Seemingly out of nowhere the week before Christmas has fallen upon us and here in the Bay Area and Napa Valley residents are enduring rain storm after rain storm.   Water is beginning to stand in low-lying vineyards and despite this, the first few blooms of mustard have risen above tall healthy green blades of grass among the vines.   The weather clearly does not inspire people to leave their cozy homes unless necessary; regardless, at this point in the holiday season, time is in short supply.   Holiday parties fill calendars, kitchens are in disarray with holiday baking and big holiday dinners are planned for the following weekends.  Even though perhaps the Wednesday before Christmas is not an evening when one is seeking to prepare something quasi-gourmet at home, there is still time enough such that you can enjoy a nice bottle of wine with something simple and celebrate the season for yourself.

On rainy chilly nights such as these, I find that there is something warm and comforting about Merlot.   Merlot naturally has a round and supple mouth feel and perhaps that in and of itself makes this varietal comforting.  As noted in earlier articles archived on this web site, Merlot receives an unmerited bad rap thanks to pop culture and a certain wine country themed movie.   Merlot, if made well, can offer depth, complexity and structure like any other varietal.   Similarly it can also be a pricey varietal depending on the vintner.   As the grape ripens sooner than other red wine varietals, it is less tannic and easier to readily enjoy.

It is with distinct pleasure to share a wine from Bremer Family Winery this week:   2004 Howell Mountain Merlot.     Howell Mountain is its own American Viticulture Area (“AVA”).    This mountain AVA has long been recognized for producing intensely flavored and concentrated grapes.   Given the soil and climate of Howell Mountain AVA, red varietals are frequently “bigger” in their flavor profiles and I always find easily recognizable spices.   

Only a few years ago at this time did I make my first ascent up Deer Park Road to visit Bremer Family Winery and I was not disappointed.   Tiny flakes of snow danced in the air to greet me that day and while it is a beautiful winery to visit during warmer months, it is a special memory to recall that first chilly late December visit to Bremer Family Winery.

Given the more intensely and boldly flavored wines of Howell Mountain AVA, Bremer Family Winery’s red wine offerings are also a fitting choice for this time of year.   To give an indicator of the intensity of the fruit in these wines, upon opening the 2004 Howell Mountain Merlot, you can smell the wine’s fruit and spice easily one foot from the rim of the wine glass:  a powerful wine that is dominated by aromas of wild mountain raspberries, plum, a hint of mint or cardamom with a lingering aroma of vanilla.   The palate is greeted by delicious rich spices of cardamom and anise with flavors of plum and red raspberry.   While the wine does provide slightly drying tannins at the back of the palate, simple decanting easily remedies this leaving one with a big wine (and yes, this is a Merlot) that is worthy of holiday celebrations and end of year events.   Powerful fruit, spice and structure command the palate accompanied by a finish that firmly stays in place.    This is a finish which leaves one still swallowing… in disbelief that there is not still wine in your mouth.

Given that this is such a busy week and with special holiday celebrations on the immediate horizon, this week’s menu is planned such that it includes comfort food and yet a creative twist on otherwise simplistic classic American cuisine:

1)      The Meatloaf That Saved Christmas;

2)     Garlic Mashed Potatoes With Red Wine Reduction Porcini Gravy; and

3)     Steamed Baby Broccoli.

This is not your mother’s meatloaf.   A winery friend commented over the weekend that meatloaf is one of the most underappreciated dishes in American cuisine and he is probably correct.   But then again, I believe that it really depends on how the dish is prepared (much like most recipes).   Over handling the meat and pork will rob the loaf of its moisture and create a tough dry texture.   Dress the recipe up, and suddenly you will have a dish that in no way resembles your mother’s meatloaf.

Combining ground lean pork and lean ground beef, some of the drippings from prior cooked apple wood smoked bacon is gently worked in the meat.   This adds fat in a controlled manner to add moisture while simultaneously naturally adding a small amount of sodium and flavor.   Prior sautéed shallots, sweet onions and garlic are added followed by roasted garlic puree.   Rather than use commercial bread crumbs, slices of sourdough bread from a local bakery are toasted in the oven to create fresh bread crumbs which are combined with well-beaten eggs.   To further add flavor and creaminess to the loaf, freshly grated dry jack cheese is added and freshly clipped and chopped herbs from the patio are incorporated to add some spice and depth in flavor.  Finally rather than opt for the circa 1950’s American ketchup, add a puree of roasted tomatoes and top the loaf with crumbled apple wood smoked bacon.   Slow-roasted in the oven, this dressed-up savory meatloaf fills the kitchen with tantalizing smells and teases of warm comfort food.  If you and your guests manage to save any of this as leftovers, the herbs, garlic and spices will continue to marry with time creating a rich, well-blended flavor in the mouth that takes meatloaf to “home gourmet”.

