Thanksgiving Day Wines

[jaybee]

I'm planning to serve a chianti classico reserva '95, slightly chilled and that nice reisling (Selbach Oster, Zeltinger, Schlossberg, Kabinett 2000) I brought to the Diwan dinner. I'll serve an auslese or sweet malvese with dessert. Champagne ('95 Veuve Cliquot) for starters.

[Robert Schonfeld]

that nice reisling (Selbach Oster, Zeltinger, Schlossberg, Kabinett 2000) I  brought to the Diwan dinner.

Is that wine available in Manhattan, Jaybee?

[tommy]

don't forget this thread

[Steve Plotnicki]

Yes Jaybee's wine at Diwan was terrific. Robert I think it comes from Acker Merrall.

[jparrott]

my thanksgiving wines:

Thursday, traditional turkey/trimmings, no sausage dressing though:

white: 1996 marc tempe riesling burgreben

red: 1998 argyle reserve pinot, i think. Not final, though.

Friday, long-smoked brisket, and other slightly similar trimmings, plus leftovers

white/aperitif: 2001 brun beaujolais blanc, in copious quantities

red: 1988 clerico arte en magnum

[Robert Schonfeld]

I was fortunate to get the last three bottles of Jaybee's riesling from Acker Merrall (thanks, Steve). Also got their last three Prum '98, as well as a sancerre and some Ravenswood Zinfandel for those who have to have it.

[MartyL]

I'm off to the in-laws for Turkey Day, and I'll be toting a number of things:

A bottle of JJ Christoffel's 2001 Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Kabinet,

A couple of 2001 German Spatleses to be determined later (Strub, or, if I'm feeling a little lavish, Donnhoff or Schaefer)

A bottle of Gilles Robin's 1999 Crozes Hermitage "Cuvee Alberich Bouvee,"

A bottle of Michel Ogier's 1998 "La Rosine,"

A bottle of Brun's 2000 Beaujolais "l'Ancien" (good idea, Steve),

and a partridge in a pear tree.

My thoughts are that the Spatelesen (and the Christoffel Kabinet, which is really more like a Spatlese in this vintage) should pair well with the sweet accompaniments like the cranberry sauce and sweet potatoes. They also will probably appeal to the people at the table who generally aren't crazy about dry table wines.

I hope the Robin and Ogier will be a nice comparison of Northern Rhone Syrahs. I've only had them separately and not side by side, but both come from lesser appelations right on the cusp of the great ones, and they are both rustic wines that show off the gamey aromatics typical of the region. I hope they'll match well with the rich giblet gravy.

The Brun is what I like to think of as the thinking man's Beaujolais. Its yummy and interesting and should appeal to wine novices and geeks alike. It also costs about $8!

I picked up many of these wines on a recent (and my first) visit to PJ Wines in upper Manhattan (see link below). They have an excellent selection of wines under $20 (all of the wines listed above are in that category) and are well worth a visit. Note that their web inventory may not be up to date. Also, the sales help on the floor is not always that great. Best to know what you are looking for or browse carefully and help yourself.

http://www.pjwine.com/

[bushey]

I want to go to jaybee's for the wine -- forget whatever else he's serving. The Selbach Oster is one of my all time favorite white wines and I love chianti, though I haven't had one older than '97 in a while.

We're still undecided about our wines. There will only be three of us drinking (small gathering). I was wine shopping with a friend the other day to put together a case for her mom's birthday and I picked up a few contenders: Thivin Cote de Brouilly, Strub Niersteiner Riesling Kabinett, and Protocolo Tinto, an inexpensive, delicious Spanish red.

[Steve Plotnicki]

I was just at Astor Place wines and they have the Selbach-Oster in stock.

[hollywood]

If you can afford it, some 1999 (or earlier) Leonetti Merlot.

[baruch]

thx to all who have responded with terrific thoughts & ideas. personally, i have decided to go somewhat american & somewhat french (my biased favorite). aperitifs - will try the roederer estate, from anderson valley, sparkling wine, & for such a meal with so many flavors & crosscurrents, decided on a chateauneuf du pape slightly chilled & the "queen" of beaujolais - a fleurie, more chilled. either should be a good match. whites seem to be just a touch too light for a gamey, although more domesticated in this day & time, turkey with heavy dressings. the fleurie fruits bring in the other dishes & sauces nicely with the white/dark meat.

love french rieslings, but in this case, seem a little too timid.

[baruch]

thxgvg results: the anderson roederer was too sweet, nxt yr a real champagne.

the fleurie was excellent & went well.

the GUIGAL Chatneuf du Pape was the appropiate wine to finsh with!

[Ron Johnson]

Marty,

How was the La Rosine drinking? I have two bottles of the '98 and don't know if I should hold or drink.

[docsconz]

This topic asked about what wines you would serve with T-day turkey. Now I ask, what did you serve or drink on Thanksgiving?

