What Are You Bringing To The Table?

It’s good to be back writing again after a lengthy layoff, and what better time to jump back in than to do it with Thanksgiving coming up. Last year, I put together a nice little Thanksgiving guide for you, but I can’t just mail in my first post in two months.

So I pose the question to you…what are you bringing to the table? Whether you are hosting or traveling, you are doing something to contribute this Thanksgiving, right? Of course you are, and perhaps you don’t know what to go for or you find yourself needing a change from the usual.

I will be honest…you can bring just about any beverage of your choosing and it will be fine. Seriously! The beauty of the Thanksgiving feast is that you have a lot of different things to choose from. Turkey itself is fairly mild and many wines will work fine. Sometimes the challenge can be strong flavors; maybe you have a lot of herbs and greens as your sides. Cranberry sauce is sweet and sour. What if you are frying or charcoal-smoking your turkey? Here are some guidelines to help you find the right wine for your holiday table.

Skip the “big” wines”

Cabernet Sauvignon and Nebbiolo have a lot of tannins, acids, and power. They overwhelm just about anything on your table. Additionally, oaky Chardonnay (particularly from the New World) will create bitter flavors on your palate. Save these wines for after dinner if you really like them.

Skip the acidic wines

Sauvignon Blanc can be aggressively acidic and feel thin and tart on your palate with all the rich foods, however acidic wines with some texture can be a very good match. Instead, lean on a white Bordeaux, which typically has Sauvignon Blanc, with some Sémillon blended in. Sémillon has a soft, honeyed texture that tamps down the piercing acids Sauvignon Blanc. Chateau Lamothe de Haux ($15) is consistently a good example.

Go classic: Pinot Noir or Gamay

Pinot Noir’s liveliness, fruitiness, and silky texture are great for Thanksgiving. The baking spices and earthiness that comes through in this grape matches particularly well. I tend to lean on Pinot Noir from Oregon or even Chile; both regions give a nice balance of the aspects I mentioned above. Additionally, Gamay from Burgundy, which you will often find as Beaujolais is lighter and fruitier than Pinot Noir and virtually no tannin. Louis Latour released a blend of these two grapes (85% Gamay, 15% Pinot Noir, $15) that to me is the ultimate Thanksgiving wine.

If you smoked your turkey…

Time to go for something a little more intense than Pinot Noir and Gamay, which are delicate and will fade behind a smoked turkey. Here is a spot to try a Zinfandel, Grenache/Syrah blend, or South African red blend. Zinfandel is plush and jammy, low in tannin but full-bodied and able to stand up to the stength of smoking. A southern French red blend (such as the $13 Mas Sauvaire from the Languedoc region) would work here, too. A.A. Badenhorst’s Secateurs ($15) is another fine option if you want to explore South Africa.

Be daring: Go with an aromatic white

Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer are noble grapes in Alsace, with fruity/floral and exotic flavors and aromas. The richness of Alsace Pinot Gris is a great choice. Gewurztraminer has full-bodied tropical fruit flavors and can be very good with a ham if you have guests that don’t do turkey. Viognier is a luxurious white Rhone variety that offers similar aromas to Riesling but with more body and weight. Even better…try a blend of some of these varieties! Willm “Gentil” is a noble white Alsace blend ($13) and Korta “Irune” ($16) from Chile is Viognier, Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc. Either would be a lot of fun at the table.

Cheat and bring bubbly

No one refuses Champagne, Prosecco, or sparkling wine of any kind. No one, I’m convinced. Plus it is a great way to start the day. Champagne Aubry ($38) is very reasonably priced with an orange zest and brioche character. Mionetto Prosecco ($12) is fun and fruity, suitable for drinking on its own or for making a cocktail. If you don’t have a Champagne budget, try a “Cremant” such as Bailly Lapierre’s Blanc de Noirs ($19).

Try Sherry

Sherry is great for any hard-to-pair meal. Heck, the Spanish drink it with their tapas, since you have so many different foods coming. It has a salty, nutty character with just the right amount of texture. An Amontillado Sherry such as Emilio Lustau’s Los Arcos ($15) is a fine way to introduce yourself to Sherry if you have never tried it before.

No need to go super-expensive…but go ahead if you want to!

I mean, you can if you want to and there is something satisfying about enjoying a high-end wine at holiday time, but chances are higher that Thanksgiving is going to be quantity-driven. I am helping you keep costs down by keeping my recommendations under $20 where possible.

With that, I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving. Cheers!

Ask Tony: What's The Deal With Asparagus And Wine?

In my best Jerry Seinfeld voice, "What's the deal with asparagus?"

Welcome to my newest segment: Ask Tony! You have questions, I (maybe) have answers.

Spring's arrival means the first bounty of green vegetables. While these don't make it to the forefront of a meal for some, certainly this is an important time for the vegetarian and vegan diners out there. Still...you should be having greens on the side with your meat dishes! Listen to your parents for once!

Asparagus: rough stuff if it comes in contact with the wrong wine. Proceed with caution!

So among the leafy harvest of kale, Swiss chard, collards, and salad greens also comes the distinct, stalky vegetable called asparagus. It's chemical composition is unique; there are things called "asparagusic acid," "asparagosides," "asparagine," and "asparenyol" involved. These are group of building blocks that make asparagus so asparagus-y. To boot, 60-80% of the asparagus-consuming American population notices quite the "aroma" that emerges when you need to use the potty. All of these asparagus-y chemical components become the bane of many a wine pairing enthusiast. One has to be careful when marrying wines to these spears of green goodness. The wrong choice leads to overly tart, metallic, and astringent flavors on your palate. It's a beyond unpleasant chemical reaction for your senses.

I know...it doesn't sound like there is a lot of upside to getting wine into the equation when asparagus is being served. However, there is always a way. It's not impossible to enjoy both. A really simple guideline is to go for fresh, fruity, unoaked white wines. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and Finger Lakes or Alsace Riesling immediately come to mind. You can even go with a Grüner Veltliner, which has always been an equalizer when it comes to greens.

A Grenache-based rosé wine, such as those coming from Navarra (Spain) or from the Côtes du Rhône in France will give you fruitiness if you are not a fan of white wine. If you must have a red, it can be a tougher pairing; any tannins will create chaos. Mild, unoaked, low-tannin reds such as the Gamay-based wines of Beaujolais would be useful in this spot, but go simple. If you spend for the "cru" wines, some (such as those from Morgon, Moulin-à-Vent, Côte de Brouilly, and Brouilly) have tannin in there; you might want to search for cru regions like Fleurie, which are lighter and gentler.

If all else fails, wrap a piece of prosciutto around a bundle of asparagus or cover asparagus with cheese. That will make life easy and you can just drink whatever you want!

Here are a few specific options for you. Try them for yourself and let me know what you think!

If you have questions you want answered, get in touch with me and maybe I will feature your question in another segment!

Silver Thread Finger Lakes Dry Riesling ($18)

Vibrant and peachy, this dry example from New York finishes clean and should help tame the green monster.

Dog Point Vineyard Marlborough (New Zealand) Sauvignon Blanc ($20)

Bursting with passionfruit, herbs and a hint of stony earthiness, the ripeness will work wonders with asparagus.

Vega Sindoa Navarra Garnacha Rosado ($11)

Not having any part of white wine? This simple pink wine gives you lots of strawberry and spiced flavors at a terrific bargain.

Chateau de Pizay Beaujolais ($15)

A producer who has been a longtime favorite at the store, this is straightforward raspberry and baking spice that will satisfy the red wine fan.