Thanksgiving wines

[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).]