Friday, November 24, 2006

Thanksgiving Wines

I find it difficult to pair wines with turkey, so I usually don't break out the most expensive stuff on Thanksgiving. Generally, what I find I like best (or dislike the least) with the dang bird are deeply fruity, non-tannic reds (Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, 1-2 year old Beaujolais). For whites, I generally go with a German Kabinett Riesling, Alsace Gewurz, or off-dry to slightly sweet Chenin Blanc.

So for this Thanksgiving, I went with a coupla wines I've already reviewed here: the Lolonis Vineyards LADYBUG RED Cuvee V (Redwood Valley), previously reviewed here and here, and the 2002 Trimbach Gewurztraminer, previously reviewed here. Both were soft, fruity, and went (relatively) well with turkey.

For dessert, we had a 2004 Rudolf Muller Hainfelder Ordensgut RIESLING EISWEIN. It was surprisingly inexpensive for a true Eiswein -- $19.99 at Central Market. Not the most complex Eiswein around, but very nice. Piercing nose of contrasting smells -- honeyed peaches and tart granny smith apples. Fairly sweet, fruity and long in the mouth, with mouthwatering acidity keeping everything very fresh tasting and light. It was gone before I could go outside and take some more critical notes about it. I'm going to get more of this!

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