How to choose a wine for Thanksgiving

By Eric Asimov

International Herald Tribune

NEW YORK: Suppose I told you that with your Thanksgiving turkey, your
stuffing, your cranberry sauce, and all the delicious side dishes that
will grace your holiday table, one wine and one wine only would match
up. Unless you pick that one wine you face the specter of horrible
embarrassment.

Sound ridiculous? Well, of course it is. Yet more people than I care to
think about feel exactly this way when selecting Thanksgiving wines.

Choosing the wine for any occasion is well known as an exercise in
agony. Thanksgiving, for some reason, fills people with an extra
dimension of dread. Perhaps it's the idea of performing for one's loving
family, always so ready to heap scorn for your benefit. Or maybe there's
secret pleasure in being squashed in the paralyzing spotlight, dancing,
as Tom Lehrer once put it, to "The Masochism Tango."

If the prospect of shame and disgrace is a welcome part of your holiday
ritual, by all means enjoy the feeling. But I would be remiss not to
point out that it's all so unnecessary!

Picking a wine should never be an occasion for self-flagellation, and at
Thanksgiving least of all. The meal itself is typically a riot of
contrasts - the savory stuffing, the sweetness of yams, the blank slate
of the turkey - and wide open to individual eccentricities like
marshmallows, almond slivers and the like. The wine selection task
couldn't be simpler: versatility and plenitude.

In an effort to demonstrate that this can be done without the suffering,
the wine panel's home team - Julia Moskin, Florence Fabricant, Frank
Bruni and I - gathered to celebrate Thanksgiving early, with a complete
holiday meal, as we have annually for the last five years. The four of
us, along with our tasting coordinator, Bernard Kirsch, each brought two
wines to the meal, one red and one white, costing no more than $25 each.

If experience has taught us anything, it's that the soporific effects of
a long day of cooking, eating and socializing, whether sincere or
forced, must be countered with wines that are light-bodied, limber and
above all refreshing. Now, times are tough, but we found some pretty
good values, like a $9 wonder Florence brought in. It was a 2007
sauvignon blanc from BV Coastal Estates, Beaulieu's line of inexpensive
mass-market wines. Ordinarily, I wouldn't expect much from it. But in
our blind tasting we were all charmed. All except Frank, that is, who
announced that he does not appreciate the sauvignon blanc grape.
Actually, on tasting the wine, he offered a grimace and a cry of
anguish.

Now, pay attention, for here is a case study. Your guest, for whom you
have the deepest affection, detests your wine. Did Florence wring her
hands or blush with shame? She did not. She joined us in laughing at
Frank. Well, why not? It was a light, restrained wine with just enough
sass to be refreshing as well as some mineral notes.

Dismissive action is required if someone objects to wines as good as
Frank's choice, a not-quite-dry 2006 Savennières from Domaine du Closel,
or my own, a 2007 Muscadet Clos des Briords from Domaine de la Pépière.
Good feelings abounded as Frank professed his love of the chenin blanc
grape. "It's like drinking sunshine," he gushed as a fillip of gratitude
at sharing the holiday table passed through us all.

I was not so lucky. Though my wine had all the lively tang and yeasty
goodness that I look for in a good young muscadet, Florence objected,
calling it sour. It was her turn to be ignored.

Julia and Bernie had more to endure. Julia's selection, a 2006 sylvaner
from Domaine Ostertag in Alsace, was a risk. The sylvaner grape doesn't
often show much of a personality, although Florence did detect an "oily
volatility." I sensed a kind of tropical, bananalike aroma, though it
went down easily enough.

Bernie, too, chose an Alsatian wine, a 2007 pinot gris from Paul Blanck
that was simply too sweet, although it also had an earthy funk that we
liked. Bernie said he had enjoyed this wine when visiting the winery.
"Pinot gris tastes a little different when you drink it in Alsace," he
said.

Our reds gave us plenty of practice in withstanding withering criticism.
Frank's red, the 2006 Terre des Chardons Marginal from the Costières de
Nîmes, would be a terrific choice for a crowd of wine geeks. Its funky,
meaty flavor is a turn-on to certain kinds of questing palates. But what
Frank called aggressively interesting and I called baconlike, Florence
called liver-y, and Julia called weird. Polarizing, yes, but very good.

