The Thanksgiving family feast is one of the most heart-warming and unforgettable get-togethers of the year.
To make it even more enjoyable, choose a special wine.
One of the more popular choices is pinot noir, because of how well it pairs with the traditional foods of the holiday. I recommend the 2016 Scherrer Pinot Noir “Sonoma Valley” (roughly $33 a bottle). It is a lovely, seductively textured and balanced rendition — deftly showing what this grape variety can be. Owner/winemaker Fred Scherrer has a masterful, gentle touch with pinot and the resulting wine is well worth seeking out.
Another grape variety to consider is gamay noir, most notably grown in the Beaujolais region of France. Red Beaujolais, delicious and food-friendly, can be much more jovial, lighter in weight and gulpable than other red-wine grape varieties.
One of my long-time favorites is Domaine Diochon Moulin-a-Vent “Vieilles Vignes” (roughly $24 a bottle). I have been enamored with this standout since the 1980s for its authentic, old-vine character and soul, but also because, like the Scherrer pinot, it is a “one-man show,” with Thomas Patenotre as both grape grower and winemaker. His old-school style, steeped in tradition, is something to treasure.
Thanksgiving is also an opportune time to enjoy pink wines. One of my wife’s go-to rosés is Domaine Fontsainte Corbieres “Gris de Gris” (roughly $19 a bottle). We always have a bottle or two in our refrigerator because it is so tasty and enjoyable.
Also apropos for Thanksgiving is the Marquiliani Vin Gris (roughly $30 a bottle), light and otherworldly, a revelation among rosé wines. As importer Kermit Lynchonce wrote, “it is like drinking a cloud, it is so light and weightless. After you swallow, all that’s left is perfume.” Grown on the eastern coast of the island of Corsica, this is a wine every wine lover should try at least once.
Lastly, because the Thanksgiving feast typically includes foods with innate sweetness (cranberries, yams and corn, for example), you might also consider slightly sweet, lower- alcohol German rieslings.
One great value is Hooked Riesling (roughly $17 a bottle) — orchestrated by Jenna Fields of The German Wine Collection. It would work with a wide array of foods, notably the ham and fixings.
With the same thought in mind, consider these two — Donnhoff Riesling “Estate” (roughly $27 a bottle) and Haart Riesling Kabinett “Piesporter” (roughly $32 a bottle). Both have elevated mojo, character and sophistication.
(As a side note, both wines age well; you could cellar them for at least 10 years. You will be amazed at the difference.)
Chuck Furuya is a master sommelier and co-host of the weekly podcast “Chuck Furuya Uncorked.” Follow his blog at chuckfuruya.com.
