Turkey and Wine Pairing - Part 2

Turkey and Wine Pairing – Part 2

“Some people serve red wine with Thanksgiving dinner. Some people serve white. My preference is ‘lots of’.” – Crabby Road

  

For those of you who still need to purchase a turkey, you’re running out of time! For those of you still needing to buy wine for your Thanksgiving feast, here is part 2 of the turkey and wine pairing series. In the first blog I focused on red wine pairings. For this second blog I am focusing on white wine pairings.

In one of my earlier blogs, I reviewed a Chardonnay by Josh Cellars vineyards that is a great pairing for most any poultry dish. Today’s blog will feature La Crema Chardonnay (www.lacrema.com). La Crema winery produces a wide variety of Chardonnays from various wine growing regions including Monterey, Sonoma and the Russian River valleys. We will focus on La Crema’s Chardonnay from Sonoma Valley.

La Crema Chardonnay

PositiveVines ‘HelpfulTip: Sonoma Valley is known as the birthplace of wine production in California. Just north of San Francisco, the earliest vineyards in Sonoma survived major epidemics and prohibition.

I am a big fan of Chardonnays that have a bold taste and La Crema fits the bill. This Chardonnay has hints of citrus fruits in both the smell and taste. Customers also noted vanilla and plum flavors lingering on the palate. La Crema is aged for 5 months in French and American Oak barrels. The predominance of French Oak imparts a buttery, creamy finish. The slightly fruity sweetness lends itself well with the Turkey and Stuffing spices.  

La Crema Sonoma Chardonnay averages $16 at most stores. Many stores run specials this time of year since it is such a popular partnering with holiday meals. One hidden gem for wine sales is World Market. This surprisingly fun store frequently runs specials on La Crema wines.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy your family traditions and don’t be afraid to start new ones. Let me know what you think about the wine! Post to my blog or email me. I’m always thrilled to hear from wine enthusiasts.  

Remember to drink what it is that makes you truly happy and always think positively!

Drink Responsibly!

Turkey and Wine Pairing - Part 1

“If food is the body of good living, wine is its soul”– Clifton Fadiman

  

6 days and counting until Turkey Day! Thanksgiving is a feast of food, family, friends and celebration for most Americans. Yes, there is controversy surrounding the day and the original participants but, for the sake of my blog I’d like to focus on the evolution of the holiday to represent the time honored tradition of eating, drinking, playing tag football and a brief rest before the shopping madness for Christmas starts.

One of the most time-honored traditions is “if it grows together, it goes together” should be taken into account when looking at pairings with Turkey and many other traditional Thanksgiving foods. For the red wine lovers in the group my focus today will be on Hahn’s Pinot Noir, an American wine from Monterey county (www.hahnwines.com).

Hahn Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir is a lighter varietal that pairs well with poultry and grilled meats. Hahn’s Pinot Noir has hints of cherry, strawberry and spices.

PositiveVines ‘HelpfulTip: Pinot Noir is often compared against Cabernet Sauvignon varietals in terms of body and boldness. Pinot is much lighter and should be enjoyed within 4 to 5 years of bottling versus a Cabernet Sauvignon which can age quite well for 10 to 20 years.

The Hahn family winery Pinot Noir vineyards are located in the Santa Lucia Highlands of Monterey County. The Santa Lucia Highlands is known for having rich soil in a cooler mountainside climate.  Customers described this wine as also having a slight hint of tannins that provided a smooth balance to the fruitiness initially experienced.

Hahn’s everyday offering of Pinot Noir’s averages $14 a bottle. This makes it easy to stock up for the holidays. If you’re willing to spend a little more, Hahn has a SLH variety (Santa Lucia Highlands-remember) that starts at $40 bottle with Wine Spectator ratings of 90 and above.

Let me know what you think! Post to my blog or email me. I’m always thrilled to hear from wine enthusiasts.  I’ll be back before Thanksgiving to talk about a good Turkey pairing for the white wine lovers in the group.

Remember to drink what it is that makes you truly happy and always think positively!

Drink Responsibly!

The Season of Family and Celebration

“As long as we have Wine, the Holidays will be just Fine.” – Unnamed source

  

Halloween candy is starting to get low in the plastic pumpkins and we are turning our attention to the start of the holiday season with Thanksgiving right around the corner. Hanukkah, Christmas and New Year’s Eve follow in rapid succession. What’s a Wine Lover to do when hosting family and friends with a wide variety of tastes?

Today’s blog will focus on Moscato, a sweet wine varietal that is a experiencing double digit growth in sales and adoption by wine lovers. I had the privilege of hosting a sampling of Risata’s Moscato d’Asti. This Moscato is produced using varietals from the hilly Asti region of Italy by the Prestige Wine & Spirits Group. The wine is bottled under the group brand of Risati wine (www.risatiwine.com).

The Risata Mosacato is derived 100% from Moscato Bianco di Canelli grapes. These grapes are the fourth largest variety planted in Italy and naturally lend themselves through the fermentation process to produce sparkling wines with a fun fizzy characteristic.

Risata Moscato d’Asti

PositiveVines ‘HelpfulTip: The Muscato Bianco grape produces a wine with a lower alcohol content (5.5%) than the average wine (12-13%).

The Risata Mosacato is derived 100% from Moscato Bianco di Canelli grapes. These grapes are the fourth largest variety planted in Italy and naturally lend themselves through the fermentation process to produce sparkling wines with a fun fizzy characteristic.

The Risata Moscato d’Asti is bright colored with a hint of tangerines and honey on your palate. It is sweet without taking on the heavier qualities of dessert wines. The wine also has a fragrant scent of rose petals and fruit.

The Risata Moscato d’Asti would be well paired with cheese, fruits, traditional holiday meals and spicy dishes such as Biryani or Thai dishes. The bottle itself is a beautiful blue with the design of wine leaves. What a nice centerpiece on any dinner table! At an average price point of $13 per bottle this is an excellent value for the quality.

Let me know what you think! Post to my blog or email me. I’m always thrilled to hear from wine enthusiasts. And remember to enjoy your holidays. Slow down, put family and friends first and embrace every moment!

Remember to drink what it is that makes you truly happy and always think positively!

Drink Responsibly!