We had pre-dinner cheese and crackers (a delightful fresh french chevres, a soft goat/sheep mixture from France, a brebis and a tomme) served with 1.5L bottle of Pahlmeyer 2000 chardonnay. This was Kistler-like burgundian style big chardonnay with a lot of vanilla. The oak itself was subtle. While the wine would not go particularly well with too many dishes, it was a great match for the cheeses, especially the chevres. Another wine served with this was a 1998 McKinley Pinot Noir from Oregon. I had never tasted this wine before. If I were tasting it blind I would have guessed that it was cabernet franc. The predominant character was grapefruit to me and "celery" to someone else. It was much more grassy and vegetal than I would have expected from a pinot noir, especially one from Oregon. It wasn't unpleasant - in fact I liked it, although it deviated from my expectations.

I described most of the dinner here but not the wines we had. As with so many others who posted on the turkey wine thread, we were two-fisted drinkers with a couple of different young 2001 German Riesling kabinetts in the one glass and 1997 Ravenswood Dickerson zinfandel in the other. I thought the rieslings were actually the better match with the meal as a whole even though they were not particularly noteworthy growers. The Ravenswood sort of got swallowed up by the fat and sugars on the table. Perhaps it was too old for the pairing. The rieslings had a pleasant light fizz to them. The term for this escapes me at the moment, but the wines did stand up well and complement all the dishes on the table.

With desserts we had a Quebec ice cider from Pinnacle that was quite tasty and redolent of caramelized and honeyed apples. It could have used a little more acidity to brace it, however. We also had 1996 Raymon-Lafon sauternes. This seemed to be infused with saffron, as that was the overwhelmingly dominant flavor component. These were drunk pre-dessert.

[Jason Perlow]

I brought a Heinrich Weissburgunder 1997 (austria) and a Edna Valley Pinot Noir 1998 (forgot which producer). The in-laws provided Kendall Jackson Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Needless to say, they liked my stuff better. Ugh.

[Craig Camp]

Prosecco con Aperol

Villa Russiz Sauvignon Blanc, Collio, 2002

Poderi Colla, Campo Romano, Pinot Nero, Langhe, 2001

Tenuta Mazzolino, Noir, Pinot Nero, Oltrepo Pavese, 2000

Marchesi Pancrazi, Villa di Bagnolo, Pinot Nero, Rosso Toscano IGT, 2000

Sangervasio, Vin Santo, Colli Etruria Centrale, 1998

...we were certainly the only ones in town celebrating, but my in-laws seemed to enjoy the strange food - even though it is served all at once.

[Schneier]

I carried a Jeraboam of a 2000 Coteaux du Languedoc from France in the summer just for this occasion. I opened it, and it was fine.

Bruce

[docsconz]

Prosecco con Aperol

Villa Russiz Sauvignon Blanc, Collio, 2002

Poderi Colla, Campo Romano, Pinot Nero, Langhe, 2001

Tenuta Mazzolino, Noir, Pinot Nero, Oltrepo Pavese, 2000

Marchesi Pancrazi, Villa di Bagnolo, Pinot Nero, Rosso Toscano IGT, 2000

Sangervasio, Vin Santo, Colli Etruria Centrale, 1998

...we were certainly the only ones in town celebrating, but my in-laws seemed to enjoy the strange food - even though it is served all at once.

Interesting selection of wines, Craig. What were the Pinot Nero's like? Will we be reading about them in future wines of the week? I'm especially curious about the Poderi Colla given your discussion of the 1999 Barolo.

[Craig Camp]

Prosecco con Aperol

Villa Russiz Sauvignon Blanc, Collio, 2002

Poderi Colla, Campo Romano, Pinot Nero, Langhe, 2001

Tenuta Mazzolino, Noir, Pinot Nero, Oltrepo Pavese, 2000

Marchesi Pancrazi, Villa di Bagnolo, Pinot Nero, Rosso Toscano IGT, 2000

Sangervasio, Vin Santo, Colli Etruria Centrale, 1998

...we were certainly the only ones in town celebrating, but my in-laws seemed to enjoy the strange food - even though it is served all at once.

Interesting selection of wines, Craig. What were the Pinot Nero's like? Will we be reading about them in future wines of the week? I'm especially curious about the Poderi Colla given your discussion of the 1999 Barolo.

All were very good, pinot noir has made great strides in Italy over the last 5 or so years. Not so long ago it was undrinkable.

The Colla was exceptional. I have never had a wine from Poderi Colla that was not first class.

You will be reading about all three very soon - in Wine Camp.

[John W.]

Mingling in with the Mondavi Private Selection Cab was:

Bourgogne Blanc, Borgeot, 2000

Chianti Classico, Fontodi, 1998

Rioja, Senorio de Cuzcurrita, 2000 (actually went best with the bird)

Cabernet Sauvignon, Phelps, 1990

Dessert was a bottle of Austrian botrytis (grape unknown) from 1981.