Next up, an equally savory red wine reduction gravy is created with porcini mushrooms and Carmelo tomatoes from the garden.    This is a terrific way to use that last cup of red wine left over from last week’s bottle of wine.    As the sauce thickens, I added a tiny amount of balsamic vinegar to manipulate the color of the gravy.  Also, having reserved the bacon drippings, a small amount was added as well to avoid needing to use salt or other seasonings in the gravy.   These flavors are in the meatloaf and are also incorporated into the gravy.   Topping garlic mashed potatoes with this gravy renders comfort food borderline sinful.

Adding steamed baby broccoli is not only a veggie delight but also adds much needed color to the full plate presentation.

When paired with Bremer Family Winery’s 2004 Howell Mountain Merlot, the meal takes on an additional element of comfort as the wine coasts across the front and mid-palate effortlessly (which is exactly what a good Merlot should do and why it is commonly used as a blending grape).   The wine’s acidity pairs well with the tomato components of this recipe and the Merlot grape seems naturally comfortable pairing with beef and pork blended dishes.   The herbs accentuate the cardamom in the wine and that wonderful lingering finish just makes this food and wine pairing one easily destined for any table.

While Bremer Family Winery’s wines are of a higher price point, this does not mean that they cannot be enjoyed readily for less than formal occasions.   Certainly the winery’s offerings will show off brilliantly with more formal dining cuisine but you should also remember that enjoying a bottle with more affordable fare will not throw your wallet into cardiac arrest.   Well-made wines are truly artisanal and they can be enjoyed even if just by you . . . and even if it is just because it is a “Wednesday”.    Happy Holidays!

During the month of December, typically rain systems roll down off of the Pacific Ocean to shower on the Bay Area and across to Napa Valley before mustering themselves into snow for the Sierras a few hours to the east.   Some years during the month of December, moments of sun can be difficult to catch and seemingly this year falls into this category.   Factor in busy schedules whether it is preparing for the holidays with shopping, baking or event attending and already short December days are further clipped.

It is in moments and bouts of weather such as these that simplicity and straight-forward, no-nonsense good quality wine is understandably sought.   Enter the red table wine.   Red table wine connotes simply what it is supposed to mean, a red wine that belongs on the table any time or any evening.   It is designed for casual enjoyment, is likely reasonably priced and often contains the very same grapes that you have grown to love from a winery under a separate label.   The fun aspect of investigating wineries’ “red table wines” is discovering a lower-priced option that offers the same estate fruit that you love in a winery’s more expensive offerings, but perhaps in different percentages or blends.   This terrific example of when a cheaper wine may sometimes be almost as good as the flagship, separately labeled wine will be rewarding if you are intimately familiar with the winery and its estate grown grapes.   Otherwise, it may be an exercise of “hit or miss” in wine selection.   This latter possibility is not a cancelling factor either because ultimately all that truly matters is what you the connoisseur (no matter how developed your palate may or may not be) likes.

Clearly this will be meaningful if I use an example of the sought after table wine that is of a better than anticipated quality and pleasantly surprisingly more affordable price point.   It is no secret that I am intimately familiar with the wines produced by Benessere Vineyards (“Benessere”).     Given that Benessere specializes in Tuscan inspired varietals and goes the extra mile to produce an outstandingly smooth, elegantly structured and balanced wine in all of its varietals, finding a good red table wine at this winery is a terrific treat.    Previously bottled under a separate label whose brand invoked thoughts of the “coast and sun”, Benessere’s red table wine emerged under a new label this year as the 2006 blend was released under the winery’s other brand, “Buono Rosso” (meaning, “Good Red” in Italian).   Consisting of 46% Sangiovese, 30% Zinfandel and 24% Merlot, this red blend table wine livens any table and surprises the palate with its texture, fruit and embraceable, recognizable structure.

But what makes this Red Table Wine special?

