Uncommon Turkey Day pairings?

Well, it’s that time of year! The holidays are getting close and I am interested to hear if anyone has any successful off the wall Thanksgiving wine pairings. I’m talking beyond the obvious ones…and also taking into consideration the variety and weight of dishes typically served at the holiday meal. Anyone ever try anything fun or different that worked really well?

Cheers!

I lean towards Gamay and just off-dry Riesling, or sometimes Pinot Noir, but those are standard suggestions. But since I frequently see suggestions for Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, sparkling wine, etc it's hard to think what would be off the wall.

Consider the possibilities of offering your guests a combination of Brut and Demi-Sec Champagne.

Best
Rogov

We like a claret style Zin.

This year shall certainly be an uncommon Turkey Day. I'm thinking Silvaner, Gelber Muskateller, Weißherbst Sekt and Cabernet Mitos or Portugieser for a red. I've got a free-range, Bio-turkey comin', and that baby's expensive!

Gobble, gobble,

Bill

For many years I've served a home made wine - Steuben Rosé. Just off-dry, grapey, spicy and a touch of tannin, from fermenting on the skins (the grapes are black, but have very little pigmentation).

actually, the bubbly thread should have reminded me, I did serve a Cerdon (Bugey) ancestrale once, actually did pretty well (lightly sweet, lightly sparkling )

We like a claret style Zin.

Can you provide an example of a claret style Zin? I was thinking of buying some Zins to Turkey Day.

We like a claret style Zin.

OK, I would be interested to know where to start looking!

My favorite (based on a blind tasting with 8 reds and 8 whites) surprisingly was a Moscato d'Asti. It is light, refreshing, and goes with everything on the buffet. At 1-2:PM you don't really want to be knocking back 14-15% ABV wines at 1:00 PM. After all, you've already had a few glasses of Champagne (or a look-a-like) and there is a lot more to come. Seriously, you don't want to compete with Aunt Mary's casserole or the sage dressing (somebody put a lot of work into these dishes). The Moscato d'Asti will be a perfect "get-a-long, go-a-long" kind of beverage. Try it, you might be surprised. An Asti is also very nice with the pumpkin pie.

Not Carl, but claret style usually means less fruit forward, some structure. I think of Dashe, Storybook, Nalle, maybe Kunde.

Last year a full bodied, new world Tempranillo was a winner. -- Clark

[David M. Bueker]

In the last decade plus I have been all over the map in terms of pairings. There's been Champagne, Rose, Beaujolais, Burgundy, California Pinot, Zinfandel (tried Ravenswood one year and Turley the next - two opposite styles), Chablis, German Riesling, Alsatian Piot Gris, Gewurztraminer from Alsace and Austria, Gruner Veltliner and Syrah. That's just what I can remember off the top of my head.

I suppose Mourvedre would be uncommon, though I don't think I would recommend it.

Normally it's Zweigelt and Baumard Cremant de Loire Carte turquoise for me. You cannot go wrong with Zweigelt and turkey. Two years ago I did the sparkling (red) zweigelt from the Kamptals Weingut Steininger. Awesome.

Cheers,
Bill

Ooh! The Zweigelt sounds intriguing and I'd love to try it with turkey! Unfortunately it is a bit hard to come by around these parts. We will most likely do a Chinon, Arbois, or perhaps a Morgon with our dinner this year. I have several bottles of each that are showing incredibly right now. Cannot wait!

Ooh! The Zweigelt sounds intriguing and I'd love to try it with turkey! Unfortunately it is a bit hard to come by around these parts. We will most likely do a Chinon, Arbois, or perhaps a Morgon with our dinner this year. I have several bottles of each that are showing incredibly right now. Cannot wait!

So Joy,

you can buy Arbois but not Zweigelt in Nebraska? What the hell? Aren't there any Terry Theise Selections on the shelf? I mean, someone needs to make a phone call. Not that it's easy to find Zweigelt, Arbois, or even Morgon and Chinon in Germany. Let me know how it goes!

Cheers,
Bill

Ooh! The Zweigelt sounds intriguing and I'd love to try it with turkey! Unfortunately it is a bit hard to come by around these parts. We will most likely do a Chinon, Arbois, or perhaps a Morgon with our dinner this year. I have several bottles of each that are showing incredibly right now. Cannot wait!

