So what are we opening for Thanksgiving?

Lots of chat and much interesting discussion these past few days so how about we post notes and further thoughts here. Many have asked which wine for the turkey so which wine have you decided on?

Weimer's '06 Dry Riesling. Our local shop had it on sale this week. I snagged the last 4 bottles before they ran out. Weimer is selling his winery by the way.

[David M. Bueker]

See the following:

http://www.wineloverspage.com/forum/vil ... hp?t=12095

Ooooops see 13 replies there. Agh well, whatever. Just trying to create more enthusiasm, I`m not even American. LOL.

[David M. Bueker]

Ooooops see 13 replies there. Agh well, whatever. Just trying to create more enthusiasm, I`m not even American. LOL.

You're wlecome to have a turkey anyway.

Ooooops see 13 replies there. Agh well, whatever. Just trying to create more enthusiasm, I`m not even American. LOL.

Bob, you're American! Or did Canada secede from the North American continent!?

No back bacon and donuts for you, eh!

Uh, good day, eh?

Very funny. I would like to remind you all that these main falls are in Canada. TV report from the US said they are American!!! One of YOUR ten wonders. Say that again please?

http://www.galen-frysinger.org/united_s ... gara01.jpg

I beg your pardon! That photo is showing "Niagara Falls", the American one. The Canadian one is called the Horseshoe Falls, of which a small percent is also American, and is not in the picture. The narrow falls towards the right is the Bridal Veil Falls, also American, as is the land to the right, which is Goat Island, also American. And all those buildings - American. I will grant, however, that the picture was taken in Canada. I know. I live here.

I beg your pardon! That photo is showing "Niagara Falls", the American one. The Canadian one is called the Horseshoe Falls, of which a small percent is also American, and is not in the picture. The narrow falls towards the right is the Bridal Veil Falls, also American, as is the land to the right, which is Goat Island, also American. And all those buildings - American. I will grant, however, that the picture was taken in Canada. I know. I live here.

Hey, Howie, you don't mean the pic I posted, do you? That was just window dressing for the post and pretty random. My shot is a shot of the rocks next to Arched Rock in Sonoma.

Howie, you are the man!!! How could I make such a mistake, I am off to sulk in the horse barn! Bloody Google search engine.

What side is this on?

http://www.iowasource.com/images/Niagarafalls.jpg

Gary, my rocks are bigger than yours!

Gary, my rocks are bigger than yours!

Shouldn't that comment be posted in that "Sexiest Man Alive" thread? By the way, did you catch my backyard bird photos in the "My Life in Pictures" thread?

Birds

Howie, you are the man!!! How could I make such a mistake, I am off to sulk in the horse barn! Bloody Google search engine.

What side is this on?

http://www.iowasource.com/images/Niagarafalls.jpg

Gary, my rocks are bigger than yours!

Much better, Bob. That's the Canadian Falls, taken, I believe from one of those towers. I remember having our Senior Prom breakfast in the Skylon Tower. The priests that taught us insisted our prom be held on the Canadian side, as the drinking age was 19 in Ontario, while only 18 in NY. However, you are aware, of course, that the URL is a ".com" and not a ".ca".

Lots of chat and much interesting discussion these past few days so how about we post notes and further thoughts here. Many have asked which wine for the turkey so which wine have you decided on?

I will open both a white and a red. For the red I think it will be a 1995 Pegau, and for the white I haven't decided on the vintage, but it will be a Tahbilk marsanne from the late 90's.

but it will be a Tahbilk marsanne from the late 90's. There you go again BobH, rub it in!! I thought kangaroo was banned in your neck of the woods, what else is on the table?

but it will be a Tahbilk marsanne from the late 90's. There you go again BobH, rub it in!! I thought kangaroo was banned in your neck of the woods, what else is on the table?

I know that I will cook a turkey on my grill and will use some apple wood in the cooking. I suppose there will be a cornbread dressing, some garlic mashed potatoes, fresh asparagus and A salad. I am thinking of making some oyster stew as a first course, but my wife is against that idea so it will probably be left off for a few days. I may also throw on a 6 bone pork loin to cook along with the turkey, as it takes no extra charcoal. I would be happy to share that marsanne with you if you can find a way. I was expecting Bob Mac to get hold of me to see if I can ship one for him to share with you.

Bob Mac? He is around here somewhere, probably knocking back a bottle of Blue Mountain P Gris. He has kept his admiration for your marsanne pretty close to his chest!

Bob Mac? He is around here somewhere, probably knocking back a bottle of Blue Mountain P Gris. He has kept his admiration for your marsanne pretty close to his chest!

Bob, I have decided to open a bottle of the 2002 Tahbilk, simply because I have 2+ cases of it and far fewer of the 97-99's. I just opened and sampled the 02 and I see it is beginning to develop very well. I might just have to get another case of it while I still can. Just from the 1ounce sample pour, I can see it starting to lean toward the honeysuckle/orange blossom floral stage. And, it is now a shade or two darker in color than it was 6 months ago too. I would expect the honeysuckle to develop on to a more honeyed flavor in a few more years and I think it will show more white fruit flavors as well. As of now there is not a lot of fruit to be found, excepting lemons as they wine has a rather wide backbone of acid. It will go well with our dinner today. Wish I could pour you a glass.

After dinner note: Bob, the Tahbilk was IMO outclassed at dinner by the 95 Pegau, but where the Pegau is probably a little on the down slide, the marsanne is still on the upward climb. I found the wine to be as stated above, but IMO it needs a couple more years to reach its apex. I should be right there around 2009-2010. My initial thoughts as outlined above were still what I thought when tasted with food.

A Champalou Vouvray '02 for cooking (butter and wine soaked cheesecloth to cover the turkey breast) and pre-dining sipping.

Felsina CC '01 also for pre-dining sipping. Then with dinner a Zind-Humbrecht Gerwurztraminer Herrenweg '02 (indice 4) and AP Vin Garys' '04. Should be good.

Veuve Clicquot yellow label, at least to start.

Greg

I opened 1993 Le Gouzotte d'Or Montrachet.

Everything that one could have wished from an aged grand cru white Burgundy. Wonderful aroma, concentrated mature flavors, long balanced finish. Well worth waiting for.

-Paul W.

2005 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc
nose: minerals and a hint of citrus
palate: austere, stones, not much fruit, good acidity

2000 Bonnefond Côte-Rotie "Les Rochains"
nose: pencil lead, pie spices, dark berries
palate: medium-weight, spices, good fruit, good acidity

The Cloudy Bay was the first we'd had in several years, and quite honestly didn't compare very well to some other, less expensive examples such as the '06 Babich. It was much better with food, but was still rather one-dimensional. Since it was under screwcap, I don't think that it was tired or flawed, just not terribly exciting.

I chose the Cote-Rotie as a potential Turkey wine because the friends we celebrated Thanksgiving with don't care for Pinot Noir or Gamay and my notes on this wine suggested that it was a lighter, fruitier sort of Cote-Rotie. In the event, it proved very successful with the bird, and our friends loved it. In many ways, I would have guessed that this was a Ridge Zin had I not known what it was (ironic since the backup bottle was an '02 Ridge Paso Robles Zin). I was worried that it might be too oaky, but the only sign of new oak was the clove/cinnamon/nutmeg sort of spiciness that leapt out of glass. It also went very well with the brined organic turkey we cooked.

Mark Lipton

Got a stomach bug yesterday but today:

2001 Domaine Robert Arnoux Nuits-Saint-Georges

Paraduxx Meritage

Looking forward to both. Just popped open the Burgundy