Wines To Sip On This Thanksgiving
Wine can break or make a meal even with some of the best food prepared. Being able to bring together the right flavor, tannins, notes and acids can add new layers to your meal making it the best Thanksgiving meal you’ve had in years. With different appetizers or even main courses planning a pairing can be difficult, (Food & Wine Pairings To Try This Thanksgiving) but these approved bottles will find the perfect match, pleasing even the toughest of crowds.
From The Times Square EDITION's Amy Racine recommends ruet "Domaine St Vincent" Brut Rose (New Mexico) - Bubbles are a nice way to welcome guests on Thanksgiving. It's also something great to sip on to get the appetite going before the big meal.
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While Major Food Group's John Slover recommends Caduceus Cellars ’Nagual de la Naga’ (Arizona) - It is a decadently fruity red reminiscent of rich, jammy Shiraz, and would pair nicely with dark meat turkey and cranberry sauce.
See below wines to serve on Thanksgiving
To celebrate this holiday season, Chandon will be launching a limited-edition bottle (available in both standard and magnum sizes) of their signature Brut varietal. Chandon harvests under the stars each year because the cool California night protects the quality of Chandon’s grapes. The acidity and aromatic finesse of the fruits are preserved when gathered under the twinkling California sky. Chandon is bringing that magic to your home with this festive bottle to celebrate all season long. This bottle will be available from October 1st through the end of the year.
Napa Valley Sparkling Blanc de Blancs
Pop the bubbly! This Blanc de Blancs is a glistening pale straw color in the glass with ribbons of fine bubbles. Aromas of green apple, lemon citrus, pear and lemon cream offer a fresh palate with fruit forward flavors, zippy acidity and a creamy finish. Made from 100% Chardonnay and gorgeously effervescent, it’s the perfect wine for toasting the season.
2016 Mullan Road Cellars Red Blend
A Bordeaux style blend of Cabernet, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. It is a bright, full wine that leads with dark aromas of black cherry, cassis, vanilla bean and juniper berry, making way for deeper scents of sweet black cherry pie, blackcurrant and a touch of spice. This is the perfect accompaniment to a Thanksgiving or Holiday meal or alone as a host/hostess gift. (SRP: $45)
Hampton Water, the perfect rosé for all seasons and occasions, is a must-have Thanksgiving bottle. Hampton Water is slightly aged, which is atypical for rosés, allowing the body of the wine to pair perfectly with any Thanksgiving course from a cheese platter hors d’oeuvres to the main event, turkey and stuffing, and a delicious piece of cake or pie for dessert.
2015 Sterling Vineyards Platinum Cabernet Sauvignon
When that special moment arrives, this wine delivers dense, dark elegance and serious poise. Bing cherry, cassis and mocha notes are layered with flavors of caramel toffee, roasted hazelnuts and black pepper spice. A memorable bottle to open at an elevated soiree or intimate gathering.
Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau
This young and vibrant wine is celebrated as the first wine of the harvest and released each year on the third Thursday of November. Just in time for the holidays, Beaujolais Nouveau’s bright fruit flavors make it the perfect plus one. Best served with a light chill, the time-honored wine is versatile and pairs perfectly with all manner of cheese, charcuterie, roast turkey, and ham. Available starting November 21 at most wine retailers nationwide.
Terrazas de los Andes Reserva Malbec 2017
This perfect rich red wine is hand-harvested between March and April, Terrazas’ signature Reserva Malbec is synonymous with very intense colors, aromas of fresh fruit, flowers, and spices. This vintage is kind, aromatic and fresh. Its precise tannins provide great softness and presence in the mouth.
The Vice Single Vineyard 218 Pinot Noir “Bruce Wayne’s Batch” (SRP: $36)
2018 BruceWayne’s Pinot Noir jumps off the glass with aromas of berry bramble, mulberry with hints of lilac and violet. The palate is round and generous with layers of mouth-enveloping ripe berries, rhubarb, dried cherries and equally imposing tannins.
