Date: Fri 13-Nov-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: JUDYC

Quick Words:

Thanksgiving-Wine-Wisdom-Small

Full Text:

WINE WISDOM: For Chefs At Thanksgiving, Almost Anything Will Work!

By Steve Small

Pretty soon it will once again be Thanksgiving, and time to answer that always

compelling question: "What wine goes with turkey?"

First of all, the best advice I can give is to drink what you like. Most

Thanksgiving dinners have so many different kinds of dishes that whatever wine

you choose will probably match something. It can also be a great opportunity

to drink that special bottle that you have been saving. Half the fun of

drinking an excellent bottle of wine is sharing it with fellow wine lovers.

Thanksgiving is a holiday that is all about sharing.

If you want to match a wine to your turkey, you must first decide if you want

red or white. Both fairly full-bodied white wines or light- to medium-bodied

reds will match your Thanksgiving dinner nicely. Many California Chardonnays

have the classic flavor profile of medium body, and a nice balance of fruit,

butter and oak. These wines are a pleasant accompaniment to any Thanksgiving

dinner. Some of the Chardonnays that I have recently enjoyed include

Lakespring, Shale Ridge and Steele.

If you are interested in trying something a little different, many wine

writers recommend Gewurztraminner with Thanksgiving dinner. These wines are

fruity and quite distinctive. Although it is not a wine for everyone, it is a

good wine to serve if you would like to serve more than one particular type of

wine. I have really enjoyed Gewurztraminners from the Alsace region of France.

One of the most popular red wines at Thanksgiving time is Beaujolais Nouveau.

This is a light fruity red wine that represents the first wine of the vintage

from France. Because Nouveau is so popular, you can now get Nouveau wines from

California and Connecticut. They are all light and fruity and go nicely with a

big, diverse meal like a Thanksgiving dinner. Other red wines that would go

nicely with the bird are Pinot Noir and Syrah (also known as Shiraz).

All of the chefs out there who are fretting about what wine to serve with

their feast can relax. Thanksgiving dinners are amazingly versatile when it

comes to matching a wine. Just pop the cork on something nice and have a

second glass while someone else does the dishes.

(Steve Small is the proprietor of Steve's Liquor Store, at 71 Main Street

South in Newtown. On Tuesday, November 17, Mr Small is presenting a program

called "The ABCs of Wine" at the Booth Library in Newtown. The program begins

at 7:30 and there is no admission charge.)