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WHAT TO SERVE WITH THE BIRD

October 27, 2011
It’s that time of the year that everyone asks me, being the WINE EXPERT I am…..
WHAT WINE should I serve with the bird (Turkey) for Thanksgiving…..???
I put together this handy guide which I hope you will find useful.

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WHAT TO SERVE WITH THE BIRD!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Turkey-wine-index-11-06-flat

 

The big question – which wine or wines go with Thanksgiving Dinner?
Another question to ask is:  Do I want ONE WINE for the whole dinner
or several that pair with each course – appetizers, turkey & sides, dessert?

If you want ONE WINE to take you through the gamut a good choice could
be a sparkler.  Champagne/ Sparkling Wines are not only for special occasions
and celebrations.  Gloria Ferrer Vineyards makes a nice sparkling wine, it is
reasonably priced & accessible at most liquor stores.

Images

 

 

If you opt not to serve the Sparkler here are some other ideas:

White Wine suggestions:

RIESLING: a nice white wine that can be dry or fairly sweet,
excellent with any dishes that are spicy, salty or sweet.
{Pronunciation: Rees-ling}

Here are a few suggestions in the $10 range:

  

  • Yalumba Y Series Riesling (Austalia)
  •  Dr. Loosen Riesling (Germany)
  • Firestone Vineyard’s Select Riesling

Sauvignon Blanc:   This is a crisp white wine, easy drinking, light to medium bodied.
{Pronunciation: saw vee nyon blahnk}

a few suggestions:

  • Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc  (New Zealand)
  •  Beaulieu’s Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc (California)

The LAST WHITE WINE I’d like to suggest is my favorite…..
VIOGNIER!  (vee oh nyay)

Viognier is a nice white varietal.    try it, you’ll like it.
If not – give it to me – I will finish it for you.

  • Elk Cove Viognier Willamette Valley (Oregon)
  • Hogue Viognier Columbia Valley (Washington)
  • Pride Viognier Sonoma County (California)

 

 

Viognier

 

 

RED WINE suggestions…………….

Certainly one cannot talk about Thanksgiving wine pairing without
mentioning Beaujolais Nouveau!

Beaujolais Nouveau A light, fruity red wine, from the Gamay grape,
it goes quite well with turkey and all of the fixings.
*This wine is ONLY released from France on the third Thursday of November.

{Pronunciation: boh jhoe lay noo-VOH}

Les Vins Georges Duboeuf & Louis Jadot are probably the largest purveyors of Beaujolais.0images

  If you chose not to serve Beaujolais then Pinot Noir is a good choice!

Pinot Noir: This red wine is a traditional favorite for Thanksgiving.

It is smooth and silky, with subtle aromas.
{Pronunciation: pee noh nwahr}

Vineyards that produce nice Pinot’s: (and you should be able to find…)

  • Argyle Pinot Noir Willamette Valley (Oregon)
  • Elk Cove Noir Willamette Valley (Oregon)
  • Beaulieu Vineyard Pinot Noir Napa Valley Carneors (California)
  • Estancia Pinot Noir Monterey Pinnacle (California)

Zinfandel:   A fuller bodied red wine that ups the intensity from a Pinot Noir.
~ a great wine pick for those looking for a heartier red wine.

 Zins to consider….. that may be easy to find:

  • Cline Zinfandel Sonoma Valley 
  • Frog’s Leap Zinfandel Napa Valley 
  • Steele Zinfandel Mendocino County 

AND of course — if you happen to open a bottle of wine & don’t care for it
this is what you do with it…………Make Sangria!

http://helentdiehl.posterous.com/tasty-sangria-everyone-will-ask-for-this-reci

 

Sangria

SALUD!!!

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One Comment
  1. Suzy Lee-Kauer's avatar
    Suzy Lee-Kauer permalink

    Bravo Helcha! Ever so helpful and humorous!

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