It seems as if everyone was hedging their bets on what to bring, I was a little surprised to see the Phelps show up.

[slkinsey]

Here are the wines we had, along with the dishes they were served with:

Assorted Crudités

Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Rustico, Viticoltori Nino Franco, NV

– – –

Kumamoto Oyster On The Half-Shell With Cucumber Granita

Muscadet de Sevre et Maine sur Lies, Cuvee Vielles Vignes, Domaine Clos des Briords, 2002

– – –

Cauliflower Soup With Seared Diver Scallop And Curry Oil

Saumur Blanc “La Papareille,” Domaine Saint-Vincent, 2002

– – –

Mixed Herb Salad With Shrimp Ceviche

Saumur Blanc “La Papareille,” Domaine Saint-Vincent, 2002

– – –

Toasted Corn And Stilton Soufflé

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts With Guanciale and Chive/Oregano Vinaigrette

Bourgogne Rouge, Domaine Alain Hudelot-Noellat, 2000

– – –

Lemon-Thyme Sorbet

Moscato d'Asti “Vigneto Biancospino,” Azienda Agricola Dante Rivetti, Piemonte, 2002

– – –

Turkey Two Ways With Cornbread Dressing, Foie Gras And Black Truffle Carpaccio

Coteaux du Languedoc Pic Saint-Loup “Le Rollier,” Domaine Mas Foulaquier, 2001

Sonoma Valley Red Wine “Albarello,” H. Coturri & Sons, 2001

All the wines worked very well, I thought. The most distinctive was definitely the last one, the Albarello. I'm not sure I'd say it was the best wine but it definitely made an impression, which is just what I was going for. Strange, big, deep, powerful over-ripe/late-harvest kinds of flavors... almost like red wine with balsamico tradizionale added.

[budrichard]

Domaine Chandon sparkler to start off during arrivals with home smoked sturgeon.

1964 Chambertin with the 'Bird'. All tannin was gone, lovely bouquet, very smooth. Not decanted but was held in a horizontal server for a week prior to opening so we did not have to decant.

1969 Nierstiener Rebach TBA, starting to maderize but the sweetness was still there. You can only drink a small glass. One bottle left from original case.-Dick

[John W.]

Here are the wines we had, along with the dishes they were served with:

Assorted Crudités

Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Rustico, Viticoltori Nino Franco, NV

–  –  –

Kumamoto Oyster On The Half-Shell With Cucumber Granita

Muscadet de Sevre et Maine sur Lies, Cuvee Vielles Vignes, Domaine Clos des Briords, 2002

–  –  –

Cauliflower Soup With Seared Diver Scallop And Curry Oil

Saumur Blanc “La Papareille,” Domaine Saint-Vincent, 2002

–  –  –

Mixed Herb Salad With Shrimp Ceviche

Saumur Blanc “La Papareille,” Domaine Saint-Vincent, 2002

–  –  –

Toasted Corn And Stilton Soufflé

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts With Guanciale and Chive/Oregano Vinaigrette

Bourgogne Rouge, Domaine Alain Hudelot-Noellat, 2000

–  –  –

Lemon-Thyme Sorbet

Moscato d'Asti “Vigneto Biancospino,” Azienda Agricola Dante Rivetti, Piemonte, 2002

–  –  –

Turkey Two Ways With Cornbread Dressing, Foie Gras And Black Truffle Carpaccio

Coteaux du Languedoc Pic Saint-Loup “Le Rollier,” Domaine Mas Foulaquier, 2001

Sonoma Valley Red Wine “Albarello,” H. Coturri & Sons, 2001

All the wines worked very well, I thought.  The most distinctive was definitely the last one, the Albarello.  I'm not sure I'd say it was the best wine but it definitely made an impression, which is just what I was going for.  Strange, big, deep, powerful over-ripe/late-harvest kinds of flavors... almost like red wine with balsamico tradizionale added.

Wow.

[docsconz]

All the wines worked very well, I thought.  The most distinctive was definitely the last one, the Albarello.  I'm not sure I'd say it was the best wine but it definitely made an impression, which is just what I was going for.  Strange, big, deep, powerful over-ripe/late-harvest kinds of flavors... almost like red wine with balsamico tradizionale added.

Sam, Coturri is indeed a very interesting winery. I visited them in the back hills of Sonoma back in 1997. It is or at least was truly a garage operation. When their wines are on, they are fabulous. Unfortunately, they have developed a reputation for inconsistency. I'm glad you reminded me of them. I haven't had a Coturri zin, albarello or otherwise in a while. I'll have to revisit them.

[slkinsey]

Yea. Like I said, it is hard to say whether the Albarello was the "best" wine, but it certainly made a big impression. It was a little strange and funky, but I was into that.