Thanksgiving wines are a natural wine topic. During this time of year, from one year to the next, I reflect upon who’s been there for me in the past cycle… entrusting me with their stories. This blog post is more about giving thanks than it is about Thanksgiving wines. It is more interesting, however, if I do tell you about the wines I’ve most enjoyed throughout the year, which have come to me, because I’m a wine blogger.
Everyday I give thanks to those who have wanted to share their stories with me. Since this is a journal about my life as a wine publicist, who has also become a wine blogger with tons of back stories about the wine business, it’s only fitting that I have one story a year to give thanks. Thank you to all of you who make my world go round… giving me something to write about.
Thank you to those who aggregate my stories on your sites; most especially Wine Business Monthly, Wine Industry Insights, and Wine Industry Insider. Thanks to my clients who fill my days and my head with tons of information for me to share.
And, thanks to those of you who read my stories. I appreciate that you agree and sometimes disagree with me.
WHITE WINES
APPETIZERS: Mionetto Organic Prosecco: What a great way to begin a Thanksgiving feast! Start with this Italian sparkling, and one that’s organic. For this I’m very thankful. These days, the less intervention the better, as our world’s food supply is becoming increasingly more poisoned. Sorry to bring this up while discussing such a joyous holiday, but I feel compelled to remind everyone; we are what we eat, pesticides included. These wine grapes were carefully grown and this wine is the end result of great care. The Mionetto Prosecco Organic D.o.c Treviso is made with certified, organically grown grapes (Bioagricert Srl. Mionetto). Grown without synthetic chemicals and fertilizers, in the cellar these grapes were vinified separately to ensure purity. To reduce the carbon footprint of this wine even further, Mionetto use recycled materials for the bottle, label, and shipper. This delicious Prosecco is beautiful yellow in color and has aromas of golden delicious apples and delicate flowers, which all follows into to an explosion of vibrant fruit on your palate. I see this one accompanying your aperitifs, and prepping your palate for more delicious foods to follow.
APPETIZERS: 2010 Grape House Chardonnay Lodi ~ from the DeCosta Family Vineyard. The name Grape House was inspired by the DeCosta’s daughter. (I find this totally charming.) A new member of PS I Love You this year, I’m thankful for the opportunity to serve their needs, as regards Petite Sirah; and, to also recommend their Chardonnay. It’s a rich, complex wine and worthy of any Thanksgiving feast, when fish or fowl are being served.
In 2010, the DeCosta family released this first vintage. Their Grape House Estate Chardonnay was hand harvested and crafted in 100 percent stainless steel tanks. It was produced for them by Estate Crush, and is available for tasting at the Estate Crush tasting room in Lodi, located at Two West Lockeford Street, Lodi, CA 95240 [209-368-7595]
This past spring, I was asked to join a Lodi Petite Sirah tasting for newly released wines. I hadn’t expected to be called upon to speak on behalf of Petite Sirah, but I certainly can when someone wants more info. So, I was happy to talk abut Petite’s historical significance to the California wine industry. I went to this event as a media person, but I don’t need to prepare anything on PS. I can ramble on for hours, based on the past 12 year of research and development. But, I deferred to Jose as the spokesperson, when asked about membership. Dennis and Diane DeCosta of DeCosta Family Vineyards were at our luncheon table, and Jose gave them the benefits of being a member, while I just let it be. The DeCostas sent in a check to PSILY as a grower member, and for them, I’m most grateful for their trust and then they shipped samples to me… Both wines were outstanding. The second one was their 2011 Petite Sirah Atomic Vineyards… Yeah, it’s that powerful…
ENTREE: 2012 Gran Reserva Ribera del Rapel Chardonnay from Concha y Toro
The wines presented to me from Concha y Toro have always been consistently good wines. The Gran Reserva Ribera del Rapel is a higher priced wine, versus their other lines; still, it’s well worth the extra price as a great value. Since Thanksgiving is a special holiday, this is the time to step away from everyday wines and into something a bit more celebratory; and this wine will do quite nicely. Great care is taken in creating their Concha y Toro wines, as grapes are grown under sustainable practices. Only 5,500 cases of this wine were made, which is not a lot of wine, as it’s exported world wide. Look for it at your favorite markets.
The nose has a bouquet of richness that complements Thanksgiving fare… Ripe juicy apples and toasted pumpkin seeds give way to a rich palate that will enhance any birds being served. It’s a medium to full bodied wine, with a toasted almond finish, which lingers… This wine was just so easy for me to love.
DESSERT: And, we’re going to pop a big one for this holiday, saving the most complex for last… 2004 Brut L.D. Iron Horse Vineyards 1.5 Liter. The L.D. stands for Late Disgorged. This is a process whereby the removal of the sediment from dead yeast cells happens before the dosage is added. The 2004 Brut L.D. was aged for more than eight years before disgorging happened. The process has given us a much more complex and creamier wine. It’s a sparkling wine that is equal parts Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and has lovely aromas of fall fruit, like pears and apples. The palate is more citrus than the nose of winter Meyer lemons. This is a dry wine and will work really well at being enjoyed with creamy foods… I’m thinking Crème brûlée, to really finish Thanksgiving on a true high note. Chilled and ready to go, this one promises be a great memory for all.
Tomorrow ~ The Reds
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! May your tables be blessed with abundance this year and forever on….
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