Thanksgiving Wines

HOLIDAYS! Time to gather and give thanks for all the wonderful things in life. My Thanksgiving is usually spent serving other families, but it makes coming home to a loving husband, a delicious dinner, and a few bottles of wine that much more appreciated! Also, having the weekends around the holidays to gather with the people I love is fantastic. 

I always provide the wine.

If you are the wine provider this Turkey Day, or want to bring something delicious to dinner, here are a few Thanksgiving wine ideas! 

WINE - LA MARCA

ITALY - Veneto

grapes: Prosecco (Glera)

LIGHT * FRESH * SPARKLING

aromas of: apple, honey, flowers

tastes of: apple, lemon, mineral

* light body, bright acidity, lively finish!
price tag: $15

WINE - PINE RIDGE

USA - California (Napa)

grapes: Chenin Blanc, Viognier

JUICY * CLEAN * REFRESHING

aromas of: citrus, lemon, flowers

tastes of: citrus, pear, melon, flowers

* light body, well balanced, fresh finish!

price tag: $13

WINE - CLEAN SLATE

GERMANY - Mosel

grapes: Riesling

CRISP * BRIGHT * LIVELY

aromas of: apple, citrus, melon

tastes of: apple, pear, lemon, lime, mineral

* light body, semi-dry, clean finish!

price tag: $12

WINE - LA CREMA

USA - California (Sonoma)

grapes: Pinot Noir

SMOOTH * LUSCIOUS * VIBRANT

aromas of: baked cherry, earth, flowers

tastes of: cherry, cranberry, vanilla, espresso

* medium body, silky, lingering finish!

price tag: $25

WINE - RAVENSWOOD

USA - California (Lodi)

grapes: Zinfandel

JUICY * FULL * SUPPLE

aromas of: black cherry, plum, currant

tastes of: cherry, blueberry, blackberry, chocolate, spice

* full body, balanced acidity, fruity finish!

price tag: $15

WINE - HOGUE

USA - Washington (Columbia Valley)

grapes: Riesling (late harvest)

CLEAN * RIPE * SMOOTH

aromas of: citrus, honey 

tastes of: apple, lemon, honey

* medium body, smooth acidity, lingering finish!

price tag: $12



With so many different flavors at the dinner table, and so many different people to please, it is best to showcase a few varieties at Thanksgiving. It is also a good idea to choose easy drinking, medium bodied, well balanced wines. ...MOST IMPORTANTLY enjoy the company of those you love! 

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WINE OF THE SEASON

SILKY     ELEGANT     COMPLEX

   

Once the cooler weather arrives, I start gravitating towards red wines. Pinot Noir is a wonderful wine for the autumn season because it is a transition into fuller body reds. It is light and more delicate than most reds. In a quality Pinot Noir you will find delicious berry flavors, mushroom, and earth. It is a wine that pairs with almost anything, especially roasted foods... perfect for fall weather!

aromas of: tart cherry, strawberry, rose

(French Burgundy is known for being very aromatic)

flavors of: cherry, strawberry, raspberry, cranberry, licorice, mushroom, earth

• semi dry - dry
• body: light - medium
• acidity: medium - high
• alcohol: low - medium
• tannin: low

Many would label Pinot Noir as a complex wine. It is a favorite by many wine lovers and wine enthusiasts because, when made well, Pinot Noir delivers so many intriguing tastes. It's also very difficult to grow and needs a lot of attention. The character of the wine depends very much on the land and the weather, as well as the work done in the vineyard throughout the year.

Because it is so temperamental, it will taste very different depending on where it is grown and how it is made.

Most Pinot Noir in the world comes from...

• USA (Oregon, California, New York, Washington, Michigan, Ohio)
• FRANCE (Burgundy, Champagne)
• NEW ZEALAND

Pinot Noir grows best in cooler regions, or in areas with cool breezes, although it can grow in warmer climates with a lot of care and good farming. Here is a bit of what to expect from various regions.

COOLER CLIMATE

• lighter body
• higher acidity
• less alcohol
• very fragrant
• more earthy flavors

• dry
• lighter body
• medium acidity
• tastes of sour cherry, strawberry, rose, leaves, mushrooms
• more fragrant
• more subtle
• longer lasting

TRY: Louis Jadot Bourgogne Pinot Noir

• dry
• light - medium body 
• medium - high acidity
• tastes of tart cherry, fresh berries, cranberry, earth, mushroom
• silky tannin
• more fresh fruit flavors and aromas
• more delicate

TRY: A to Z Pinot Noir

WARMER CLIMATE

• fuller body
• lower acidity
• more alcohol
• richer
• slightly darker
• more ripe fruit flavors

• dry
• medium body 
• medium acidity
• tastes of black cherry, strawberry, raspberry, flowers, spice
• meaty aromas

TRY: Kim Crawford Marlborough Pinot Noir

• dry
• medium body 
• medium acidity
• richer tastes of black cherry, black raspberry, vanilla, clove, cola
• more concentrated

TRY: Kendall Jackson Vintner's Reserve Pinot Noir

Happy Fall!

