Great Thanksgiving Wines for Under $20: Uptown Wine Tasting SmackDown Crew Picks Their Favorite Thanksgiving Wines
por Ron James
“Wine makes every meal an occasion, every table more elegant, every day more civilized.” — André Simon
For many of us, a Thanksgiving without wine is as unthinkable as it would be without stuffing or cranberries. Wine toasts to the cook, family, friends and this year’s bounty are as much a part of the ritual as the carving of the turkey.
There are a number of ways to deal with wine pairing for this festive experience. One is to select just one wine and serve it throughout the meal. That’s OK, but not nearly as much fun as serving a number of different wines at points in the dining experience.
Here’s my approach for serving wine at Thanksgiving celebrations. Before our guests are seated at the table, there’s no better way to make the mood festive than with a bit of bubbly and an appetizer or two. It’s light, bright and celebratory by nature. When our guests are seated, we usually serve a salad or soup, sometimes both. I break out a nice crisp white wine for this course. As I carve the turkey we move on to elegant lighter-style reds like pinot noir. For dessert we will just continue with the reds or pull out a special port or dessert wine. There is no wine suggested for the nap that follows.
In order to give you a hand this holiday, we’ve brought together our Uptown News Wine SmackDown crew to help with your holiday wine selection. They were each asked to select a great wine that costs $20 or less and that is generally available for Uptown residents.
Most of these wines will be featured at the San Diego Bay Wine and Food Festival, as will be most of our experts. The Grand Tasting event takes place at Embarcadero Marina Park North on November 21, from 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. The festival would be a great place to taste some of the following wine picks, or even find ones that may be more suitable to your “Turkey Day” celebration.
The Wine SmackDown Crew’s Thanksgiving wine picks, in suggested serving order, with street prices:
Mionetto Il Prosecco ($13)
2008 Miner Viognier, Simpson Vineyard ($20)
2008 Anglim Rosé ($15)
2007 Pedroncelli Pinot Noir ($17)
2006 Leal Vineyards Syrah, Donati Estate (Under $20)
2006 Brooster Paso Robles Red Wine ($15)
Maria Hunt: aka “The Bubbly Girl,” food and drink editor, and author of “The Bubbly Bar.”
Thanksgiving is the start of the holiday season and a time when people really want to be in a festive mood, especially if they have traveled a long way or are kind of on edge at the prospect of spending the next three days confined in small quarters with family. Just seeing a bottle of bubbly opened puts people in a good mood, and then once they’ve had a glass, it creates a warm and happy buzz. In my book, “The Bubbly Bar: Champagne & Sparkling Wine Cocktails for Every Occasion,” I suggest they get an affordable sparkling wine like Mionetto Il Prosecco, about $13 at BevMo.
The Champagne Cocktail would make a great aperitif — it’s not too sweet, and will get the palate primed for the feast that’s coming. It is super easy: just a brut sparkling wine with a sugar cube soaked in bitters dropped into the glass. The classic recipe uses Angostura bitters, but it can be varied by dropping a flavored liqueur you already have in the bar, like Grand Marnier, Frangelico or Chambord, onto the cube. Don’t drop on too much, and be sure to let the cube dry in the open air. When guests come, arrange the different flavored cubes on a tray with little signs telling guests what’s what.
Ron James: Uptown News food and wine columnist.
A crisp white wine is a great way to begin the feasting. Most any crisp white wine that isn’t too oaky or too sweet would be a good pick, including pinot grigios, chardonnay, Gewurztraminer or sauvignon blanc. My selection is a 2008 Miner Viognier, Simpson Vineyard, a very well-balanced wine with crisp acidity and the trademark floral, peach and apricot flavors of this varietal. If you haven’t tried a viognier (pronounced vee-yohn-yay), you’re in for a treat. Available at Splash in North Park.
Lisa Redwine: Certified sommelier and manager and wine director for the Shores Restaurant in La Jolla.
Thanksgiving is a holiday that represents a time to share the food and drinks that I truly enjoy with friends and family. I can often be found with a glass of rosé in hand, a staple on our Thanksgiving table. If you are in search of the perfect wine to accompany your Thanksgiving meal, look no further than Anglim’s 2008 Rosé. This delicious wine makes me crave my grandmother’s turkey, and is made by Steve Anglim, winemaker and owner of his small family winery in Paso Robles.
The delightful wine blends syrah, grenache, mourvedre and a touch of viognier, and offers more complexity than your average rosé. Layers of strawberry, cherry and a hint of spice along with its refreshing crisp acidity are the perfect balance for a rich holiday meal, while its full-bodied blend is not apt to get lost in the aromas of cinnamon, roasting turkey and the tart cranberry flavors of the season. Savor a glass while you are preparing your family feast or leisurely taking in a holiday football game.
Tasha Kuxhausen: CSW (Certified Specialist of Wine) and corporate wine buyer for Wine Steals.
My choice for Thanksgiving dinner this year would be the 2007 Pedroncelli pinot noir. Pinot noir is such a great food wine because it is low in tannin and tends to have the bright acidity that food needs as an accompaniment. The Pedroncelli pinot is full of dark berry and cherry fruits with hints of cola and Asian spices, and has a lively natural acidity. Pinot noir is a grape that thrives in cooler climates, and Sonoma County offers cooling influences from the Pacific Ocean and a persistent fog that allows the true expression of the pinot noir variety to present itself.
This Pedroncelli pinot is what I would drink with my “Turkey Day” feast, not only because it is a well-made, gorgeous wine, but also because the flavors of pinot noir are very complimentary to the flavors of a turkey dinner. The dark berry and cherry flavors of the wine pair nicely with the flavors of the turkey and stuffing, cranberry sauce and the spice of the pumpkin pie. Since pinot is elegant, and in many cases velvety, it will not overpower the meal, but instead match the weight and intensity of the entire meal.
Ken Loyst: Co-founder and co-producer of the San Diego Bay Wine and Food Festival
I like red grape varieties and think Thanksgiving dinner is a perfect excuse to enjoy some of my favorites. To enhance my delight in the savory oyster dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, and succulent turkey, I will select a full-bodied syrah varietal. This year’s feast will embrace a 2006 Leal Vineyards Syrah (Donati Estate), a syrah with a mouthful of berries and a suggestion of earthy truffles. These intense flavors are a perfect match for the tasty “Turkey Day” spread, allowing a balanced wine to infuse its flavors with the grand meal. Yes, Thanksgiving bliss! I found several sources in San Diego that carry this gem for under $20.
John Alongé: aka “The Wine Heretic,” educator and author of “The Wine Heretic’s Bible: Plain English Advice for the Casual Wino.”
No doubt about it, times are tough out there and most of us are trying to be as frugal as possible. This being the case, there’s no point in breaking the bank when picking up a bottle of wine to take to the family Thanksgiving gathering this year. Forget that massive, overblown, highly-rated red that requires hours of OT to finance. Instead, opt for something from a small, family-owned winery, a wine with some real heart and soul.
Here in California, we have virtually limitless small producers to choose from. One of my current favorites is the 2006 Brooster Paso Robles Red Wine from tiny Pomar Junction Vineyard & Winery in Templeton (San Luis Obispo County). This well-built blend of zinfandel, cabernet sauvignon, merlot and petite syrah has plenty of structure along with a dollop of spiciness, a perfect accompaniment to Thanksgiving fare that won’t overwhelm the bird. At only $15 a bottle, you might even consider being especially thankful this year and showing up at the family feast with two bottles in hand.
Ron James es un columnista de vino y comida y locutor de radio cuyas columnas y reportajes han aparecido en periódicos y revistas de todo el país.
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