Popular Choices For Bird Day

The Thanksgiving feast beckons and everything seems to be under control. You’ve found all the recipes for the dishes that you only make once a year. The crowds at the grocery store have been handled with aplomb.

Now, what to do about the wine?

The first release from France of the 2009 vintage, Beaujolais Nouveau, will made its appearance on Thursday, November 19. It is a red wine made from the Gamay grape that is grown in the Beaujolais region of France. The soft, fruity uncomplicated style of the wine makes it an easy and popular choice to pair with the Thanksgiving victuals.

Locally, Brookfield’s DiGrazia Vineyards has also produced a new wine they call Newbury that has a similar flavor profile.

Other red wines that are drier but still deliver lovely black and red fruit flavors will also pair nicely with the big bird on Thanksgiving. Pinot Noir is always a popular choice. Although fine Pinot Noir is produced around the world, since Thanksgiving is a uniquely American holiday, the discerning drinker might want to focus their choice on wines from California and Oregon.

Another red grape that delivers lovely fruit flavors on a medium-bodied frame is Grenache. The 2007 vintage from the Rhone region in southern France was outstanding and those wines are currently widely available. They would also be a fine choice to grace the Thanksgiving table.

Turning to white wines, Chardonnay is always a Thanksgiving favorite. Once again, there are a huge number of tasty California wines to choose from.

If you would like to try something just a little bit different, Oregon Pinot Gris might be worth a try. Although Pinot Gris is the same grape as the ubiquitous Pinot Grigio, the Oregon wines have a lovely texture with pear and stone fruit notes that make them a particularly appealing Thanksgiving choice. Pinot Gris from Alsace in northern France can also deliver similar flavors with just a bit more acidity.

Now that the wine decisions have been handled, I am ready for some football!

(Newtown resident and oenophile Steve Small is the general manager at Yankee Wine & Spirits on Queen Street.)