I loved the wine I brought, a 2007 Morgon from Daniel Bouland, an
excellent if unsung Beaujolais producer. I found its flavors of violets
and minerals endlessly interesting, but Julia said in the blind tasting
that it reminded her of Beaujolais, "and not in a good way."

Florence, sticking to her principle of only American wines for
Thanksgiving, picked a 2006 cabernet sauvignon from Liberty School in
Paso Robles. I don't usually think of cabernet as versatile, but this
wine had both roundness and structure. But Frank and Julia both thought
it was generic.

Bernie took a good stab with a 2005 cabernet franc, from Domaine
Delesvaux from the Anjou region of the Loire Valley. Loire reds are good
bets, but this was a little soft, although Julia called it "snippy,"
which she meant in a good way. Julia's red was a 2005 syrah from Morgan
in Monterey, and she loved its smoky sweetness. Florence and I both
called the wine bland, while Frank explained to Julia that he hated it.

It was a useful moment. Thanksgiving guests, after all, are more apt to
be emotional than clinical, and Julia handled the situation perfectly,
by ignoring Frank.

Let's sum up. As at any other gathering, tempestuous moments will occur
as passionate people express their heartfelt feelings. You cannot always
satisfy these people. So, keeping in mind what I've said about
versatile, nimble wines, the most important thing you can do is choose
wines you really like. That way, if nobody else is happy, you will at
least have pleased yourself.

On 2008-11-14, Victor Sack > wrote:
> How to choose a wine for Thanksgiving
>
> By Eric Asimov

> up. Unless you pick that one wine you face the specter of horrible
> embarrassment.

More useless drivel from a food writer trying to justify his existance.
Anyone "agonizing" over which wine to serve with turkey dinner is an idiot.
Choose a wine you like. Duh....

nb

Victor Sack wrote:
> How to choose a wine for Thanksgiving
>
> By Eric Asimov
> International Herald Tribune
>
> NEW YORK: Suppose I told you that with your Thanksgiving turkey, your
> stuffing, your cranberry sauce, and all the delicious side dishes that
> will grace your holiday table, one wine and one wine only would match
> up. Unless you pick that one wine you face the specter of horrible
> embarrassment. [snip]
>
> If the prospect of shame and disgrace is a welcome part of your holiday
> ritual, by all means enjoy the feeling. But I would be remiss not to
> point out that it's all so unnecessary! Picking a wine should never be an
> occasion for self-flagellation, and at Thanksgiving least of all...

I usually pick a bottle of Beaujolais (seems appropriate to drink a wine
from the current year at a harvest festival) and maybe a bottle of Riesling.

I think Chianti should work too; that's my favorite "jug wine" -- maybe
keep it in stock for leftovers, or if your guests are big drinkers and
the good stuff runs out.

Bob

notbob > wrote:

> On 2008-11-14, Victor Sack > wrote:
> > How to choose a wine for Thanksgiving
> >
> > By Eric Asimov
>
> > up. Unless you pick that one wine you face the specter of horrible
> > embarrassment.
>
> More useless drivel from a food writer trying to justify his existance.

Did you read the article, nb? Did you notice that the part you have
chosen to quote was followed by "Sound ridiculous? Well, of course it
is."?

> Anyone "agonizing" over which wine to serve with turkey dinner is an idiot.
> Choose a wine you like. Duh....

Did you read the article? Did you notice the following written the
"the most important thing you can do is choose wines you really like."?

Victor

On Fri, 14 Nov 2008 19:13:42 GMT, notbob > wrote:

>Choose a wine you like. Duh....

Found a great inexpensive table....Sutter Home Chenin Blanc. Under
ten per bottle. A little sweeter....great with the usual choices.

On Nov 14, 1:31*pm, Mr. Bill > wrote:
> On Fri, 14 Nov 2008 19:13:42 GMT, notbob > wrote:
> >Choose a wine you like. *Duh....
>
> Found a great inexpensive table....Sutter Home Chenin Blanc. * * Under
> ten per bottle. *A little sweeter....great with the usual choices. *

Not for Thanksgiving, because I like a Reisling, but anytime, I go for
(red) Bolla Valpolicella Italian wine - inexpensive and I think really
good. I thought there was a similar white one, but can't recall the
name.

I'm not a connoisseur, I just know what I like.

N.

Victor Sack wrote:

> How to choose a wine for Thanksgiving

Screw the wine and get some decent Belgian ales instead.

-sw

On 2008-11-14, Sqwertz > wrote:

> Screw the wine and get some decent Belgian ales instead.

Bingo!

Beer selection, here in CO, is excellent, unlike the pitifull wine
selection.

nb

Nancy2 wrote:

> Not for Thanksgiving, because I like a Reisling, but anytime, I go for
> (red) Bolla Valpolicella Italian wine - inexpensive and I think really
> good. I thought there was a similar white one, but can't recall the
> name.
>
> I'm not a connoisseur, I just know what I like.
>
> N.

I like Bolla's Valpolicello also.

On Nov 14, 2:13�pm, notbob > wrote:
> On 2008-11-14, Victor Sack > wrote:
>
> > � � � � How to choose a wine for Thanksgiving
>
> > � � � � � � � � � By Eric Asimov
> > up. Unless you pick that one wine you face the specter of horrible
> > embarrassment.
>
> More useless drivel from a food writer trying to justify his existance.
> Anyone "agonizing" over which wine to serve with turkey dinner is an idiot.

Sheldon wrote:
>
> No wine on the planet (all wine is fermented/rotted fruit juice) is
> worth more than $10 bottle (the bottle, label, stopple, carton,
> shipping, and profit is worth $8 of the $10)... anything more is pure
> hype and those who pay it are imbeciles.

I think that pretty much sums up your knowledge
of wine.

On Nov 14, 4:19�pm, Mark Thorson > wrote:
> Sheldon wrote:
>
> > No wine on the planet (all wine is fermented/rotted fruit juice) is
> > worth more than $10 bottle (the bottle, label, stopple, carton,
> > shipping, and profit is worth $8 of the $10)... anything more is pure
> > hype and those who pay it are imbeciles.
>
> I think that pretty much sums up your knowledge
> of wine.

There is nothing else to know... I guess you're the resident wino.

On Fri, 14 Nov 2008 11:59:55 -0800 (PST), Nancy2
> wrote:

> I thought there was a similar white one, but can't recall the
>name.

Probably Bolla Soave.........very good!

zxcvbob wrote:
>
> Victor Sack wrote:
>> How to choose a wine for Thanksgiving
>>
>> By Eric Asimov
>> International Herald Tribune
>>
>> NEW YORK: Suppose I told you that with your Thanksgiving turkey, your
>> stuffing, your cranberry sauce, and all the delicious side dishes that
>> will grace your holiday table, one wine and one wine only would match
>> up. Unless you pick that one wine you face the specter of horrible
>> embarrassment. [snip]
>>
>> If the prospect of shame and disgrace is a welcome part of your holiday
>> ritual, by all means enjoy the feeling. But I would be remiss not to
>> point out that it's all so unnecessary! Picking a wine should never be an
> > occasion for self-flagellation, and at Thanksgiving least of all...
>
> I usually pick a bottle of Beaujolais (seems appropriate to drink a wine
> from the current year at a harvest festival) and maybe a bottle of
> Riesling.
>
> I think Chianti should work too; that's my favorite "jug wine" -- maybe
> keep it in stock for leftovers, or if your guests are big drinkers and
> the good stuff runs out.
>
> Bob
Actually we prefer a two-month old Ripple with maybe some MadDog 20/20
for an aperitif. To each his own. <VBG>

Victor wrote on Fri, 14 Nov 2008 19:51:57 +0100:

> Choosing the wine for any occasion is well known as an
> exercise in agony. Thanksgiving, for some reason, fills people

Nonsense! Pinot Noir from NZ or the US is good and Champagne from
California always is too! I have to admit that French companies based
there make pretty good Champagne even if they won't bring themselves to
call it that. Gloria Ferrer and Korbel make some pretty good stuff too!
--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

On 2008-11-14, James Silverton > wrote:

> Nonsense! Pinot Noir from NZ or the US is good and Champagne from
> California always is too! I have to admit that French companies based
> there make pretty good Champagne even if they won't bring themselves to
> call it that.

I disagree, but that's ok. It's all a matter of taste.

Turns out, after getting quite deep into the CA wine world, I ended up
preferring several French wines over their CA counterpart. Champagne is one
of these. I still don't believe French brands, say, Mumm, which now has
vineyards in CA, is as good as the French product. Same with CA chards.
I'll take a FR white burgundy every time, CA chards being too rich and oakey
for my tastes.

As for the champagne monicker, hey, it's France's rule. They gotta stick by
it or everyone would break it.

nb

James Silverton wrote:

> Nonsense! Pinot Noir from NZ or the US is good and Champagne from
> California always is too! I have to admit that French companies based
> there make pretty good Champagne even if they won't bring themselves to
> call it that.

As well they shouldn't (and can't). It is sparkling wine if it is from
anyplace than the Champagne region of France. I don't begrudge them that
distinction.

On Fri, 14 Nov 2008 19:51:57 +0100, Victor Sack wrote:

> How to choose a wine for Thanksgiving

[snip blablabla]

You do the talking, while I take sip of a good Côtes du Rhône.
Villages, Puyméras, to be exact.

--
Groet, salut, Wim.

notbob > wrote:

> Turns out, after getting quite deep into the CA wine world, I ended up
> preferring several French wines over their CA counterpart. Champagne is
> one of these. I still don't believe French brands, say, Mumm, which now
> has vineyards in CA, is as good as the French product.

You might find a recent article by the same Eric Asimov interesting (see
below).

Victor
who, right now, has a bottle of Schloß Vaux Reingauer Riesling Brut 2006
(a Riesling Sekt made by the Champagne method), a very good wine, which
was on sale for EUR 10 ($12.60 at the present rate of exchange; it is
actually closer to $10)


Bringing Champagne down to earth

By Eric Asimov

International Herald Tribune

NEW YORK: With rough, work-thickened hands, unruly hair and a steady
gaze, Anselme Selosse looks the image of the French vigneron, a man more
comfortable tending vines and working in his cellar than he is in a New
York restaurant talking to sommeliers and wine writers.

But there he was last week, at Eleven Madison Park, leading a tasting of
his wines, speaking smoothly in French, gesturing with long arms that
seemed as if they would be a lot more comfortable sprung from the
confines of his rumpled blazer.

Selosse, 54, is not the usual emissary from Champagne, a smooth guy in a
suit, talking about product positioning, luxury brands and lifestyles.
To hear them tell it, Champagne pops into this world like a genie from a
lamp, ready to make magic.

But to Selosse, the magic occurs long before there is a wine. It takes
place deep underneath Champagne's chalky soil, where the roots of the
vines take hold of what Selosse calls the essence of the earth.

Suffice it to say that most of us probably can't afford Selosse
Champagne and may never drink it. Well, then, why should anybody care
about it, especially now when $20 for a bottle of wine seems like a lot
of money, much less the $250 you might pay for Selosse's top-of-the-line
Substance cuvée?

Because, as superb, striking and idiosyncratic as the Selosse Champagnes
can be, what Selosse represents is equally important, if not more so.
Yes, he and his wife, Corinne, had taken this rare trip to New York to
reintroduce their Champagnes to the wine trade, but what he had to say
about Champagne was possibly more meaningful than the wines themselves.

The key word is wines. In almost every possible way, the corporate line
from Champagne is the antithesis of what consumers are taught about
every other important wine region in the world. Great wines, almost
everyone can agree, are distinctive. They ideally reflect their terroirs
and the conditions of their vintages. In short, as the rest of the wine
world preaches with varying degrees of honesty, great wines are made in
the vineyard.

But the dominant Champagne houses have divorced what's in the bottle
from what comes from the earth. Their story of Champagne, told through
decades of marketing, associates bubbles with elegance, luxury and
festivity, achieved through master blenders in the cellar. Champagne
does not celebrate the land and the vigneron, but the house and the
event. Too often, Champagne is a commodity, not a wine.

Selosse, by his example and his Champagnes, is intent on restoring the
ideas of vineyard, terroir and wine to the perception of Champagne. He
is not alone by any means. He is one of a growing number of Champagne
vignerons - grape growers who also make the wine and bottle it - who are
intent on changing the nature of Champagne. Some of the big houses make
great Champagne, and not all of the small growers are successful. But
their influence has increased, and the big houses are paying attention.

Grower-producers like Larmandier-Bernier, Egly-Ouriet, Pierre Gimonnet,
Pierre Moncuit and Pierre Peters are making Champagnes that are
distinctive if not profound, reflecting the terroir in which the grapes
are born, and forcing people to rethink their ideas about Champagne. In
this company, no Champagne producer has been more influential or more
original than Selosse.

He was trained in Burgundy, and has likened himself to the Cistercian
monks who planted many of Burgundy's great vineyards in an effort to
make the most of their terroir. "They were motivated by religion,"
Selosse told me once. "My religion is the vineyard."

Selosse is determined to emphasize what is singular in his wines, rather
than the Champagne norm of seeking house consistency year after year.
Yet he is not so Burgundian that he believes only in vintage wines. Of
the eight cuvées he poured at the New York tasting and at a dinner later
that evening, only one was a vintage wine, a 1999 blanc de blancs extra
brut. The others are all made from multiple vintages.

Perhaps the most unusual of his Champagnes is Substance, made from a
single chardonnay vineyard in Avize. It uses a solera system, similar to
what is used to make sherry, in which successive vintages, back to 1987,
are blended. The result is an almost ethereal Champagne, with aromas of
flowers and seashells.

Rather than obscuring the terroir, Selosse asserts, the blending of his
solera Champagne emphasizes the qualities of the vineyard by eliminating
variables like weather.

"It takes all the different years - the good, the bad, the wet, the dry,
the sunny - and neutralizes the elements to bring out the terroir," he
said.

I asked him whether he would ever suggest this method to his friends in
Burgundy, where it would be looked on as heretical.

"No," he said. "In Burgundy they already understand the terroir - it
rises above the vintage." He looked thoughtful for a moment. "Maybe in
Bordeaux."

James Silverton wrote:
> Victor wrote on Fri, 14 Nov 2008 19:51:57 +0100:
>
>> Choosing the wine for any occasion is well known as an
>> exercise in agony. Thanksgiving, for some reason, fills people
>
> Nonsense! Pinot Noir from NZ or the US is good and Champagne from
> California always is too! I have to admit that French companies based
> there make pretty good Champagne even if they won't bring themselves to
> call it that. Gloria Ferrer and Korbel make some pretty good stuff too!

They can't call it champagne because France has successfully lobbied for
dibs on the name. Never the less, there are lots of wineries around the
world who make excellent champagne style wines.

Wim van Bemmel wrote:
> On Fri, 14 Nov 2008 19:51:57 +0100, Victor Sack wrote:
>
>> How to choose a wine for Thanksgiving
>
> [snip blablabla]
>
> You do the talking, while I take sip of a good Côtes du Rhône.
> Villages, Puyméras, to be exact.

Mmmmm. I love Cote du Rhone wines. I am not sure if that would be my
choice with turkey. I would be more likely to go with a Gamay Noir or
some other light red.

On Fri, 14 Nov 2008 18:47:16 -0500, Dave Smith wrote:

> Wim van Bemmel wrote:
>> On Fri, 14 Nov 2008 19:51:57 +0100, Victor Sack wrote:
>>
>>> How to choose a wine for Thanksgiving
>>
>> [snip blablabla]
>>
>> You do the talking, while I take sip of a good Côtes du Rhône.
>> Villages, Puyméras, to be exact.
>
> Mmmmm. I love Cote du Rhone wines. I am not sure if that would be my
> choice with turkey. I would be more likely to go with a Gamay Noir or
> some other light red.

To be honest, with turkey, which is rarely found here, but with the
likes, I prefer a rosé. My neighbours make fine AOC wines. A lot more
ligtly than the wellknown Chateau Neuf du Pape or Crozes-Hermitages or
Vinsobres. Due to the lack of oak barrels in the ripening I suppose.
I live 3 miles from the "Cave La Comtadine", Puyméras, 84, France.
That is my main source of supply.

--
Groet, salut, Wim.

Victor Sack wrote:
>
> Bringing Champagne down to earth
> By Eric Asimov
>
> Perhaps the most unusual of his Champagnes is Substance, made from a
> single chardonnay vineyard in Avize. It uses a solera system, similar to
> what is used to make sherry, in which successive vintages, back to 1987,
> are blended. The result is an almost ethereal Champagne, with aromas of
> flowers and seashells.
>
> Rather than obscuring the terroir, Selosse asserts, the blending of his
> solera Champagne emphasizes the qualities of the vineyard by eliminating
> variables like weather.
>
> "It takes all the different years - the good, the bad, the wet, the dry,
> the sunny - and neutralizes the elements to bring out the terroir," he
> said.
>
> I asked him whether he would ever suggest this method to his friends in
> Burgundy, where it would be looked on as heretical.
>
> "No," he said. "In Burgundy they already understand the terroir - it
> rises above the vintage." He looked thoughtful for a moment. "Maybe in
> Bordeaux."

That makes a lot of sense. In some years, certain flavor components
may be emphasized and others disappear, due to drought, insect attack,
fungal attack, etc. Combining different vintages of the same vines
would give you a more well-rounded result, without introducing
additional flavors that would make it too complex. You'd be averaging
all of the flavors the vine was capable of producing.

I wonder why that isn't usually done? I suppose it may be for the
same reason automakers introduce new models every year. It creates
excitement over the differences from year to year. It creates new
marketing opportunities, because each year is a separate product,
and sometimes they are very different.

If multiple years were blended, you might have a better product
and certainly more consistent. This can be done at home, if you
blend different vintages of the same wine (from the same vines,
of course). I wonder why that isn't usually done?

"zxcvbob" > wrote in message
...

> I usually pick a bottle of Beaujolais (seems appropriate to drink a wine
> from the current year at a harvest festival) and maybe a bottle of
> Riesling.
>
> I think Chianti should work too; that's my favorite "jug wine" -- maybe
> keep it in stock for leftovers, or if your guests are big drinkers and the
> good stuff runs out.
>
> Bob

I usually get the fresh Beaujolais (DeBoef--sp?) too -- so far it's been
about $10 a bottle. Fresh, fruity, and goes with almost everything we'll be
eating for Thanksgiving.

Ken Kozak

Sheldon wrote:
> On Nov 14, 2:13?pm, notbob > wrote:
>> On 2008-11-14, Victor Sack > wrote:
>>
>>> ? ? ? ? How to choose a wine for Thanksgiving
>>
>>> ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? By Eric Asimov
>>> up. Unless you pick that one wine you face the specter of horrible
>>> embarrassment.
>>
>> More useless drivel from a food writer trying to justify his
>> existance. Anyone "agonizing" over which wine to serve with turkey
>> dinner is an idiot. Choose a wine you like. ?Duh....
>
>
> No wine on the planet (all wine is fermented/rotted fruit juice) is
> worth more than $10 bottle (the bottle, label, stopple, carton,
> shipping, and profit is worth $8 of the $10)... anything more is pure
> hype and those who pay it are imbeciles.

Hear, hear. All food is just decaying organic matter too. If you eat
anything other than gruel or mcdondald's, you're an imbecile.

James Silverton wrote:
> Victor wrote on Fri, 14 Nov 2008 19:51:57 +0100:
>
>> Choosing the wine for any occasion is well known as an
>> exercise in agony. Thanksgiving, for some reason, fills people
>
> Nonsense! Pinot Noir from NZ or the US is good and Champagne from
> California always is too! I have to admit that French companies based
> there make pretty good Champagne even if they won't bring themselves
> to call it that. Gloria Ferrer and Korbel make some pretty good stuff
> too!

Don't agree that anyone does bubbles better than the Frenchies, but
certainly the NZ pinots can be. Certainly as you say, both countries do
some very good ones of both. More importantly, both the types you mention
would be one of the first choices for turkey, especially the pinot. I just
skimmed that article but they didn't appear to try either.

Their loss.

zxcvbob wrote:
>
> Victor Sack wrote:
>> How to choose a wine for Thanksgiving
>>
>> By Eric Asimov
>> International Herald Tribune
>>
>> NEW YORK: Suppose I told you that with your Thanksgiving turkey, your
>> stuffing, your cranberry sauce, and all the delicious side dishes that
>> will grace your holiday table, one wine and one wine only would match
>> up. Unless you pick that one wine you face the specter of horrible
>> embarrassment. [snip]

>
> I usually pick a bottle of Beaujolais (seems appropriate to drink a wine
> from the current year at a harvest festival) and maybe a bottle of
> Riesling.
>
> I think Chianti should work too; that's my favorite "jug wine" -- maybe
> keep it in stock for leftovers, or if your guests are big drinkers and
> the good stuff runs out.
>
> