Mumm Napa Brut Rosé Review Date - 11/1/2009 Score - 92 Tasting Note: Nothing begins a holiday meal better than bubbles. Being partial to brut rosé, I tend to seek them out as they enable pairings with so many different foods. This example is a crisp, medium-bodied dry sparkling wine with a lovely rosey gold color. Aromas invite with clean red fruit characters, a gathering of fragrant strawberry, red cherry and red plum. On the palate, clean, crisp red fruits present a robust flavor profile. The good acidity cleanses the palate, reading it for the next bite of food. Moderate alcohol: 12.5%. A fine balance of fruit and acid keeps the finish on the palate. Serve chilled, 45-50ºF/7-10ºC, in tall tulip-shaped glasses. Foods: duck or salmon rilletes; porchetta slices with cold tuna mayonnaise; raw tuna with Asian seasonings; beef or tuna tataki; Asian dumplings (shumai, Korean gyoza); sushi roll; chicken satay; smoked salmon; smoked trout salad with shaved onions and red radishes; smoked turkey on toast rounds with aioli. Winery says caviar, but that would depend on which sort. Ikura (salmon caviar) may do very well with this wine. United Distributors $20.00 2007 Standing Stone Vineyards Vidal Finger Lakes Dry Review Date - 11/1/2009 Score - 91 Tasting Note: Vidal is a hybrid grape of Ugni Blanc (a/k/a Trebbiano, a V. vinifera) and Rayon d’Or (Seibel 4986), itself a hybrid. Vidal doesn’t get much respect from the wine geeks among us, to whom I respond, “Oh well, more for me!” The Seibel grapes, which are all numbered, are the work of Frenchman Albert Seibel (d. 1936). While the grapes have not found favor in France, they have done well in cold climates, such as Canada and the Eastern U.S, where Vidal is made in a range of styles from dry to sweet (including ice wine). This example shows a lovely pale straw color, and aromas that suggest a range of tropical fruit characters, including grapefruit and star fruit (carambola). These characters inform the palate as well, concluding in a long, crisp finish. Good acidity keeps the wine on an even keel with the fruit. Medium-bodied with lovely complexity, some minerality, and an appealing fruit profile, the wine is a terrific value for serving a large gathering. Another advantage: Moderate alcohol, about 11%. Serve moderately chilled, about 50-55ºF/10-13ºC, in medium-sized tulip-shaped glasses. Foods: seafood-based appetizers, such as tiny crab cakes, crab quiche, seafood sausages with beurre blanc, seafood terrines or mousses; scallops; goat cheese (singularly yummy); composed salads with white meats or seafood; roasted white meat turkey with apple/celery stuffing (no sage or dried herbs); Croque Monsieur made with smoked turkey; turkey croquets. Sommelier Direct $13.00 2008 Valley of the Moon Winery Pinot Blanc Sonoma County Review Date - 11/1/2009 Score - 90 Tasting Note: As a Chardonnay alternative, little beats Pinot Blanc, especially when made in the Alsace style: delicately aromatic; round; with good fruit sweetness (some residual sugar) and a crisp finish. Alsace examples typically aren’t done in wood, nor are Italian versions, known as Pinot Bianco. (Germany calls this grape Weissburgunder.) But American versions often do use oak, as does this example. With its medium golden straw color, the wine offers fruit aromas that suggest guava, Fuji apple, pears, and Asian pear-apples; on the palate, a note of brown baking spices is added to this mix. Good acidity balances against some (.46) residual sugar. After stainless steel fermentation at cool temperatures--keeping the fruit flavors intact--portions were aged in French oak and Acacia wood, but wood is not a dominant character. Serve moderately chilled, about 50-55ºF/10-13ºC, in medium-sized tulip-shaped glasses. Foods: seafood; mild cheeses; onion tart; composed salads with white meats, fruit and some spice; Asian fare; rolled breast of turkey wrapped in bacon and roasted; roasted turkey breast with classic bread/celery stuffing, apple stuffing or oyster dressing (hold the dried herbs); smoked turkey breast; turkey pot pie. National Distributing $17.00 2008 