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+--- Thread: Bordeaux with upcoming turkey? (/thread-864.html)
- wdonovan - 11-20-2006
Why not? Traditional Thanksgiving dinner. My searches for Thanksgiving meal pairings only precluded Bordeaux because of 1) conflict between the tannins and cranberry sauce and 2) the overpowering of the food. These seemed to be based on the assumption that the Bordeaux would be young, heavy and/or tannic. However... the specific wines I have in mind are 1996 Chat. Talbot - St. Julien, and/or 1988 Haut Bailly - Pessac / Leognan. Both are on the lighter side for Bordeaux. Both are gentle (almost Margaux-like) and have very soft tannins, a good amount of red fruit left, and nice typical aged-Bordeaux overtones. What thinks the collective you out there?
- hotwine - 11-20-2006
Personally, I'd save the Bordeaux for beef and serve either a Pinot Noir or a light Zin. In my recent experience, either of the PN offerings I've tried from Oreana (Central Coast or Santa Barbara County) should work with turkey, as would the Ridge Ponzo Vineyards Zin.
- Innkeeper - 11-20-2006
Or a light Barbera (this means at the $10-$15 pp) from No.Cal or Italy.
- wdonovan - 11-20-2006
Thanks guys, but maybe I miscommunicated. I'm not really asking what would work. I know we could drink zinfandels or PN's. I was interested in the reasons that these Bordeaux wouldn't work. Or would it?
BTW I'll still have a bunch of Bordeaux left for the beef <LOL>.
- Innkeeper - 11-20-2006
Of course your Bordeux will work. Almost any red and much white wine will. What will be missing is acidity. Pinot, Barbera, and even Zin are much higher in acidityl.
- wdonovan - 11-20-2006
IK, why do you want a wine with high acidity with this meal? I am not well versed in the pairings game but the only thing that makes sense to me is that an acidy wine would soften the acidity in the cranberries. Is that all there is to it or is it more? Are you afraid that the wine would overshadow the Bordeaux? This seems to me slightly possible but I read that Bordeaux does not pair with Thanksgiving partly because it would overpower the food. Still don't get it.
- Innkeeper - 11-20-2006
The Bordeaux will not overpower the meal. Am not sure I can articulate exactly why acid in wine makes things go together better, but it does. Wines lacking in acidity make everything taste flat. Bordeaux are not lacking in acidity, they are just less acidic. I hope all this dosen't make you wish you hadn't asked the question!
- dananne - 11-20-2006
IK is in a whole different galaxy from me when it comes to food pairings, but for my palate, the reason I'd want a higher-acid wine on T-giving is to cut through the richness of many of the dishes.
Regarding the aged Bordeaux, I think it'd go together fine, in much the same way that I enjoy a nice aged Rioja sometimes at T-giving. The only difference, I suppose, is that an aged Rioja will be higher in acid than the aged Bordeaux, so perhaps the discussion is becoming circular and ending up right back at acidity.
- Thomas - 11-20-2006
I think the Bordeaux should do fine, but not with the cranberries and sweet pots. The thing to do there, is sip the Bordeaux with the turkey and other foods, and with the crans and sweets have water--or Riesling (two-fisted wine drinking can be extra fun!).
I don't have this problem 'cause I am not a fan of sweet pots or of the cranberry sauce... [img]http://216.81.73.156/ubb/wink.gif[/img]
- winoweenie - 11-20-2006
Love it whenced the double fisted drinkin' is reccommended. WW [img]http://216.81.73.156/ubb/wink.gif[/img]
- brappy - 11-21-2006
And it's recommended with sweet POT.... [img]http://216.81.73.162/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img]
- wdonovan - 11-21-2006
Thanks all. I am definitely not sorry I asked. There's a lot I can stand to learn about pairing. Being the 'scientist' that I am, I think some experimentation is in order. I do happen to have a couple '97 Riojas I can serve alongside the claret. I thought that they would be way too heavy but if it's recommended here, I'll try a side by side and especially note the acidity and its effect on food taste. One more favor..... if I could get permission to substitute a Jacquesson or Veuve Cliquot brut for the reisling (sorry, we cook with whites, never put the stuff in a glass), I could fill the table with glasses, giving 3 wines per person. Two fists and a straw! How bout that, WW?
- dananne - 11-21-2006
You certainly have my permission to sub a sparkler for a white. Our house white sparkes, too. In fact, Anne fails to see the point of white wine if it lacks bubbles [img]http://216.81.73.162/ubb/smile.gif[/img]
- wdonovan - 11-21-2006
Anne, apparently, is a very smart lady!
- Kcwhippet - 11-21-2006
Sounds like Anne and WW would get along real well.
- wdonovan - 11-26-2006
Did it. It worked fine. Talbot was a 95 not 96. Served it before the 88 Haut Bailly.
Our hosts (as well as ourselves) loved both clarets. Finished dinner with a choc souflee cake and a bottle of Brachetta di Acquii. Haven't met anyone who doesn't like that juice. It's nothing compared to most of the Sauternes / BA's / TBA's we keep, but it sure is a crowd pleaser.
Thanks again.