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Talking wine - and turkey - for Thanksgiving pairings
Women + Wine
Savannah
Distributing
field wine
manager
Kate White.
There are a lot of things that come with
November: sweater weather, high school
football season, too many leaves to rake.
But the best day of the month comes on the
fourth Thursday — Thanksgiving!
The legend of Thanksgiving is based on
a feast that occurred in 1621 with some of
the first settlers and the Indigenous People
from the Wampanoag. George Washington
actually declared the first recognized
Thanksgiving in 1789 when he wished to
build morale among the colonies after a
hard-fought Revolutionary War and express
gratitude for a newly ratified Constitution.
In the wine business, Thanksgiving is
our Super Bowl. Choosing wines that pair
well with people’s dinners is really a favorite
part of our jobs and Thanksgiving
allows us to really flex. This
month we show off our skills
and ask certified sommelier and
field wine manager for Savannah
Distributing Kate White for some
of her favorite Turkey Day wines.
First things first, we have to
consider what we drink before
we drink. What wines pair well
with cooking, what wine works
while we put together our award
winning tablescape, and maybe
what gives us the courage to face
our uncle’s inquisition?
Kate’s go-to is bubbles. Cava,
Cremant d’Alsace Rose, and of
course, Champagne. “Everyone
knows bubbles pair well with
festivities, but don’t overlook
how well they pair with the grunt
work of preparing the meal.
Remember it’s important to have
a nice reward for kitchen helpers,
especially the ones who roll up
their sleeves to wash the gnarly
pots and pans. I pour them the
finest I have to offer.”
Not only does sparkling
wine put us in a great mood, it
Katie Rice & Sarah Pierre
Rice owns VinoTeca in Inman Park
and Pierre owns 3 Parks Wine Shop in
Glenwood Park..
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also pairs well with appetizers like shrimp
cocktail, stuffed mushrooms, and Katie’s
husband’s traditional dip made with
cream cheese, ketchup and horseradish.
Kate suggests Allimant Laugner Cremant
d’Alsace Rose, and any Vilmart & Cie
Champagne. For Cava, Katie loves Pere
Mata ‘Cupada 21’, Brut Nature.
Now let’s talk turkey! The most
important component of the table is the
bird. Everyone has their own twist, be it
fried, smoked, brined or tofurkey, it is
still white meat and luckily, this makes it
rather easy to think of wines to gobble up.
Katie’s favorite is Chardonnay, whether
it’s a rich California style or a tropical,
elegant Chablis, this grape’s acidity and
fruit-forward palate really accentuates the
main course. Try Sandhi Central Coast
Chardonnay for its subtle creaminess, flinty
undertones and ripe pear and apple notes.
For red, Gamay is a go-to, especially if they
come from their birthplace of Beaujolais.
The complimenting acidity, low tannins
and juicy mouthfeel really balances with
white meat. Kate suggests a classic from
Perrachon, from the cru of Julienas.
Another table staple is the damn ham!
Kate suggests rose fromTavel. These classic
wines contain grapes like Grenache, Syrah
and Cinsault and have a beautiful vibrant
hue, red wine complexity and definite notes
of red berries and stony minerality that
cuts right through the fat. Sarah will be
pouring FFobo Wine Co. ‘Camp’ Zinfandel.
This wine has all of the juicy red fruits
that complement a brown sugar glaze and
enough acid to balance out the savory.
When we are thinking about the
sides, it is important to remember that
there are a lot of flavors going on. Kate
suggests, “because Thanksgiving meals can
be complicated in breadth of flavors and
people consuming the meal, I like to stay
with generally food friendly wines and non
polarizing flavor profiles. I’m shopping for
a wine that will play diplomatically with
turkey, ham, or turducken. Bonus points
if it stands a chance to pair with Aunt
Suzanne’s annual wildcard side dish.”
Options here include: Riesling (hear
us out!) When you ask Somm what their
favorite wines are, you will often hear
Riesling and Thanksgiving is a perfect
time to explore what this beloved grape
can do. First, look for a wine that says
dry or specifically ‘Troken.’ These wines
are not the sugar ridden blue bottles
that everyone fears, rather higher in
acid, rich in mineral and versatile with
cutting saltiness, balancing spice and
complimenting heavy seasoning. Katie will
be serving Lingenfelder ‘Bird Label’ Riesling
from Pfaltz, Germany. Sarah also loves
Seppeltsfield Eden Valley Riesling from
Barossa, Australia for its lemon-lime acid
and honeyed mouthfeel.
Another white suggestion is wines
made from the grapes of the Rhone Valley.
This French region grows predominantly
Roussanne, Marsanne, Viognier and
Grenache Blanc, but in other parts of
the world, these combinations have
been duplicated. The blend brings out
balanced acidity, ripe stone fruits, and a
honeyed richness that compliments white
meats, baking spices and anything rich.
Kate suggests two South African optins:
Kumusha ‘Flame Lilly’ or Avondale ‘Jonty’s
Ducks’ Pekin White.
For reds, Pinot Noir is the classic
suggestion. This wine’s bright acidity and
versatility is a no-brainer when it comes
to complimenting the variety of dishes on
your table. Whether the earthiness of Old
World Pinot or the fruity and juicy New
World options, Pinot is a crowd pleaser for
even the most fickle guest at the table. Katie
loves Domaine Rene Leclerc Bourgogne
and Kate loves The Vice Pinot Noir from
Carneros, California and Sarah is serving
Fossil & Fawn Willamette Valley, Oregon
Pinot Noir.
No matter what, this holiday is about
sharing a meal with the ones who are most
important. When we asked Kate about her
most favorite pairing her answer was “any
decent wine and chillin’ with my dad, turns
out sharing pairs well with most wine.”
The reason we all work in wine
is the camaraderie that it brings. The
conversations around the table, the
experimentation with different flavors
and the stories that these wines tell are
why we do what we do. This is truly why
this holiday is a favorite — it allows us to
expand our customers palates while making
them look good to the in-laws. Choosing
the perfect wines fills our cup. Cheers to
family, both blood and chosen, great wines
and a moist bird.
FFappy Thanksgiving! EC]
24 NOVEMBER 2022 | [E]
AtlantalntownPaper.com