Campo Viejo Tempranillo
Campo Viejo Tempranillo is fermented in stainless steel vats at a controlled temperature and maceration with skins for approximately 12 days. The wine spends 4 months in American oak casks before rounding off its aging in the bottle. The result is a cherry red color, suggestive of a vibrant Tempranillo wine. It’s rich aromas have a pronounced intensity with an initial scent of ripe fruit followed by gentled sweet notes of vanilla and spices. It is perfumed, soft and fresh with a long finish with notes of suits, vanilla and cocoa.
100% Rkatsiteli, literally "red stem" is made using Georgian traditional wine making method. Using a qvevri, a clay, egg shaped vessel buried under ground. This “orange wine” (referring to its amber color as a result of prolonged skin contact) acquires a full body texture and drinks more like a red. Bouquet of dried healing herbs and honey on the nose walnut notes on the finish. Food pairing: mediterranean style chicken or pork.
Swanson 2017 Merlot, Napa Valley
Subtle nose of red fruits, a hint of milk chocolate and a touch of parsley. On the palate intense plums, strawberries and briar rush across the palate. As the wine opens up, blueberry notes become evident. The tight acidity helps maintain the structure of the wines which balanced against moderate tannins drive the finish. Pure, well rounded and delicious.
Tamarack 2016 Firehouse Red, Columbia Valley
Crushed gently and dropped into 1.5 ton bins, cold soaked 24 to 48 hours, then inoculated with a variety of yeasts, handpunched and pressed directly to barrel, where the wine finishes both primary and secondary fermentation. Only after one year in barrel do the individual lots of wine that compose the Firehouse Red get blended.
Aromas of dried cherry and graham cracker pie crust that waft from the glass. On the palate, flavors of blueberry, cranberry and dried oregano are followed by nicely integrated oak and mellow tannins.
Joseph Phelps 2017 Chardonnay, Pastorale Vineyard
A blend of two Chardonnay blocks from our Pastorale Vineyard with a focus on heritage clone Maro, clone 76, Old Calera, New Calera, Montra and Mt. Eden. Grapes were whole cluster pressed cold and barrel fermented slowly over several months, followed by malolactic fermentation. Barrels were stirred as needed, resulting in a focused, concentrated, richly textured wine.
The 2017 Pastorale Vineyard Chardonnay boasts delicate aromas of citrus blossom and gardenias met by Meyer lemon and tangy spices, making for a richly round and vibrant wine with touches of vanilla and toasted brioche in the lingering finish.
Joseph Phelps 2016 Pinot Noir, Pastorale Vineyard
A singular Pinot Noir expression from our Pastorale Vineyard highlights select blocks planted to clone 777, Calera and Swan. Clusters were hand-sorted in order to separate the best for whole cluster fermentation. The 2016 vintage was 24% whole cluster fermented, adding spice, texture and structure, and 25% of the grapes were then selected for fermentation in oak-top fermenters, lending a rich, round mouth feel to the finished blend. Gentle punch downs were performed during fermentation until a desired taste and texture was achieved in each tank.
This latest release highlights juicy raspberry and savory spices with well-integrated tannin structure and inviting cranberry, clove and candied orange peel notes. Fresh and focused with a lingering red fruit and dried sage finish.
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Erath 2016 Oregon Pinot Gris
Before reaching for another bottle of pinot grigio, try serving a better version of the same grape from Oregon. Pinot Gris is a descendant of pinot noir and is a perfect white wine to balance your Thanksgiving meal – no matter how many helpings of mac and cheese or spinach mornay you put on your plate.
Notes: Fragrant white flowers, nectarine, melons with a hint of Key lime lay the aromatic path to this wine. Pleasing plushness bolstered by engaging natural acidity combine to support lush flavors of banana, melon and apricot finishing on a long, clean and clear high note.