Bonterra Rosé Mendocino County Review Date - 11/1/2009 Score - 93 Tasting Note: Nothing brings so much light and liveliness to the table than a dry rosé, and especially on Thanksgiving. No matter how you cook that bird, a rosé offers the kind of food flexibility that enables it to pair well with turkey. This example shows a lovely bright pink-red rose color; intense aromas of assorted red fruits pour from the glass. You’ll find cherries, red raspberries, red currants, watermelon and just a hint of peach and brown spice notes. These same characters are echoed on the palate, which enjoys a refreshing touch of pink grapefruit, enhancing the lingering finish. Good acidity is a hallmark of good, dry rosé, and this one proves no exception. These grapes—Sangiovese, Zinfandel and Syrah--are organically grown (certified) in Mendocino and Amador (Sierra Foothills) counties. Bursting with flavor, this refreshing wine is a terrific value. Foods: Cajun-deep-fried turkey; smoked turkey (both light and dark meat); roast turkey with raisin bread stuffing; Grilled or roasted Cornish game hen; roast chicken; rolled boneless breast of turkey stuffed with sausage bread stuffing; barbecued turkey with a not-too-hot tomato-based barbecue sauce; Other foods: sopressata from E. 48th St. Market in Dunwoody or the house-made finochiona from Pine Street Market in Avondale Estates. Thai dishes, such as chicken or pork with massaman curry. National Distributing $13.00 2008 King Estate Pinot Gris Oregon Acrobat Review Date - 11/1/2009 Score - 92 Tasting Note: For many holiday meals, starting with a crisp white wine that can segue to the main event leads one to Pinot Gris. The same grape as Pinot Grigio when labeled Pinot Gris tends to produce a wine that is rounder, richer and crisper than most Pinot Grigio, following more of an Alsace model than an Italian one. In Oregon, all wine produced in that state and made from this grape must be labeled Pinot Gris, no matter its style. This example is one fantastic value, as it yields a medium-bodied wine that offers a lovely medium pale gold-straw color. The aromas entice with loads of fresh pear, crisp apple (Fuji/Gala), Asian pear-apple, and citrus characters. On the palate, good acidity balances against residual sugar to produce a crisp, mouthwatering experience, as the fruit characters introduced in the aromas continue in the mouth. Altogether a delicious experience, with modest claims on the wallet. Delectable. Serve moderately chilled, about 50-55ºF/10-13ºC in medium-sized tulip-shaped glasses. Foods: Crab cakes; smoked trout salad; grilled shrimp; seafood-stuffed ravioli with citrus butter; seafood terrine; parchment envelopes filled with cooked scallops or mild fish; rolled breast of turkey with apple stuffing (no sage); roast bacon-wrapped breast of turkey with Cajun seasoning (mild); smoked breast of turkey; roast turkey with pear chutney. National Distributing Co. $13.00 2008 Lucien Albrecht Gewurztraminer Alsace Reserve Review Date - 11/1/2009 Score - 92 Tasting Note: Gewürztraminer may well be the best white wine with turkey, whether with white or dark meat. The grape (pronounced geh-VURTS-trah-mee-ner) may be difficult to say and a bit of a challenge for novice consumers, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll love its food companionability. Alsace, in northeast France on the border with Germany and Switzerland, may well be the grape’s best natural terroir. This full-bodied white wine is dry yet presents the classic exotic aromas and flavors one expects in the type. Exuberant aromas of rose petals, spice and lichee nut introduce similar characters in the flavor profile. From time to time, some tropical notes seem to emerge, such as papaya. Compelling, complex and long on the palate, the wine is rich and flavorful, with a touch of the aroma and taste (but not the sweetness) of honey for added interest. To explore this grape in some depth, visit Café Alsace in Decatur. Serve moderately chilled, about 55ºF/ 13ºC in medium-sized tulip-shaped glasses. Foods: Smoked salmon; roast turkey, chicken or Cornish game hen