 / |
 |
 |
WINES FOR THE HOLIDAYSAs we enter the fall season you've probably noticed that food gets hardier and finding the right wines to pair with fall spices and flavors can sometimes be challenging. Each year I see the same old recommendations floating on the web and in the magazines. I often wonder if these writers have ever tried to pair a traditional holiday meal with the wines they are recommending or if they just go along with the old adages and try and make it work. After all, Riesling and Gewürztraminer don’t go with cranberry sauce or brown gravy and especially not with turkey. My family loves to serve Brussels sprouts or green beans this time of year but the traditional recommendations don’t often go with these side dishes. It’s easy to pair Pinot Noir with prime rib, salmon, or sweet potatoes but the whites take a bit more thought and perhaps some experimentation with some varietals you are not familiar with. For years when I worked the retail side of wine business, I would prepare some traditional dishes and host food and wine tastings at some of the cool wine shops in the area. I showed people how some cutting-edge old world varietals create some truly outstanding matches.
Great Fall Food WinesThe art of pairing wines with food is largely a matter of personal preference. With white wines the pairing priority is finding a wine with well-balanced acidity. The whites I am recommending pair well not only with turkey meat, but also with seafood, glazed ham and in some cases, will work with red meats. With reds you are shooting for fairly tame tannins that will yield to and support the flavors of the food, unless you are a prime rib person where you would look for a bold red with big flavors and tannins.
The Wines 2013 Albarino Fillaboa, Rixas Braxis 2013 Abraxis, Robert Sinskey, Carneros 2014 Picpoul de Pinet, Gerard Bertrand, Rhone Valley/Languedoc, France 2014 Bodega Colome Torrontes, Argentina 2014 Sauvignon Blanc, Blackbird "Dissonance", Napa Valley 2014 Beaujolais Village, Louis Jadot, Burgundy 2013 Pinot Noir, DuMOL, Russian River Valley 2008 Royal Tokaji, Red Label, 5 Puttonyos, Zemplen Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon: Let's Choose Together
A Few Words on the History of ThanksgivingIn a 1789 proclamation, President George Washington called on the people of the United States to acknowledge God for affording them “an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness” by observing a day of thanksgiving. Devoting a day to “public thanksgiving and prayer,” as Washington called it, became a yearly tradition in many communities. Thanksgiving became a national holiday in 1863. In that year, during the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln made his Thanksgiving Day Proclamation. He asked his fellow citizens to “to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise …” It was not until 1941 that Congress designated the fourth Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day, thus creating a federal holiday. However official, the idea of a special day for giving thanks was not born of presidential proclamations. Native American harvest festivals had been celebrated for centuries, and colonial services dated back to the late 16th century. Thanksgiving Day, as we know it today, began in the early 1600s when settlers in both Massachusetts and Virginia came together to give thanks for their survival, for the fertility of their fields, and for their faith. The most widely known early Thanksgiving is that of the Pilgrims in Plymouth, Massachusetts, who feasted for 3 days with the Wampanoag people in 1621. Turkey has become the traditional Thanksgiving fare because at one time it was a rare treat. During the 1830s, an eight- to ten-pound bird cost a day's wages. Even though turkeys are affordable today, they still remain a celebratory symbol of bounty. In fact, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin ate roast turkey in foil packets for their first meal on the Moon. In the end, Thanksgiving is about celebrating our blessings. So whatever you decide to serve, raise your glass and toast to good things. What am I serving for the holidays? I am choosing two of the recommended white wines, the Pinot Noir, and the Royal Tokaji for dessert.
The Offer(10% discount on 12 bottles - mix and match all except DuMOL) 2013 Albariño Fillaboa, Rixas Braxis $18 2013 Abraxis, Robert Sinskey, Carneros $40 2014 Picpoul de Pinet, Gérard Bertrand, Rhone Valley/Languedoc, France $16 2014 Bodega Colome Torrontes, Argentina $14 2014 Sauvignon Blanc, Blackbird “Dissonance”, Napa Valley, $34 2014 Beaujolais Village, Louis Jadot, Burgundy $16 2013 Pinot Noir, DuMOL Russian River Valley $70 (no discounts) 2008 Royal Tokaji, Red Label, 5 Puttonyos, Zemplen Mountains (500ml) $45
OrderingFor all questions and orders, contact Wine Director, Jeff McCarthy. Let us know if you would like your wine shipped or placed in your wine locker. Sales tax and appropriate shipping will be added to all orders. Allow 2-3 weeks for account processing and shipping. During extreme weather, wine orders may be held until it is safe to ship.
Jeff McCarthy, Wine Director |
