Thanksgiving Wines: What to Serve and How Much

November 21, 2012 No comments » [ssba]

15 pound turkey – check.  10 pounds potatoes – check.  2 cans pumpkin puree – check.  Wine – unchecked.

Funny how we wait for the last possible minute to think about wine for the biggest dinner of the year.  Maybe it’s because it’s tough to choose wines that will pair nicely with a spread such as Thanksgiving dinner.  Or maybe, with all of the prepping and planning for dinner, we just forget.  Either way, we are here to help.  And since we are closed on Thanksgiving Day, you’d better get here quick to get your bottles!  (We’ll let you in on a little secret though…the Ponte Vineyard Inn is always open and we do carry some Ponte wine in the sundry store.  Just sayin’.)

What to Serve:

The wine that is so incredibly versatile, that we continue to recommend year after year is our Fiorella.  It is a dry rosé wine that both red and white wine drinkers enjoy.  It has wonderful fruit characteristics without being sweet, and it is crisp without being tannic.  It is delicious with nearly every classic Thanksgiving dish, from roast turkey and ham to sweet potatoes and green bean casserole.

However, if you would like to serve a red or a white, or both, we think medium-bodied ones would be best.  For red, try 2009 Tempranillo which will compliment an herb roasted turkey and dressing beautifully.  A good white wine is our 2011 Pinot Grigio, which is both food-friendly and people-friendly.  It is also great with the mild flavors of turkey, and pairs deliciously with creamy, garlic mashed potatoes and Brussels sprouts.  For dessert, think sweet.  2011 Moscato will be a hit with apple and pumpkin pie, and 2010 Mistela would be wonderful with pecan pie.

How Much to Buy:

A good rule of thumb is to count on one bottle of wine for every two guests for dinner.  If you plan on serving appetizers with wine, you’ll need additional bottles.

So, there you have it.  Did you take notes?  If not, no worries.  That’s what are servers are here to help with so, by all means, ask what their recommendations are.

One more thing to note—

We know a lot of you are going to wait until this evening to do all of your Turkey Day shopping.  We know what the grocery stores will look like and we understand the agony of diving for the last package of brown n’ serve rolls, and the inevitable lines and the pain of sitting in traffic with all the other procrastinators trying to get home.  Ease the battle wounds by stopping by the Cellar Lounge tonight.  You can sit, relax, have a drink and just tune everything out for a while.  Get this – there is no cell phone signal here, and you know that sounds appealing.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

–What wines are you serving with Thanksgiving dinner?


Posted by , November 21, 2012 No comments

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