with cous cous stuffing and dried fruits; smoked turkey (really yummy); pumpkin, sweet potato or butternut squash casserole with ginger and brown spices; well-aged French Münster (smashing!); creamy turkey over pasta or in pastry shells; curried turkey; composed turkey fruit salad. Other foods: Choucroute garni; grilled bratwurst with sauerkraut; braised pork shoulder with kraut and mashed potatoes, wild game; all the Indian food you can stand, provided it’s not too spicy hot. Atlanta Wholesale Wine/NDC $22.00 2007 Chamisal Pinot Noir Edna Valley Review Date - 11/1/2009 Score - 90 Tasting Note: Being fond of Central Coast Pinot Noir, I had an idea this one would do splendidly with all the birds I would fly at it. Boy was I right!!! Not being a fan of overly fruity, cherry-bombish Pinot Noir, I prefer a more savory approach to the wine. And this fills that bill perfectly. Medium-bodied, concentrated, but not over-the-top, this Pinot Noir shows all its feminine side while presenting aromas of black cherry, spice and that dried herb character that’s so elusive in American Pinot Noir. On the palate, black cherry fruit continues with added interest from brown baking spices. Backing up these characters are round tannins, a long finish and a definitive Pinot Noir character. One drawback: a bit of heat from alcohol (14.5%), but rich foods will balance against this and so will serving at the proper temperature, about 60-65ºF/15-17ºC. Use a medium-sized round-shaped glass. Foods: creamy live pâté; roast duck or grilled breast of duck with raisin bread stuffing, and Muscadine glaze or preserves in place of cranberry sauce; roast turkey also with Muscadine preserves; roast chicken; roasted or grilled Cornish hen glazed with Muscadine jam; chestnut purée, sweet potato gratin or savory pumpkin soufflé. Other foods: rabbit with tomato and dried fruits; grilled wild-caught salmon; root vegetable stew. Ultimate Distributors $38.00 2002 Chateau de Jau Grand Roussillon Review Date - 11/1/2009 Score - 91 Tasting Note: The fortified wines of France’s east coast are delicious treats, and many will do wonderfully with holiday desserts. This example, made entirely of Grenache Blanc, is a full-bodied sweet white wine with a bright reddish copper color. The aromas supply dried yellow fruit characters--apricot especially--and bitter orange (Seville orange) marmalade. Orange marmalade flavors also inform the palate, where the intensity and the fruit linger appreciably. Complex, well balanced, lingering, the wine has enough acidity to keep it from being cloying. This vineyard is located in the foothills of the Pyrenees. Alcohol is hefty, 16%, so pour lightly into small tulip-shaped glasses and serve slightly chilled, about 65ºF/17ºC. Foods: Aperitif with foie gras or creamy chicken liver mousse; goat cheese; Dessert: cheesecake; creamy blue cheeses; pumpkin desserts with ginger, cinnamon, allspice, etc.; pecan pie (kidding not); dark chocolate but cocoa no more than about 55-65% cacao; apple tart; simple cookie Atlanta Wholesale Foods/NDC $24.00 2008 Potel-Aviron Beaujolais Villages Review Date - 11/1/2009 Score - 89 Tasting Note: So much fuss gets made over Beaujolais Nouveau, released each third Thursday in November, that the real McCoy seems to get lost in the shuffle. If you can find a Beaujolais Villages, a cut above a wine just labeled Beaujolais, so much the better as its grapes come from any of 30 villages. To be a proper Beaujolais enthusiast, you’ll get a cru Beaujolais, whose grapes come from 10 specific villages. But those can be tough to find, so let’s look at this Beaujolais Villages for a well-priced, fine-tasting piece of work. A joint project between Nicolas Potel and Stephane Aviron, this wine is a light-bodied dry red wine showing a lovely purple red color. The aromas immediately reveal the customary whole berry fermentation (a/ka carbonic maceration), with bright red raspberry fruit and hints of brown baking spices. On the palate, the fresh red fruit character is mouth filling and lingers on the palate. All red Beaujolais is made from the Gamay Noir à jus blanc