I love Thanksgiving, in fact, I love every holiday. It’s another reason
to get together with family and friends and enjoy a great meal, wonderful wines
and endless conversation.
I will plan my menu just about
ten days before. I finish my grocery shopping by Sunday and start prepping two
days ahead; on Tuesday I will start the brining; on Wednesday I will prep all
the vegetable dishes -- Clean, cut, blanch etc. all the little details that
take precious time away from the important things on Thursday. On Thursday
morning, I will study my recipes and literally choreograph every step.
I will leave whatever I planned
to serve as appetizers last. This way, if I run out of time we are not missing
anything from the main dinner. Of course I always have a selection of cheeses, charcuteries,
breads, and dips and olives, and spreads; all the good things that all you have
to do is arrange them on a pretty plate.
Wine and cocktails are served non-stop for a good 90 minutes if not
more. When we are finally ready to sit
around the table, I will show my beautifully cooked Turkey and then take it
back into the Kitchen in order to carve it.
I like to serve everything
family style (I guess that’s the Greek in me) and line up an array of wines for
everyone to drink. I will serve wines that I never had, some old favorites and
certainly I will open bottles that I consider special. Everyone will share what
they are thankful for, glasses will clink and with broad smiles on everyone’s
face the Thanksgiving feast will begin.
By the time we get to dessert,
the pies, the cakes, the chocolates, the cookies most people are wishing they
had remembered to put their stretchy pants on.
By now you are wondering, why
am I sharing this information? Because I want everyone to understand my answer
to a question that I hear several hundred times during this holiday. “What do
you recommend for Thanksgiving dinner?” What I really want to say is “whatever
you like to drink”. Don’t look for pairings for this occasion, with so many
dishes on the table it is impossible to pair one wine or even two for
everything. I will help you discover new
wines, find something new for your taste profile, find the bargains and the
treasures, but please, please, please do not ask me to pair the wines.
If you want to break it down
dish by dish, here’s the scoop;
For the big bird, my preference
will be a Pinot Noir and if you want to be traditionalist a Zinfandel will do
the trick.
-
Poco A Poco Pinot Noir
-
Siduri Pinot Noir
-
Dutton Estate Pinot Noir
-
Carol Shelton Wild Thing Zinfandel
-
Dashe Les Enfants Terribles Zinfandel
-
Rockpile Ridge Zinfandel
For all the side dishes that
will grace your table, here are a few pairing ideas.
Green Beans, a Chenin Blanc
will work nicely
-
Chateau de Montfort Vouvray
-
Blue Plate Chenin Blanc Dry
Stuffing, Riesling is the wine
of choice, preferably one from New York
-
Ryan William Vineyards Estate Riesling
-
Dr. Konstantin Frank Dry Riesling
Mashed Potatoes, should be
paired with bubbles, a Blanc de Blanc will be ideal.
-
Andre Jacquart Blanc de Blanc
-
Gosset Blanc de Blanc
If Brussels sprouts make it on
your holiday table, a Sauvignon Blanc that sees some oak will do the trick
-
Beaucanon Estate Sauvignon Blanc
-
Sonoma Coast Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc
Sweet Potatoes, a California
Chardonnay is a must.
-
Hanzell Sebella Chardonnay
-
Jordan Chardonnay
And no, I did not forget the
Cranberry sauce. This will require a jammy Shiraz.
-
Yangarra Shiraz
-
Two Hands, Angel Share Shiraz
There you have it, you have
yourself a nifty tasting menu. Whether you stick with your favorites or explore
something new, these wines recommendations will be sure to keep a smile on your
face from the first to the last bite.
Καλη ορεξη!
Costas
