For the Love of Wine at Thanksgiving....

Thanksgiving is a holiday with foods that have so many flavors and aromas. Because of that, it could be challenging to pick the right wines for your dinner. But, if you embrace all of the interesting flavors with your wine choices it can be a day with some unique and even perfect pairings! There are so many types of wine that would work well at Thanksgiving but I will focus on three types.

One of my first wine choices for Thanksgiving would be a Gewürtztraminer (guh• vurt• struh•mee• nr). Try saying that 10 times fast! Gewurztraminer grapes are a mutation of “Traminer grapes,” one of the world’s oldest grape varietals, and the parent grape of Sauvignon Blanc. The grapes are typically pink in color which is where the wines rose gold tint comes from. The first Gewürtztraminer came from Pfalz, Germany but the majority of this wine is made in Alsace, France because it is a cooler climate and there are so many different types of soils that lend their characteristics to the wine. Gewürtztraminer is also produced in the Pacific Northwest, California, the Alto Adige in Italy and in up state NY. The influence that the climate and the soil has on the grapes and hence the wine is what is called terroir. Warmer climates produce sweeter styles, while colder climates create dry crisp wines. The cooler climate also allows for a longer growing season and the creation of late harvest Gewürztraminer. The grapes are able to hang on the vine much longer than in warmer areas and as they hang the mold, Botrytis Cinerea begins to grow on them and cause a concentration of the flavors and sugars called “noble rot.” This type of wine is much more expensive because it has to be hand harvested since only some grapes will be affected by the noble rot.

There are plenty of different styles of this varietal and they can range from semi-sweet and off-dry which have more residual sugar and sweetness, to bone dry. The wine is incredibly aromatic and can have aromas of honey, pear, apples and tropical fruits. “Gewürz” means spice in German so you will likely experience flavors of cinnamon, allspice and ginger as well. is also known for flavors of lychee, and tropical fruits like pineapple, although a dry style would more likely have flavors of grapefruit. This wines intense aromas and flavors lend themselves to the rich, aromatic flavors of many Thanksgiving menus but it can easily stand alone so you can serve it with appetizers or as your guests arrive. I would stick with a dry style for dinner and then splurge on a late harvest Gewurz for dessert

My second choice for Thanksgiving wine is a Rosé. There are so many different styles of this wine from the bright, fresh high acid wines of Provence that are more delicate in flavor, mineral driven and delicately fruity; to the mouthwatering, fruit forward Italian versions made from Sangiovese and other lesser known red grape varietals; to the Rosé’s from Spain called Rosado that are most commonly made from Tempranillo, Garnacha, and Viura and tend to have more body, intense flavors, and have more obvious tannins. This is because the tannins come from the skin of the grapes and Tempranillo is a black grape variety known for its big tannins. All of these Rosé styles vary in color. This a reflection of the color of the grape as well as how long the grape skins stay in contact with the grape juice. The less time they spend in contact with it the lighter the color.

The climate where the grapes are grown, the soil, the tannins and characteristics of the grape varietals along with the length of time the red grapes are left in contact with the juice will contribute to the mouthfeel, the acidity, the color and the flavors of the wine. There are also some unique Rosés produced in the United States. My favorite is Carol Shelton’s Wild Thing Rendezvous Rosé made from red Carignane. This grape varietal produces wines with rich, red fruit and lower tannins and is typically associated with the Rhone Region of France, although it does grow well in many areas around the world. The wine is deep pink color and it tastes like a strawberry watermelon fruit salad but with a crisp, dry mineral finish. It is not what you will expect it to be especially when you see the hot pink color of the wine!

Lastly, if you are a red wine drinker then Thanksgiving is a day to break out a Pinot Noir. Over the past few years I have gone from being a full-bodied wine lover of Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Unique red blends to a Pinot Lover. Although I still enjoy a full-bodied red with certain foods during the winter months, I have come to appreciate the less is more concept with each new Pinot Noir that I taste. And by that I don’t mean less flavor, I just mean less tannins and more elegance. I mentioned above that the color of the wine as well as the tannins come from the grape skin. Pinot Noir is a thin skinned grape so it has much less tannins and the mouthfeel tends to be silky. The thin skin of the grape also means that it is more prone to disease so it is much harder to grow and tends to be more expensive. This grape has so many nuances and styles and it is is grown all over the world.

