What to drink Thanksgiving Day?
by Antonio on 11/17/09 at 11:03 am
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How to choose the right wine for grandma
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. It is the time to bring families together sit around the table and enjoy home cooked food. But it can also be quite stressful as family can be harshly critical. So how are you to pick the perfect wine to please the “connoisseur”, the uncle who thinks he’s a connoisseur, the novice and still have wines that go well with traditional Thanksgiving fare.
Start with the basics. Thanksgiving is a special occasion, so make sure to have various types of wine on hand. That will make it easier to please the crowd. I suggest you have a nice selection of a white, red and dessert wine. If you are more adventurous, why not try a rose.
My recommendations follow. Just keep in mind that there are about 4 glasses of wine in each bottle, so base your math on this according to the size of your family. When you head to the wine shop make sure to ask for a case discount. Stores are more than happy to hand these out if you order ahead of time. The more quantity they buy, the less they pay…which is why they are so easily persuaded to give discounts on cases.
Start off the dinner with a nice sparkling wine. Nothing sets the mood better than bubbles. No need to go with uber expensive Champagne. Start off with a nice Prosecco; it’s priced significantly better than the French stuff and Prosecco is usually fruity and fresh. I like Nino Franco Rustico. It has tons of minerality highlighted by just a touch of sweetness. It’s fruity, aromatic and reminiscent of peaches. This is sure to put your family in a good mood (and at $12 a bottle it won’t break the bank). If there is any left over for the next morning, you can make some Bellinis to make cleaning a bit less boring.
Now that you’ve gotten everyone feeling happy, it’s time to bring out the appetizers and sit everyone at the table. Make sure to have your family members help bring out the dishes. This will keep them occupied so there are less chances of family discord. As they bring out the sides, put some Riesling on the table. A dry Riesling can be light and flowery with nice acidity and fruit that should compliment the majority of your sides (yams, cranberry sauce) and will compliment your ham perfectly. Try Dr. L, it’s a great little Riesling that will not break your budget.
This is a true test of character. If you are a “real man” or “real woman” you will have no issues bringing a rose into your home. White Zin has given pink wine a bad name, but we promise you will be pleasantly surprised. Roses are absolutely perfect for Thanksgiving. A well made rose is clean and fresh but will have more complex fruit flavors than a red. Roses are perfect for those lighter meats: turkey, ham and duck. I’m hooked on Mulderbosch Rose; it’s made of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, it has the loveliest pink color and scents of strawberries and peaches. You will be pleased.
Yeah, we know…everyone wants the red. But we warn you, keep with lighter or super fruity reds for Turkey day. If you decide to go with the lighter reds; you can grab a pinot noir. Just don’t be tempted by cheap Pinot noir; ever since Sideways every winery out there seems to be making a pinot and most are mediocre at best. Go with a Zinfandel instead. Kenwood’s Zinfandel will set you back $15 bucks and will give you tons of fruit, spice, black fruits and hints of cocoa.
Now that you’ve got grandma liquored up and telling stories, it’s time to make some coffee; bring out the board games and make sure that everyone has time to sober up before going home. Make sure each clan has a designated driver. To make sure everyone’s ready to head home, I pull out my handy little breathalyzer. It make for a fun toy and will keep everyone safe so they can come back next year.
Have a great Turkey Day.
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