THANKSGIVING WINES
I am Cheating this week; I’m not actually reviewing a wine; rather I am trying to guide you through your Thanksgiving dinner as it relates to what wine to serve. Here are a few rules and tips:
Drink wine you love: Above all else, disregard so-called rules involving matching food and wine. The first and most important rule is that the wine you drink should be a wine you love.
Suggested Matches: Conventional wisdom demands that you serve and drink pinot noir with your thanksgiving turkey. Following my previous thought, I hate pinot and therefore never serve or drink it, let alone on one of the most important dinners of the year. Pinot is supposed to be a good match because it’s a lighter, softer red that won’t overwhelm the turkey but will stand up to its smoky flavor and the accompanying hearty side dishes. I prefer merlot, a bigger, better red. Another idea is a nice buttery chardonnay such as Rombauer.
Impressing your guests: Some people feel compelled to pull out or show off a “really special bottle of wine,” on Thanksgiving. Fine, I get it. Just make sure that you time it right. Many people make the mistake of saving the nice bottle for dinner…when the guests are already halfway drunk and won’t appreciate it. I suggest starting the party with the great bottle and a little fanfare highlighting the quality of the wine. For dinner, serve a comparable varietal of lesser price.