Benessere actually produces award-winning Sangiovese (often recognized as the best Sangiovese in Napa Valley by locals and other wine enthusiasts).   Part of the reason its Sangiovese is so outstanding is because the winery grows over 12 different clones of the Sangiovese grape, lending to create an age-worthy varietal which has outstanding complexity.   Depending on the Zinfandel grapes used, they are either delicious old vine grapes or grapes used in the winery’s Black Glass Zinfandel (a wine which has received 93 point rating from The Wine Enthusiast).   But if these statistics were not enough to pique one’s interest, there is the Merlot.   Did you know that Benessere’s estate neighbors Duckhorn Vineyards?   And did you know that in the past that Benessere has had a relationship where it has sourced some of its Merlot grapes to same said neighbor?    Interested yet?   You should be.   While other friends are showing up on doorsteps with a certain “decoy” bottle of wine this holiday season, you could arrive with an affordable readily consumable conversation piece.

Opening the bottle of the 2006 Buono Rosso (before the first pour), the nose is greeted with aromas of seasonally festive red fruit such as red plum and cherry.   The wine is dark from a distance but at closer inspection the light easily catches along the rim producing eye-catching ruby red jewel tones.   Raising the glass to the nose, those previously sensed aromas of red fruit are accompanied by warm aromas of anise spice (or more simply described, black licorice).   Like Benessere’s other varietals, this wine is extremely smooth in texture, sprinkled with a lively acidity and ponies up flavorful red fruit as the bouquet promised.   For the Merlot lover, it is possible to sense that varietal not just in flavor but also texturally as mid-palate there is a certain fullness best attributed to the Merlot grape’s characteristics.   Don’t leave the glass yet:  there is a finish on this wine.   Yes, a red table wine with a finish.    Granted, the finish is simple and shuts down quickly but before your palate thinks that Buono Rosso is done, it will discover a lingering black cherry flavor that has been left behind.

Given that the wine has a present recognizable (yet manageable) acidity, it is no surprise that Buono Rosso will pair well with tomato-based sauces and Italian cuisine.   This week’s menu hosts:

·         Honey-Whole Wheat Pizza Topped with Grill-Roasted Herbed Garlic Chicken, Garden-Picked Carmelo Tomatoes, Artichoke Hearts and Black Olives

After a week plagued with heavy fog and low visibility, when the sun emerged this weekend for a few afternoon hours, I spared no time in firing up the grill on the back patio.   Seasoning chicken breasts with freshly ground black pepper, seasoning salt and lemon thyme picked from the patio, the poultry was sealed in a foil packed with thinly sliced garlic cloves and olive oil.    Once roasted on the grill, the undeniably moist chicken was shredded with forks to create a manageable light texture which would continue to roast in the oven on top of the crust.   The cloves of garlic also continued to roast until sweet.

Creating a whole wheat pizza crust was an intentional choice as its earthy flavor pairs well with red wine.   To sweeten the ensemble, prior to topping, the crust (once stretched across the pan) is drizzled with honey.    This flavor brings an unexpected sweetened element to the pizza as a whole but also surprises guests with the deliciously consumable ends of the crust which almost finishes off a slice like a bit of dessert and matches up well with that black cherry finish in the wine.

Topping the crust with a red sauce, the chicken, chopped artichoke hearts and Carmelo tomatoes and sliced black olives makes an already pleasing red wine deliciously zesty.   For those who have followed along all summer, you will recall that I seemingly cannot say enough about the Carmelo tomato.   An ambassador of sheer goodness, the Carmelo tomato has a unique sugar to acidity balance that simply makes it one of the most flavorfully sweet tomatoes to grace a vine.   It boasts a flavor that impresses every diner to rave, “Now THAT is a tomato!”

Black olives top the pizza mainly to diversify appearance and out of personal flavor preference.   When taken in conjunction with the wine they seem to accentuate the zinfandel component.   Rather than by standard season with basil and oregano, I elected to use marjoram and lemon thyme from the garden so as to promote a sense of sustainability using seasonable fresh herbs in order to liven the flavors of the pizza in a non-traditional way.  

The 2006 Buono Rosso is a pleasant easy-drinking wine now but it will age for a few more years.   If you can set it aside, the texture will become velvety and other flavors in the wine will become more pronounced.   For a 2006 red wine, this is lively and festive, yet easily enjoyable for guiltless quick food pairings or casual entertaining during this busy holiday season.

