Thanksgiving Features!

There are so many wines to consider during the holiday season. Traditionally Burgundy; Cru Beaujolais (Pinot Noir,Gamay) dominate the red varietals and Noble Alsacian varietals such as Riesling and Pinot Gris dominate the whites. The food associated with Thanksgiving has always been in some form or another Turkey, Potatoes and Stuffing; the wines have been Pinot Noir and Riesling. I have always been a fan of tradition, but feel that there are also many other wine options to make your Thanksgiving meal wonderful. Here are a few wines we will feature for the Thanksgiving holiday; some classic picks and some less common choices as well.

Allendorf Kabinett Riesling- (Sale Price $9.99!) The Allendorf family has lived and produced wine in the Rheingau for over 700 years! Although the family works with a lot of single vineyard site specific Rieslings and Pinot Noirs (Spatburgunder in German), this is just a nice entry level Riesling with great fruit components and mineral flavors. This is a well balanced wine that is sure to be a hit with the Turkey.

Ferrari Carano Fume Blanc- (Sale Price 14.99!) This wine is comprised of 100% Sauvignon Blanc 60% of which sees time in Stainless Steel tanks and 35% in used French Oak Barrels. This wine has great tropical fruit notes and good acidity which adds a crisp freshness. The little bit of oak add a bit of complexity on the finish. This is a very versatile food wine that will pair with simple and complex dishes (Will hold up to spice if that is on your menu)

Erath Pinot Noir- (Sale Price 17.99!) Erath has been making wine for over 40 years in the Dundee Hills of Oregon; longer than anyone else there. Dick Erath really was one of Oregon’s wine pioneers. This pinot is a blend of different vineyard sites compiled to produce a ready to drink, fruit forward Pinot. I always believed Oregon Pinot with its cooler growing season to have a bit more acidity than other new world Pinot Noirs. This gives the wine a great balance and makes it arguably more food friendly. This wine does see a small fraction of new French Oak to enhance the complexity. All in all, this is a great Pinot for the price.

Dehesa La Granja- (Sale Price 19.99!) This is an old winery that was refurbished and now the wine is made by the iconic Alejandro Fernandez. This wine comes from the Spanish province of Zamora and is comprised of the Tempranillo grape. The must goes through Malolactic fermentation in new oak barrels. It then goes through a decanting system which essentially is a clarification process. The result is a beautiful, elegant wine that shows great fruit and finesse. 2005 being the current vintage, this wine would be a real treat for the table.