Just like the Gewürztraminer grape, Pinot Noir prefers cooler climates. If you prefer a more fruit forward red wine you can choose a Pinot from California. The Willamette Valley in Oregon is a cooler climate than California so the wine tends to be brighter and have less ripe fruit flavors with tones of red cherry and baking spices and it can be earthy or herbaceous as well. Ironically enough the latitude of the Willamette Valley is very close to that of Burgundy’s Cot d’Or which is one of the reasons that the Willamette Valley is such a successful growing region for Pinot Noir. Pinot Noir in Burgundy, France is referred to as Burgundy because most wines in France are referred to by their growing region and not their varietal. The styles of Burgundy and Pinot noir are different but they both showcase the grape varietal and represent some of the most amazing Pinot Noir’s in the world. In the future I will focus another blog on the more detailed explanation of how the terroir specifically affects the characteristics of the wines from these two area, but for now, just know that they will both be a true expression of this interesting grape with the Willamette Valley Pinot likely having more fruit flavors and the Burgundy having more herbal and mineral components.

I intended to make this blog a little simpler and more straight forward but if you are like me, the why of something is often just as important as the what. I hope that I have explained enough about the why behind my Thanksgiving wine choices to help you pick a few bottles for your dinner. Just remember that these are just MY suggestions and preferences. Wine is subjective so it is about what you like and not just what the right choice is for your meal. Also, don’t get caught up in the tasting notes for wines since that is what someone else perceived in the glass. Tasting notes are a reference and you may not taste the same things. I have included photos of some of my favorite producers within this blog, but you can always send me a message if you have a question!

Have a joyful day of thanks with your friends and family! Cheers!

Cranberry Ginger Moscow Mule

Ingredients for cocktail:

1 1/2 ounces vodka

3 tablespoons cranberry vanilla syrup

strong ginger beer

juice of 1 lime wedge and ice

Fill a glass halfway with ice. Add the vodka and cranberry vanilla syrup then fill to the top with ginger beer and stir vigorously until the syrup is completely blended with the liquor and ginger beer. Squeeze a lime wedge into the glass, stir again and serve.

You can modify this recipe many ways and use a flavored vodka with flavored liquors and complimentary fruit.

Cranberry Vanilla Syrup

Ingredients:

4 cups fresh cranberries, washed well

1 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1 vanilla bean, scraped

1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1. Combine the cranberries, water, sugars, and vanilla beans in a heavy bottomed sauce pan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until the liquid has reduced and the mixture has thickened. The cranberries will begin to burst as they cook and if the syrup thickens too quickly you can add more water a few tablespoons at a time as needed.

2. Place a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl and pour the cranberry vanilla mixture into the strainer. Gently press on the solids with a spatula to extract all of the syrup then discard the solids. Stir in the orange juice. Allow the syrup to cool then store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

"All Things,"comes full circle.....

Last week I was packing for a trip to Nashville and I decided to take a suede purse that I haven’t used in years. As I was cleaning it out I found a pen that my parents bought me when I graduated from high school. I lost it once over the years and was devastated, and I forgot that I had put it in this purse. When I pulled it out of the case it brought me right back to that time; a time of excitement, new adventures, college and also a lot of uncertainty. My parents were excited for my journey and they had finally embraced my choice of going to UNH for Zoology. I remember my Mom saying that she chose the engraving because I should remember that, All things are possible! I had forgotten that was what was engraved on it. It’s funny how when you least expect it bits of your life come flooding back and come full circle . The moment that I found the pen brings me back to the first post of this blog, and why I named it All-Good-Things. Although my blog is about sharing the unique and good things that I come across in life, it is also about the the possibility in each day. It’s wonderful that I have supportive parents who chose to share that message with me years ago, but I think it is even more important to believe in yourself and the possibilities at every age and stage of your life. Henry Ford said, “If You Think You Can Or You Can’t, You’re right.” So let this post remind you that, all things are possible if you believe that they are.