Rolling into December, the grape vines of Napa Valley cling to the last of their now brown and lifeless leaves.   Mother Nature has readied the vines for oncoming winter such that they stand barren throughout acres upon acres of vineyards in Napa Valley.   Above, clouds rumble bringing long-awaited rain and fog (typically absent from California wine country from spring until now).   Yet, despite the absence of the sun or the lush leaves that normally adorn the grape vines, there is something stoically picturesque about Napa Valley at this time of year.  

Given the rainy weather and cool temperatures, one might first reach for a glass of red wine.  Instead, I find that December is an ideal time to enjoy a particular white wine, Riesling.  Riesling can be enjoyed any time of the year.   It is simply that versatile of a wine but it is particularly enjoyable during holiday entertaining.  Having had the recent opportunity to spend an afternoon with Stu Smith of Smith-Madrone Vineyards and Winery (“Smith-Madrone”, located on Spring Mountain with lovely views of Napa Valley below), it was the perfect time to sample his Riesling and discuss the merits of the grape.   Stu Smith, both vineyard manager and winemaker (along with his brother Charlie), started Smith-Madrone in 1971 and made its first vintage of Riesling in 1977.   With over 30 years worth of vintages, Stu Smith agrees with how versatile Riesling is.   Making the classic analogy to the holiday dinner setting where hypothetical Aunt “Wine-know-it-all” Claire sits across from easy-going Uncle “It Tastes Good” Bob who sits adjacent to Aunt “I only drink White Wine” Louise, Riesling is the wine which can please the palate of any of these guests.   Being able to span such a diverse crowd successfully is a significant accomplishment for any varietal.

Riesling is readily recognized for growing best in cooler climates which at first thought makes Napa Valley a challenging geographic location.  Winding up Spring Mountain, however, the temperature drops and you see road signs warning of possible ice.   Suddenly Riesling has potential.   The grape’s potential increases even more when the soil of the area is taken into consideration.   Riesling is particularly terroir-expressive.   When considering Smith-Madrone’s rocky, dry volcanic soil, it is understandable that the Riesling grapes grown at the winery will produce a perfectly expressive aromatic wine.   To ensure the integrity of the soil’s influence on the grapes, the winery is dry-farmed.   As a result, Smith-Madrone’s 2009 Riesling offers a bouquet of honeysuckle, fresh yellow peaches and orange blossoms.  On the palate, the wine offers peach on the entry, minerality mid-palate and a finish of freshly picked apricots.   People often wonder how you “taste” minerality, but it is often best described as a “flintiness” in the wine which adds character and a degree of dimension.    While Riesling is acidic, Smith-Madrone’s Riesling offers an acidity that simply presents a pleasant liveliness in the mouth.

From a food pairing perspective, Riesling can pair with a variety of foods from seafood to turkey but because of its acidity, it can also pair with cranberries (provided that they are properly sweetened).   Given the holiday season and the need for creative, yet easy entertaining ideas, this week’s menu holds:

·         Fiesta Festive Cranberry Spread

In this deliciously simple appetizer, fresh cranberries are first used to create a jam-like consistency with sugar, a tiny bit of ginger, and the juice and zest of Rangpur limes from the patio.  For those unaware, the Rangpur lime is a small citrus that is like combining a tangerine and a lime flavorwise.   The tree can be successfully grown as a dwarf container citrus and when ripe, the fruit is a golden orange hue.

Once the cranberry based jam has cooled, diced green chilies, chili powder, cayenne powder, garlic salt and chopped fresh green onions are added until well-blended.   Then spooned over low-fat cream cheese, the spread is ready to be served with either fresh baked bread from a local bakery or even crackers.

When paired with the Riesling, the minerality in the wine readily embraces the spices in the cranberry spread.   The acidity of the wine readily meets the acidity of the cranberries and citrus.   Topping low-fat cream cheese to create a spread is not only affordable but cuts calories during a month long-recognized for over-indulgence.

Dress your Riesling up or dress it down with food pairings this holiday season.  It is guaranteed to arrive at the table dressed for the occasion given its versatility in pairing with food.