grape, which isn’t very tannic. (Whites are mostly Chardonnay, and rosé is a growing category.) Only 500 cases of this one come to the U.S. Very important: Best served slightly chilled, about 55-58ºF/13-14ºC, in medium-sized tulip-shaped glasses, it’s the stuff of French bars and bistros. Do not cellar. Foods: mild salamis such as rosette de Lyon, smoked turkey or chicken (singularly yummy); roasted Cornish hen; ok with duck, roast chicken or turkey with sausage dressing; composed salads; fried chicken Grapefields $15.00 2007 Château Roustan Costières de Nîmes Review Date - 11/1/2009 Score - 89 Tasting Note: Until recently (2004), this AOC region in southeastern France was part of the Languedoc-Roussillon, to which it belongs geographically. But its growers felt the wine styles they produced more appropriately resembled Rhône wines, so petitioned a change that was granted in 2004, and today are governed by the Rhône committee. Producing mostly reds, the region surrounds the old and intriguing city of Nîmes (which gave us denim--De Nîmes) and has been producing wines for more than 2,000 years. The rosés from this region are reliably delectable, because the reds are so good. In this example we see the typical red wine of the AOC: medium-bodied and dry, with a deep, nearly opaque purple red color. The aromas show intense floral and red fruit characters, while flavors pick up spice and licorice dimensions. Tannins are soft. Grapes: Syrah 50%; Grenache 30%; Mourvèdre 20%. Important: chill slightly to bring out the fruit flavors, about 60-65ºF;15-17ºC, and serve in medium-sized tulip-shaped glasses. Foods: creamy chicken liver mousse with black peppercorns; grilled duck breast (especially) or roast duck; game birds (dove, pheasant); roast turkey; roasted vegetable stew with pancetta; mild cheeses Big Boat $13.00 2008 Domaine Courtois Côtes du Rhône La Source Review Date - 11/1/2009 Score - 87 Tasting Note: The grapes of the Rhône Valley in France can produce big, dramatic wines that might be too much for turkey. But Côtes du Rhône supplies a little more gentleness, certainly not quite the dramatic fruit one might find in the higher AOCs, but not the dramatic prices either. Made from Grenache (80%) and Syrah (20%), this example is a winner in the price/value department. Medium-bodied, with a translucent dark cherry red color, the wine offers plenty of rich, dark cherry fruit, but not the primary character one finds in American wines. Here, much more restrained, evolved fruit flavors blend with some spice to yield a very useful wine with a wide variety of foods. Soft tannins, moderate alcohol (13%), and respectable mid-palate and finish lead this to the turkey list with considerable style. Especially for the money. Serve moderately cool, about 60-65ºF/15-17ºC, in large, tulip-shaped glasses. Foods: Mushroom caps stuffed with crumbs and bits of ham, fresh herbs; roast turkey with sausage stuffing; grilled breast of duck or roast duck with Muscadine preserves or Muscadine glaze and raisin bread stuffing. Big Boat $11.00 2008 Chilensis Pinot Noir Maule Valley Review Date - 11/1/2009 Score - 92 Tasting Note: A Pinot Noir is a terrific pairing with turkey, although the style chosen needs to de-emphasize cherries in favor of more savory flavors and lean toward the earthy drama of the genre. That’s what happens with this one, from Maule Valley in Chile. Medium-bodied with a medium red cherry color, it shows aromas of dried herbs and delicate red cherry fruits, all of which carry over to the palate, where fairly supple tannins prevail. There’s no missing what genre of wine this is, and the price point will keep crowds of happy guests amazed at the quality. Yet the price won’t break the bank. Serving temperature, 60-65ºF/15-18ºC. Foods: Roast dark and white meat of turkey and a classic bread/celery dressing; roast duck or Cornish hen with raisin bread stuffing; game birds; pork tenderloin stuffed with a whole wheat dressing, celery and toasted nuts; also to begin, pâté, pork or duck rillets; leftovers: turkey croquets or turkey hash with sweet potatoes. Big Boat $13.00