Flash in the Pan

Although I'm far from a wine expert, I did come across some advice and a resource. Author/sommelier Natalie MacLean offered the following suggestions in an email she sent me:

1. Start with bubbly. Sparkling wine is a great aperitif to sip while you wait for the turkey to finish cooking. It adds a celebratory note to the meal and goes well with starters like soup and salad.


2. Consider the turkey. Unlike most poultry and game birds, turkey meat is very dry in texture. So you need a mouth-watering wine to complement it. Good options are crisp whites like riesling and pinot grigio. And yes you can drink red wine with white meat: pinot noir, beaujolais and zinfandel all have juicy, berry-ripe flavors that go well with turkey.


3. Look beyond the bird. The range of side dishes means that you don't have to match your wine just to the turkey. Since Thanksgiving dinner is often a banquet-style meal, with everyone choosing the trimmings, why not do the same with your wines? Offer both red and white, and possibly more than one depending on the size of your group.


4. Complement or contrast. A big, buttery chardonnay from California or Chile can complement the roasted, smoky flavors of squash, chestnuts and pecan stuffing. But if you'd rather have a contrast to the richness of cream sauces and dressings, try a crisp New Zealand sauvignon blanc.


5. End on a sweet note. If anyone still has room left when it's time for pumpkin or pecan pie, offer a late harvest wine or icewine. If you're a chocolate fan, try serving a liqueur with complementary flavors such as raspberry or blackcurrant.

When I asked about other fruit wines - like the blueberry, apple, peach, and cranberry that you can get from some vineyards like Nashoba Valley - she said that they can also work well. I'll put in a vote for how sophisticated and complex the flavors can be.

For another view of what wines to serve, you can go to this page on the Subzero site (major kitchen appliances). I really liked the idea of serviing a Riesling.

For help in pairing specific foods with wines, you can go to Natalie's web site for pairing help. There's also the Lowes Hotela at Universal Orlando, which has set up a wine version of the turkey or pie hotline. You can email wineline@loewshotels.com or call 407.503.WINE (9463). They're apparently happy to help people pair wines with foods. It sounds like this is the first year they will do this, so I have no information about how long it will take to get a response. Remember, they're working hard at tasting wine, so I'm sure things get a little ... relaxed.

Labels: holidays, Thanksgiving, wine