Thanksgiving has come and gone leaving its aftermath of leftovers in the refrigerator, holiday decorating and shopping to finish and for many, an insurmountable backlog of work waiting in the office.   Surfacing for air the week after Thanksgiving may be an accomplishment in and of itself without trying to dream up an involved food and wine pairing.   Turkey is the last thing that many want at this point (for those that do want to see what to do with your leftovers please search last year’s post-Thanksgiving articles on the web site).   Yet given the simultaneous dust settling after Thanksgiving and the whirlwind of activity for the upcoming holidays, something simple and affordable in the food and wine department might add a much needed element of comfort this week.

Many wineries make one wine that is its more affordable offering.   Simply because the price tag is less does not mean that the quality is necessarily lacking.   While the mind immediately leaps to various white and rosé wines that fit this price bracket, there are red wines to find as well that fall under $20 a bottle yet have structure, depth and a straight-forward good quality that pair well with simpler culinary fare.   Steltzner Vineyards (“Steltzner”), most notably recognized for its Pinotage and Malbec, bottles a fun rustic Claret that can be found for under $20 which given that its composition of Stags Leap fruit makes it even more of a terrific bargain find.

Claret red wine, (a term coined by the English) includes Bordeaux grapes and there is great latitude in its making as there is no legal definition in the wine world for “claret”.  Technically the terminology is derived from the French clairet  which is to describe a winemaking process which falls somewhere between the consistency of a red wine and a rosé.  Ultimately the Claret is supposed to be a lighter and refreshing red wine as the fermenting wine is drawn off after very short skin contact.   This will, however, largely depend on the vintner’s style.

Steltzner is loyal to incorporating structure into its wines to the point that it should be recognized as part of its brand.   Even though its Claret is under $20, Steltzner did not abandon its commitment to structure.  Consisting of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Franc, the 2007 Claret wine is spry with notable (yet manageable) tannins and offers flavors of bright cherry and red plum fruit with a softer yet readily noticeable structure.   2007 was a fantastic year for big bold fruit, so this vintage of Steltzner’s Claret may have received an extra boost from Mother Nature.   Taking in the bouquet, the nose is enchantingly greeted with rich notes of plum, spice and a hint of red cherry and rustic Old World imagery is evoked.

Given that the Claret is a lighter version of other Bordeaux or Cabernet Sauvignon blends, a wider range of food pairing is possible.   Since the wine is not heavily inundated with tannins, the fat content in the paired food can be less.   Certainly you could pair this wine with the traditional simple steak off the grill or cheeses, but it can also easily pair with pasta or ratatouille dishes.   Taking this into account, this week’s menu hosts:

·         Baked Garden Vegetable-Beef Multigrain Rotini

A glutton for home-grown produce, I made sure to freeze portions of zucchini from the garden which are terrific for quick ratatouille or pasta dishes in the late fall or winter months.   Using zucchini and a combination of Carmelo and Black from Tula heirloom tomatoes from the garden, sliced baby Portobello mushrooms are added with multigrain rotini to bake with cooked crumbled ground beef in a medley of roasted garlic and patio picked oregano and sweet basil.  Ultimately topped with grated fresh mozzarella, this pasta bake fills the kitchen with simple warm comforting aromas.

Pick up some crusty rolls from a local bakery to warm in the oven and serve alongside.

When paired with the wine, the dish brings forth compatible simple rustic flavors to personify the notion of comfort food.  A dish and a wine which are equally affordable and provide guiltless enjoyment.  Simple?  Yes.   But sometimes simple is necessary, merited, warranted and just merely desired.   Cheers!

This past week Napa Valley has received the gift of unseasonably warm temperatures with seemingly never ending warm rays of sun.   The leaves on the grape vines have peaked and in certain American Cultural Areas (“AVAs”) such as Yountville and Carneros, autumnal colors literally carpet the landscape.   Wandering in among the vines, (as depicted in the photo above), one is ensconced by sheer natural beauty and the colors festively celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday that will arrive next week.

Generally each week I develop a new recipe to pair with a carefully selected wine from Napa Valley.   This month, however, I have been flooded by requests for suggestions regarding what wine to serve for Thanksgiving.   Before an anticipatory “Turkey Coma Yawn” ensues, Thanksgiving meals can be far more than about turkey.   For example, in the Bay Area, Dungeness Crab season began this week and some families celebrate Thanksgiving with this seasonal delight on its tables.    Other families on the East Coast manage to always have lasagna on the table right next to the turkey.  Other families serve Beef Tenderloin Roasts and some go completely vegetarian.   The possibilities are endless and rather than direct my readers to simply sort through all of my past articles, I have elected to shine a spotlight on a few previously reviewed wines (and one spectacularly new wine) to guide you through.

