Last year I posted about ten good Thanksgiving wines and it seemed to be popular. Well, this year I’ve scaled it back because who really needs ten wines anyway?
Let’s begin with the same caveat I used last year: Turkeys are basically stupid, oversized geese who don’t know how to fly, so the wine pairings are like the birds themselves: awkward. That said, a lot more than turkey ends up in a Thanksgiving dinner, so here are six wines well worth pouring.
These recommendations come from a recent tasting D’Aun and I had with Desmond Echavarrie of Scale Wine Group. We met Des, a Master Sommelier, a few years ago in Napa. He has consistently led us to great wines and our recent tasting was no different. The wines listed here are all represented by Scale Wine Group.
The tasting began with an amazing Blanc de Blancs Brut Champagne by Jean-Pierre Launois ($75). I’m not a huge fan of Champagne, but this was exceptional. The bad news? It’s almost impossible to find because production is so low. Still, call Des and tell him I sent you. Maybe he has a bottle or two?
Next was a Shibumi Knoll “Effortless Perfection” Chardonnay 2015. This would be a great white wine with turkey because it has the depth to hold up. It is not a “sipping” Chardonnay because it is too complex to appreciate without food. If you like your Chardonnay with a touch of oak and vanilla (but not overdone) this is a good one to consider.
Another interpretation of Chardonnay is the Kesner Gate Sonoma Coast ($35). We tasted the 2015 vintage. Less oak and much crisper, this is a great wine to serve with light appetizers.
A friend of mine works at the famous French Laundry restaurant, and I recently asked him to recommend a classic Napa Cabernet Sauvignon in the $50 range. Without hesitation he pointed me toward Le Pich ($55). Coincidentally, a few days later Desi was pouring it at the tasting! And it is a great wine, well worth the price. Robert Parker gave this wine 92 points and I think that’s underrated.
The wine that pleasantly surprised me at the tasting — largely because I had never heard of it — was Matthew Wallace Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($75). This wine is a step up from the Le Pich. It had the big fruit forward style Napa is known for.
We finished the evening with the exceptional 2015 Memento Mori Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a special wine ($225) and not for everyday drinking. But if you want to enjoy the best Napa can produce this would be a good example. Highly recommended if you can afford it and will appreciate it.