So Joy,

you can buy Arbois but not Zweigelt in Nebraska? What the hell? Aren't there any Terry Theise Selections on the shelf? I mean, someone needs to make a phone call. Not that it's easy to find Zweigelt, Arbois, or even Morgon and Chinon in Germany. Let me know how it goes!

Cheers,
Bill

Yes, sadly Zweigelt is not to be found in wine stores here. The only time I have had it here was at a restaurant who special ordered it for a limited time. Jacques Puffeney Arbois is pretty easy to come by, and there are a few Terry Thiese wines around (mostly Gruner Veltliner), but I am living in the middle of Napa Cab hell - very limited selection of cool European stuff.

Any other Zweigelt producers you would recommend? I'll just have to shop for them online. The only one I have tried is the Nigl.

Ooh! The Zweigelt sounds intriguing and I'd love to try it with turkey! Unfortunately it is a bit hard to come by around these parts. We will most likely do a Chinon, Arbois, or perhaps a Morgon with our dinner this year. I have several bottles of each that are showing incredibly right now. Cannot wait!

So Joy,

you can buy Arbois but not Zweigelt in Nebraska? What the hell? Aren't there any Terry Theise Selections on the shelf? I mean, someone needs to make a phone call. Not that it's easy to find Zweigelt, Arbois, or even Morgon and Chinon in Germany. Let me know how it goes!

Cheers,
Bill

Yes, sadly Zweigelt is not to be found in wine stores here. The only time I have had it here was at a restaurant who special ordered it for a limited time. Jacques Puffeney Arbois is pretty easy to come by, and there are a few Terry Thiese wines around (mostly Gruner Veltliner), but I am living in the middle of Napa Cab hell - very limited selection of cool European stuff.

Any other Zweigelt producers you would recommend? I'll just have to shop for them online. The only one I have tried is the Nigl.

I am a very big fan of Umathum, Heinrich and Pöckl for Zweigelt, though I'm not sure if they are available stateside any longer (since Vin Divino parted with most of thier Austrian book and Winebow only picked up a limited selection.) I also really like Berger and Hofer (esp. the Rose, which goes great with a friday-after turkey-sandwich) from Terry.

Cheers,
Bill

I'm intrigued by Zweigelt - checking my local shop, they carry the following producers:

Iby, Anton - Mittelburgenland
Lehrner, Paul - Burgenland

How do these compare?

I'm intrigued by Zweigelt - checking my local shop, they carry the following producers:

Iby, Anton - Mittelburgenland
Lehrner, Paul - Burgenland

How do these compare?

Hello David,

Paul Lehrner makes some fantastic reds, but his Blaufränkisch always seems to outshine all others in his line when I've tasted them (as is often the case with BF v. Zweigelt) and I honestly can't recall what I thought of it (sorry.) If the Blaufränkisch is available, buy it.

Cheers,
Bill

[Jenise]

Joy, if one ends up with Jello salads and yams crusted over with marshmallows, as some Americans are wont to produce, all bets are off. The meal takes on an entirely different personality then and everything goes/nothing goes. Gewurzes do surprisingly well under those circumstances. But without the sweets, save for something made out of cranberries perhaps or some dried fruit in the stuffing, one of my favorite turkey wines is sangiovese. Spicy with good acidity and just medium bodied which is how I would also classify the average Thanksgiving dinner. It only seems more so because we stuff ourselves.

Hello David,

Paul Lehrner makes some fantastic reds, but his Blaufränkisch always seems to outshine all others in his line when I've tasted them (as is often the case with BF v. Zweigelt) and I honestly can't recall what I thought of it (sorry.) If the Blaufränkisch is available, buy it.

Cheers,
Bill

They carry both the Blaufränkisch and Zweigelt.

2006 Paul Lehrner Blaufränkisch Steineiche ($38)
2006 Paul Lehrner Zweigelt Ried Claus ($20)

I just visited my wine shop yesterday. Oh well, I guess I'll have to make another trip. Hopefully I'll leave with less that 12 bottles this time.

The best I found for Turkey and bread stuffing with gravy-and the rest-was aged Spanish Rioja.

If we're just talking about the savory ingredients (no quibbles about the meaning, please, Dale!) I'd like to try a Fer Servadou with it, such as a Marcillac rouge from Causse Marines or Cros.

Mark Lipton