To begin, I generally make a turkey each Thanksgiving.   Depending on the number of guests in attendance, I may simply opt to make a roasted turkey breast (which is what I did last year).   Last year, as a thank you to my fans, I posted my recipe on the Facebook Fan Page for the web site and will do so again this year in a formal note.   If you have a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc that has just coasted past its peak (yet is still decent), pull that bottle for your turkey if you are following my recipe.   I generally purchase an inexpensive Sauvignon Blanc (such as Kendall Jackson’s) and guiltlessly use that to baste my turkey throughout the day.

As a tradition, generally my Thanksgiving morning starts out with a brunch which always includes freshly baked blueberry muffins sporting blueberries picked from my Sunshine Blueberry Plant on the back patio.   Mimosas are generally served but using a Rosé Sparkling Wine, in this case Schramsberg’s Sparkling Brut Rosé (featured last year in the article, “Bubbles and Holiday Cheer”).

As the afternoon wears on, Schramsberg’s Sparkling Brut Rosé is out in the kitchen as a treat for anyone who volunteers to help chop, mince, dice, stir or watch the clock.  Schramsberg’s Sparkling Brut Rosé presently consists of 68% Pinot Noir grapes and 32% Chardonnay grapes (hailing from Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and Marin counties).   The combination of the two types of grapes from various vineyards creates a sparkling wine characterized by vibrant fruit, spice and length in its finish.  Flavors of strawberry, rhubarb and blood orange grace the palate and it will pair well with a variety of cheeses, fruit and raw vegetables prior to the actual meal.   If you manage to have any left by the time the turkey is served, this wine will also pair well with the main course.

But what if turkey is not being served?

As mentioned, Dungeness Crab often makes its first rounds at Thanksgiving and there is no better wine to serve than a sparkling, in this case Schramsberg’s Blanc de Blancs (which can be found at most Trader Joe’s locations and was featured with Dungeness Crab on this site in the article titled, “ ‘Tis the Season!”).  Made from 100% Chardonnay grapes, Schramsberg’s Blanc de Blancs presents lovely aromas and flavors of citrus, green apple, pear, apricot and honey.

If you are not a fan of sparkling wines, try Benessere Vineyard’s (“Benessere”) Pinot Grigio.   Benessere’s Pinot Grigio consistently has a balanced acidity yet is light enough on the palate with round tropical fruit flavors that it pairs deliciously with Dungeness Crab and other seafood (see article titled “The Return of Pinot Grigio”).  Depending on the herb seasonings with your turkey, it will pair well, too.

Switching gears, Chardonnay often pairs well at Thanksgiving dinner because of the wide array of vegetable and fruit dishes served.  It will also serve wonderfully at vegetarian themed Thanksgiving meals (along with Pinot Noir).  There are many favorite Chardonnays, but limiting myself to one would have to be Bremer Family Winery’s Chardonnay (see, “Casual Backyard Elegance”).

Bremer Family Winery (“Bremer”), located on Howell Mountain in Napa Valley, produces a beautifully balanced Chardonnay.    This wine demonstrates careful, loving winemaking as its aromas and flavors on the palate are not so bold to overwhelm your senses but instead convey a sense of quiet, smooth elegance and finery.   You will not find big brash oak or butter in this Chardonnay.   Instead, the Bremer Chardonnay on the nose sets forth a whisper of honey, memories of freshly baked banana bread and macadamia nut.   Gliding across the palate, flavors of pear, fig, almond and macadamia nut come forth only to fade into a lovely caramel-like finish.   Sipping this wine by itself would cause a revered hush to fall upon any room, but if paired with the proper food, the Bremer Chardonnay transcends dining into elegance.

If the flavors of the side dishes are going to be heavier and warmer in spices, nuts and herbs, look for Mer Soleil’s Gold Chardonnay by Charlie Wagner (of the Caymus family).

His wine truly captures California in a bottle and will transform nearly anyone into a Chardonnay lover (see, “To Oak or Unoak, ‘Tis the Question for Chardonnay”).

But what if I want a White Wine that is NOT Chardonnay?

