Thanksgiving Wine

As Thanksgiving approaches most of us have a much more difficult time thinking about which wine to serve than what dishes to make. Food traditions for this celebration are often passed down from generation to generation and certain dishes are a staple on many families Thanksgiving tables. Without those family favorites it just wouldn’t be Thanksgiving. The same can not be said for the wine pairing and each year we are posed with the same dilemma - what wine should I serve with Thanksgiving dinner?

I have some great advice to help you, so take a deep breath and relax. It isn’t as complicated as you think and there are a number of good choices which are sure to make everyone happy! I strongly suggest serving a few wines you think might be interesting and polling your friends and family on which wines showed best. The first rule of thumb when deciding on your holiday wine is if you prefer red wine, serve reds and if you prefer white, serve whites. I happen to be a former “red only” wine drinker (I think it is fair to say “red only” wine snob) who has rediscovered how stunningly beautiful a quality white wine can truly be, so I will serve both. Two excellent white choices are Brandborg Vineyard & Winery’s Dry Gewürztraminer and HillCrest Vineyard’s Orsation Style Riesling. Both of these wines are beautifully complex with big fruit and layers of flavors that seem to go on and on. Try them for Thanksgiving but be prepared to want to serve them over and over again as these are the kind of wines that linger in your memory and leave you wanting more.

Pinot Noir is such an obvious choice for Thanksgiving dinner. Not only because we are after all, in Oregon (And what’s that old saying? When in Oregon do as the Oregonians do and drink Pinot? Something like that!) but because Pinot can be a very versatile wine. For those of you who like a bigger, meatier style of Pinot, Becker Vineyards and Misty Oaks Vineyard provide very good choices. If a more traditional, Burgundian style Pinot is your preference you must try Hillcrest Vineyards 2007 Pinot Noir just released last week. Brandborg Vineyard & Winery offers three different Pinots all excellent choices and in three different price points.

For those of you who prefer red but Pinot is not your cup of tea, choices abound here in the Umpqua Valley. Feel free to think outside the box. While whites and lighter reds are a more traditional choice for the turkey dinner there is no hard and fast rule that says you can not pair a meatier red with your traditional meal. Palotai Vineyard’s Arany Szarvas a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah is a full bodied, well balanced wine I think would show very well at your table. This wine may be difficult to pronounce but I guarantee it is easy to drink! I think a Cab Franc could pair well with many of our favorite dishes. Check out last weeks column on Cab Franc to help guide you to find just the right choice.

Finally, for dessert check out Sienna Ridge Estate Winery and Giardet Wine Cellars and try their excellent selection of sweet wines. Pecan pie paired with a late harvest Gewürztraminer is just over the top and I can’t think of a more perfect way to end the meal. Of course pecan pie is really good with a very cold glass of milk too but how unromantic is that?