Friday, December 30, 2005

Alameda Sun article on Turkey Wines


Tips from the Wine and Cheese Guy

Turkey Wines

No, not wines from Anatolia (although they are starting to produce some great wines in Turkey); this month, we’re talkin’ turkey - gobble gobble - and the wines that go or don’t go with them.

Here’s the deal: you’ve got 25 people coming over for a feast of roasted turkey with all of the trimmings - stuffing, squash soup, cranberry sauce, candied yams, mashed potatoes, green beans, tossed salad, biscuits, a cheese course, and pumpkin or pecan pie. Yikes!! Which wine or wines should you serve? How much wine should you buy? Red, white, sparkling, or rosé?

Relax, it’s not that complicated. Turkey goes amazingly well with many red, white, rosé wines and sparkling wines. The key is to choose wines that will complement the meal, and not overwhelm the already hearty flavors of the day. Look for high acid, lower alcohol wines that are dry to off-dry. Try to avoid big, tannic, or oaky California wines; steer towards France, Oregon and Spain.

The best white wine matches are refreshing, tangy, fruity, medium weight wines. Experiment a bit - think viognier, chenin blanc, dry gewürztraminer, torrontes, dry or off-dry riesling, and Alsatian-style pinot gris. Some sauvignon blancs might work (think Sancerre), as will unoaked chardonnays (Chablis, Macon, or other white burgundies).

But stay away from the oaky, buttery chards. While they’ll work with the turkey and potatoes, oaky flavors clash and dominate almost everything else on the plate. Also, avoid wines that are too light in stature (gruner veltliner, pinot grigio, vernaccia, et cetera). They tend to disappear behind the heavy flavors and textures of a hearty meal.

Red wine with poultry? Sure. For my money, the best reds that match with turkey are beaujolais, cabernet francs, and pinot noir. The Beaujolais Nouveau that has just arrived in most fine wine stores is a no-brainer. Fresh, fruity, and with a bit of spritz, can there be a better way to celebrate than with this Gamay-based charmer? The cherry fruits of pinot noir match nicely to game and to cranberry; and the soft tannins of a cabernet franc go well with big roasty flavors. Low alcohol cabernet sauvignon (like Bordeaux); spicy, peppery grenache- or syrah-based blends (from the Rhone Valley or Spain); lighter style zinfandels ; or even a spanish tempranillo like Rioja will also pair quite nicely with your Thanksgiving feast. Don’t be afraid to experiment.

But avoid choosing big cabernets, syrahs, or zinfandels. They’re too tannic and high in alcohol to match well with turkey, and the sugars in the food will make the tannins in cabs taste bitter.

Rosés are a breeze with turkey. The crisp, fruity nature of a good rosé will match perfectly with white meat, play off roasted flavors of crackly skin and blend in with the heavier dark meat flavors. Choose any dry rosé wine you can find. Even dreaded white zinfandel works well with turkey and all the trimmings.

Surprisingly, pairing a sparkling wine with the Thanksgiving meal works very well. The creaminess of a brut champagne, the sweetness of a spumante or prosecco, or the red fruity character of a lambrusco, dry rosé sparkler or sparkling shiraz can all take the place of a still wine very well. This might be an option you want to consider.

Are you serving ham and/or prime rib in addition to turkey? Mamma Mia! Don’t panic, here are a few wine suggestions:

A glazed ham is both salty and sweet; so fresh white wines with good acidity, some residual sugar, and a dry finish work best. Look for trocken (or dry) riesling, gewürztraminer, or an Alsatian pinot gris. Rosés, beaujolais and pinots will also work well.

Typically, beef screams out for big cabernets, syrahs, and zins; wines packed with fruit, oak, tannins and sugars. But if you’re serving beef along with the turkey, those wines will dominate our fine once-feathered friend (and everything else on the table). So, look for rhone-style blends of grenache or syrah , a soft cab or merlot, or even a nice mourvedre, with smokey and chocolately overtones that will match with both the prime rib and the big bird.

Finally, here’s a few Thanksgiving wine rules to remember:

· Don’t match heavy wines with a heavy meal. Go for lighter, fruitier wines without a lot of oak or tannin.

· Thanksgiving is about abundance; so don’t pour your best or most expensive wines.

· Pour several different varietals so you and your guests can match them with the varied flavors and textures on your table.

· There’s not one single wine that will perfectly pair with every flavor on the table, so don’t stress.

· Serve sparkling wine before the meal and dessert wine with the last course.

· How much wine to buy? Assume three glasses of wine per adult, and five glasses per bottle. Multiply the number of guests by three, and divide by five to arrive at the number of bottles you will need.

· Assume two three ounce pours of sparkling wine and one two ounce pour of dessert wine per adult.

· Dessert wines should always be as sweet as or sweeter than the desserts that they accompany.

· Relax, and try to have fun at this often stressful event. Remember, you’re among friends.

· Don’t let your guests drive home drunk.

Posted by Farmstead :: 7:17 AM :: 0 comments

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