Having already mentioned Pinot Grigio, of the other white grapes to select from and to be unique, I would recommend Riesling at Thanksgiving.    At Casa Nuestra Winery up valley, Gene Kirkham produces one of the few Rieslings in Napa Valley that is not only perfectly palatable but maintains integrity to the identity of the Riesling grape (see, “Holiday Sweets, Baked Goods & Riesling”).  Last year at Thanksgiving, to practice sustainability, I used fuji apples from a neighbor’s tree, plumped dried cranberries and rhubarb and sweet onion from my garden to create a flavorful warm fruit chutney to top stuffings.   Casa Nuestra’s Riesling offers flavors of green apple and white peach with a slight minerality which pair intuitively with fruit and can transition to dessert.

Red wines…  We want Red wines…

Pinot Noir is the first choice of red wines to serve with turkey.   It is not acidic and its tannins are balanced.   Depending on where the grapes are grown, the wine can offer bright red fruit such as cranberry or cherry flavors.    If the traditional turkey is being served as a main course, Hendry Ranch Winery’s (“Hendry”) Pinot Noir is my first pick as its estate grapes are grown in close proximity to a creek and despite Napa Valley’s warmer than necessary temperatures for Pinot Noir, this geographical location nearly emulates qualities and characteristics of the Russian River Valley.   The flavors of Hendry’s Pinot Noir wine delicately float across the palate, revealing themselves in artful layers of cocoa, cherries and toast (see, “Romancing the Senses: Pinot Noir”).

Elyse Winery also offers Pinot Noir and this year their current offering is from Napa Valley but may require some decanting prior to enjoying.   If you prefer a bigger Pinot Noir, this may be an alternative selection.

If lasagna makes it to your table, Sangiovese is the best matched wine for this Italian red sauce delight and if oregano is used to season your turkey, Sangiovese will pair well in this regard, too.   While Sangiovese is made by several winemakers in Napa Valley, Benessere is the place to go.   Using more clones of the Sangiovese grape than any other vintner in Napa Valley, Benessere’s wine is unparalleled for fruit flavors, spice, depth and smooth mouth-feel.   If your Thanksgiving has a Tuscan theme, it is best to stop by Benessere particularly as their 2007 Sangiovese is now available to the public for purchase (and 2007 was a fantastic year for this grape).

Also while at Benessere, investigate the 2007 Holystone-Collins Vineyard Old Vine Zinfandel (formerly called the “BK Collins Zinfandel”).   This past week I had the opportunity to sample this wine and there is only one word to describe it:   luscious.   Rich flavors of black raspberry, plum jam, lavender and sandalwood make this wine easy to enjoy.   Tasting the 2007 vintage in particular, this wine can exceed the typical trappings of barbeque related food pairings.    If you are serving roasted beef tenderloin with gravy and mushrooms, this is its wine soul mate.   Benessere has also recently made this wine more affordable given the economy so a visit to the tasting room will pleasantly surprise your pocketbook.

Got a Sweet Tooth?

Dessert wines generally need to be carefully paired at Thanksgiving.   Families present various pies (fruit and nut) and my preference is to keep the sugar level in check when pairing a wine at the end.   The heavier, often syrupy Late Harvest wines often overwhelm the flavors in the pies (in my opinion) and ports tend to be better paired (again in my opinion) throughout the winter months of December through February.   So what does that leave us?   If you have Riesling, that will pair well.   If you are looking for something different, consider Chenin Blanc.    Goosecross Cellars in Yountville has a wonderful Chenin Blanc that is kissed with a simple amount of sugar such that pear flavor dominates.   Elyse Winery in Yountville offers its “La Peche” which also is slightly sweet.  Benessere’s Frizzante is also a good choice despite being a Muscat de Canelli because it is not syrupy sweet and Markham’s Muscat Blanc this summer won my heart for perfect stone fruit pairings (see, “Summertime Good Libations” and “Muscat Love”).

Living in Napa Valley, there are so many good wines to choose and enjoy.   With hundreds of wineries right up the road (many of which are family owned), it is painful to try to publicly limit my picks for Thanksgiving.    Ask me tomorrow and I may recommend something else by a different winery.   There are so many wonderfully handcrafted wines in Napa Valley reflecting the art of the individual winemaker that any selection will lend an almost artisanal aspect to your table.  This article will hopefully serve as a road map to provide some guidance and to inspire your creativity no matter what is being served in your house for Thanksgiving.