Thanksgiving Wine

Stop by this Saturday to sample a few wines ideal for your Thanksgiving celebration.

Our first rule for selecting wines with a classic Thanksgiving dinner is not to wig out. The meal is far too diverse with textures, flavors and aromas to labor over perfect pairings. The wines should be light, refreshing and energetic. With moderate alcohol, lots of fruit, a lively acidity, and versatile enough to complement everything from the roast bird to Aunt Grace’s sweet potato casserole.

Perhaps even more importantly, you should have plenty of wine. Thanksgiving is time for merriment and the wine should be as bountiful as the food. We have selected three crowd-pleasing and affordable bottles, each one made all the more refreshing with some chilling. These wines will give you further cause to celebrate.

2009 Château de Raousset Morgon
~$16.99/bottle – 15% off regular price of $19.99 SOLD OUT

2009 was a special vintage for Beaujolais. Ideal weather that year produced wines full of fruit yet maintaining an exquisite balance. Château de Raousset has acreage in the Beaujolais crus of Chiroubles, Fleurie and Morgon — most of them worked by five share-cropping families some of whom have links with the Château going back over five generations. The Morgon comes from the named vineyard of Douby known for well-structured wines with both fruity and floral notes. This is an easy-drinking wine that will shine with or without food. Serve at 59-64°F

Fattoria Moretto “Monovitigno” Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro Secco
Price: $31/bottle – SOLD OUT

The Emilia Romagna region of Italy is famous for many things. Besides Lambrusco, mortadella and Parmigiano Reggiano, it also gave birth to one of the most important composers of music history, Giuseppe Verdi. Moretto’s Lambrusco in the glass is as rollicking as Verdi’s Falstaff in the opera house. The Altariva family is making this miniscule production, terroir-driven wine from a four acre single vineyard near the town of Modena that’s planted with vines over 40 years old. It’s dry, slightly fizzy, and practically sings out for food. While purple and loads of fun this is still real wine with concentration and aromatics serious enough to satisfy the most discriminating drinkers. This wine is perfection with a charcuterie, olive and cheese plate. We love it and so does the New York Times. Serve at 57-62°F

2012 Castell d’Encus Ekam Costers del Segre
Price: $39/bottle

The vineyards of Castell d’Encus lie in Costers del Segre, the far north east of Spain, between 2,400 and 3,000 feet of altitude in the sub-Pyrenees. Vines were cultivated there by monks between the 12th and 18th centuries. Raül Bobet was drawn to the site in part due to fermentation vats that were carved out stone centuries ago and that he still uses today. Every one of Raül Bobet’s wines are case studies in the marriage of technical mastery and soul. They are all sophisticated and express a purity of fruit and concentrated intensity that’s balanced by fresh acidity. The 2012 Ekam is a blend of 85% Riesling and 15% Albariño that compares favorably to the very best dry Riesling wines from Germany. Extremely versatile, Ekam will be the spark to blander dishes or harmonize with more piquant flavors. Jancis Robinson agrees. Serve at 45-50°F

- - -
Posted on 2014.11.19 in France, Saturday Sips Wines, Beaujolais, Spain DO, Emilia-Romagna, Italy, Costers del Segre