Thanksgiving wines

[TheEngineer]

Anyone starting to think about thanksgiving wines?? VV started me thinking about them...most likely a couple of '02 white burgs and maybe a few older rhone's...

[hotwine]

Thinking..... If we have turkey, which seems likely, may try the WSJ suggestion in today's edition and pair with an American CS, maybe an Avalon Napa.

[VouvrayHead]

I might go with a 2001 Marcel Deiss Engelgarten Grand Vin... It's an Alsace riesling blend, and looks to be lovely.

If I decide to hold-off on that, I'll probably just go with the Lucien Albrecht pinot blanc.

Also, I'll open a $20 baby burg I like: 2005 Domaine du Prieure Hautes-Côtes de Beaune--try it if you can find it... great value.

[winoweenie]

We're taking our Turducken to Rocky Point for our annual visit and will take a box of sissy-whites and a box of reds. Haven't decided what yet but pobably either some Scherrer or ESJ zins. WW

[Innkeeper]

Due to all the variety of flavors and aromas to say nothing of the candied sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce, we are popping a Tobin James Fatboy.

[wondersofwine]

I held a church fundraiser Saturday evening with wines to accompany Thanksgiving dinner, also wines around the world and dessert wines. Participants voted for their favorite wine and second favorite wine. The ones I suggested for pairing with Thanksgiving dinner were a 2005 Trimbach Gewurztraminer, a 2007 Louis Jadot Beaujolais-Villages, a 2005 Gary Farrell Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, and a 2006 Joel Gott Zinfandel, CA and possibly the 2005 Maison Champy Bourgogne Rouge Signature (included in wines around the world.) We also had a 2006 Bedford Road Estate Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand, a 2006 Catena Alta Chardonnay from Catena Zapata, Mendoza, Argentina, a Rosso da Morazzano from Tuscany, and a 2001 Rincon de Baroja Crianza, Rioja, Spain as around the world wines. Our dessert wines were the 2002 Zilliken Saarburger Rausch Riesling Auslese, M-S-R, Germany, a 2000 M. Chapoutier Banyuls, Jonesy Old Tawny Port (from Trevor Jones), Australia, Cockburn 10-Year Tawny Port, and 2004 Inniskillen Cabernet Franc Icewine, Canada.
The favorite red wine and favorite overall with seven votes was the Gary Farrell Pinot Noir. The favorite white and second-favorite overall was the Trimbach Gewurztraminer with four votes. The second favorite red with three votes was the Louis Jadot Beaujolais-Villages and the favorite dessert wine with three votes was the Jonesy Old Tawny Port. My favorites were similar--I liked the Gary Farrell and the Louis Jadot and the Trimbach but my favorite dessert wine was the Cockburn Tawny Port and second to that the Banyuls. There was a general consensus that the Pinot Noir and Gamay both went well with the smoked turkey breast and honey-baked ham and other trimmings (apple-cranberry chutney, savory herb stuffing.) We had pecan tarts, pound cake and amaretto snaps (cookies) for tasting with dessert wines and also a variety of cheeses, a ripe olive-cheddar cheese on English muffin canape, and mini quiche. Small turnout (Cursillo and family obligations prevented some from attending that would have liked to come) but a good time socializing.
I had second bottles available of most of the wines and plan to take to our communal Thanksgiving dinner following a church service a Argyle Rose Brut, another bottle of the 2007 Louis Jadot Beaujolais-Village, a 2006 vintage Gary Farrell Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, and another bottle of the 2005 Gewurztraminer Trimbach. The Jonesy Old Tawny Port and Cockburn Tawny Port left from the tasting are in a refrigerator in the sacristy. If they don't get used as communion wine in the meantime, I will fetch them for dessert wines on Thanksgiving.



[This message has been edited by wondersofwine (edited 11-17-2008).]

[Bucko]

Riesling, Beaujolais and Pinot Noir here, with a Champagne opener.

[TheEngineer]

Got some friends coming by...now I have ta get serious about a turkey too..... With most of the 05 bordeaux's now safely shipped to my place, the cellar is a mess as I try to find places to put the stuff. But this re-org has been nice in reminding me of bottles that I had forgotten about. Some Vin Santo for dessert maybe? Some Cava for for starters? Brains churning again... then again rushing up to pack for yet another departure.

[Kcwhippet]

We'll be opening a CA PN, but haven't decided which one yet. Also, going to open a 2005 Tierce Riesling which we picked on the last trip out to the Finger Lakes. It's a blend of wines made by Fox Run, Anthony Road and Red Newt wineries.

[wondersofwine]

I tasted probably my first Vin Santo last night at a Thanksgiving pairing dinner of the Fayetteville Wine Society. Loved it with the pecan tart. We had a D'Arenberg Viognier-Marsanne that went nicely with the turkey and the reds with the main course were a Savoye Morgon Cote de Py VV (old vines) and a Dolcetto which both worked pretty well with the turkey and cranberry relish. None of the wines worked very well with the sweet potatoes. The Angeline Gewurztraminer (Martin Ray Winery) from Mendocino County might have worked better with the potatoes but we had it with the squash soup. We also had a Four Vines Naked Chardonnay which some prefered over the Viognier-Marsanne with the turkey and a 10-year Tawny Port (Smith-Woodhouse at my table and Ferreira at some other tables) along with Vin Santo for dessert wines. All this for $30. The turkey was a thin slice of turkey breast wrapped around stuffing.

I ordered two bottles of the Morgon Beaujolais Cru at the member price of $16.20 each and one bottle of the D'Arenberg Viognier-Marsanne, Adelaide, Australia at about $22. The half bottle of Vin Santo was priced at under $34 and I may order that later this month. It is a nice dessert wine.
(I didn't like the Smith-Woodhouse Tawny as well as Cockburn, Niepoort or some others I've had.)

[winophite]

Yo, long time no post, but...Just curious to WW, what vintage fatboy he was thinking of? WP

[winophite]

Doh...IK on the TJ fatboy. sorry. WP

[Innkeeper]

2004

[Georgie]

It might be a good idea to move this topic to the Wine/Food Affinities Thread in case anyone is wondering about TG wines. There are so many good ideas here.

[Thomas]

My list of wines for Tgiving:

Zinfandel, Cru Beaujolais, Pinot Noir, Gewurztraminer, Riesling, and Madeira--each depending upon the individual food course.

[TheEngineer]

So a six course dinner Foodie? That sound like a bit of cooking ahead of you!

[Bucko]

WOW, the 10 y/o Niepoort Tawny has long been a favorite house wine for us. For special occasions, I like to pour the Ferreira Duque de Braganca Tawny Port 20 y/o.

[Thomas]

Engineer, isn't six the average course count???

Bucko, when someone calls Niepoort a "house" wine, that someone certainly must have redeeming values...

I'm with you: I favor Niepoort wines generally, for their consistent top-notch quality. In fact, Niepoort is the only reason that i liked going to work when I was a distributor sales rep--we sold Niepoort in our book.

[This message has been edited by foodie (edited 11-21-2008).]

[winoweenie]

Settled on some 02 Scherrer Old and Mature Zins and a box of Marietta Old Vine red. The Marietta is for the drop-ins and as gifts for the friends we have down there. CBs' box is the Ch. St. Jean Sonoma. Happy turkey to ebberbodie. WW

[TheEngineer]

6 courses at Thanksgiving? Not at my house. [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

TWO [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img] (1) Turkey plus all side dishes and then (2) dessert.....and we eat at dinner time (GASP!!). I don't understand and never grew up with a thanksgiving meal at 2:00pm. Of course, Thanksgiving was also in October [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img].