possibly a pair of reds and a pair of whites. Other than that... I'm SOL. I'm a wine rookie--I spend most of my time with beer. However, I was thinking a Rieseling and a Viognier for the whites and a Pinot Noir and a Beaujolais Nouvea for the Reds. Thoughts? Keep in mind I have pretty much no idea what I'm doing, so some help would be in order. The crowd I'd be purchasing for has roughly 50% that prefer whites and 50% that will drink and enjoy just about anything. Pretty easy crowd... Thanks for the help, Sam

11-24-2009, 05:02 PM	#2
BigAsh Don't knock the Ash... Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Keith Location: Yardley, PA Posts: 5,046 Trading: (46)	Re: Thanksgiving Dinner Wines All good choices......and fine pairings with turkey....make sure the Reisling is DRY, otherwise too sweet for this meal __________________ Keith

11-24-2009, 05:06 PM	#3
The Poet Il megglior fabbro Join Date: Jun 2009 First Name: Thomas Location: Hickory, NC Posts: 8,420 Trading: (2)	Re: Thanksgiving Dinner Wines If you're having turkey, you want something lighter, so no reds with big body like a cabernet sauvignon. It's not easy to find a cheap pinot noir, but there are some under $20 that are drinkable. Or you can ignore that movie Sideways and get a decent California merlot for maybe 10 bucks. As for white, many people don't like the oak-y taste of chardonnay, so maybe a sauvignon blanc or an Italian white would be best for the novice. Pinot grigios are "hit-or-miss", as you can't tell if it is tart or sweet until you crack it. Now I've been selling the p!$$ out of a Castelvero Piedmonte Cortese which is spot on - fruity and clean, and neither too sweet or tart. A German riesling can also work, if you don't mind sweet, but they can be a bit costly. If you go this way, don't sweat the "early harvest/late harvest" crap too much - those Krauts are real anal about that stuff, but there's no good reason for you to be so. Hope that helps a little.

11-24-2009, 05:18 PM	#4
newcigarz Smoke and Mirrors Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: On the bottom shelf Posts: 3,139 Trading: (15)	Re: Thanksgiving Dinner Wines This is a wine we enjoy. I picked up a couple of bottles today. 2008 Fumé Blanc - Sonoma County [ $15 ] Zesty flavors and aromas of orange blossom, grapefruit and lemon mingle with a subtle mineral note that is complemented by a lingering finish of guava and pineapple in the Ferrari-Carano 2008 Fumé Blanc. Aged partially in stainless steel and older French Oak gives this wine a crisp freshness and a subtle oak character that adds great complexity and depth.