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Wine + Popcorn

The cool fall weather is here. That means more nights indoors watching movies and popping popcorn! I've been craving popcorn a lot lately. It's a delightful snack that is perfect for the season.
With a glass of wine, it is sometimes dinner.  

Popcorn and wine make great movie partners. 

Here's what you should know when you're looking for a delicious wine to pair with your popcorn...

CONSIDER:

• A wine with a lighter body

WHY? Popcorn is a very light snack. A lighter bodied wine will complement the delicate treat, while a full bodied red wine may bring the focus away from the popcorn. (I usually pair whites with this snack)

• A wine with some sweetness

WHY? Sweet and salty compliment each other, and luckily, so do sweet and sweet. So it's a win win when you are pairing wine and popcorn whether it be sweet or salty!

• What is ON the popcorn

WHY? If your popcorn has lots of butter, pair it with a buttery wine (usually oaked). If it is topped with spices, pair it with a spicy wine.

There is nothing more perfect for salty foods than a sparkling wine. The effervescence and crisp characteristics of these pair great with any type of popcorn...mainly salty or sweet...or even sprinkled with some Parmesan.

TRY: Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs

If you like to load your popcorn with butter, here is your match! A heavy oaked chardonnay will exhibit rich buttery flavors to complement your snack. 

TRY: Butter Chardonnay

This is your somewhat sweet wine that will pair perfectly with both salty AND sweet popcorn snacks. A sweet Riesling and some kettle corn would be a heavenly treat.

TRY: Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling

This is the wine to pair with your sharp cheddar, pepper, or spiced popcorn. The spicy notes in the wine will bring out the flavors in the popcorn. 

TRY: Shoofly Shiraz

Happy Weekend! Stay Cozy!


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Autumn Tastes

Hello Autumn! I love the beginning chills of fall. Such a colorful time of year that has us pulling out all of the things that bring us warmth and comfort. 

I'm pulling out some wine.

In the fall, I like to drink wine that is light to medium bodied, with notes of honey, oak, and spice. Here are some great bottles for the chillier autumn weather! 

WINE #1 - WILD HORSE

USA - California (Central Coast)

grapes: Viognier 

FLORAL * SMOOTH * FRESH

aromas of: citrus, pear, spice

tastes of: citrus, apricot, mineral, flowers

* medium body, crisp acidity, smooth finish!
price tag: $15

WINE #2 - LOUIS JADOT

FRANCE - Burgundy (Maconnais)

grapes: 100% Chardonnay

BRIGHT * CRISP * CLEAN

aromas of: citrus, apple, flowers

tastes of: apple, pear, citrus, spice

* medium body, well balanced, crisp finish!

price tag: $12

WINE #3 - MEIOMI

USA - California

grapes: Pinot Noir

SMOOTH * ELEGANT * LUSH

aromas of: berries, cranberry, vanilla

tastes of: cherry, strawberry, blackberry, vanilla, oak

* light-medium body, very well balanced, smooth finish!

price tag: $20

WINE #4 - GUIGAL

FRANCE - RHONE (Cotes du Rhone)

grapes: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre 

SILKY * SPICY * BOLD

aromas of: dark berries, cherry, flowers, spice

tastes of: raspberry, black cherry, chocolate, black tea, spice 

* full body, smooth tannins, lingering finish!

price tag: $14 



Being that this is the first weekend of fall, you ought to uncork and celebrate! Cheers!

SIMPLE     BRIGHT     CLEAN

+

ELEGANT     BRIGHT     SOFT

Summer is here and the Pinot Grigio is out! This is the easy drinking sunshiny wine that pairs great with any type of seafood or light dish because of its simplicity. It has no extreme characteristics which make it such a popular crisp summer wine.

OH...AND it grows in Ohio too!

aromas of: apple, lemon, honey, mineral

flavors of: lemon, lime, apple, pear, melon, nut, honey

• semi sweet - very dry
• body: light to medium
• acidity: medium - high
• alcohol: low - medium

Pinot Grigio is a mutation of Pinot Noir (yes, the red grape) and it can range from blueish to dark yellow in color.

Most Pinot Grigio in the world comes from...

• ITALY
• FRANCE (Alsace)
• USA (California, Oregon, Ohio)

Pinot Grigio grows in Italy. Pinot Gris grows in France (they are the same grape). In the U.S. we use the names interchangeably. Depending on where the grape is grown the flavor and body can be slightly different.

- PINOT GRIGIO

• very dry
• lighter body
• higher crisp acidity
• neutral tastes of apple, lemon, lime
• usually less expensive ...definitely good to know

TRY: Mezzacorona Pinot Grigio 2012

 

- PINOT GRIS

• dry
• light-medium body
• balanced acidity
• softer tastes of apple, citrus, melon, honey and nut
• usually pricier

TRY: Joseph Cattin Pinot Gris 2011

 

- PINOT GRIGO/GRIS

• dry-sweet
• light-medium body
• lighter acidity
• more fruit forward with tastes of apple, citrus, and pear

TRY: A to Z Pinot Gris 2011

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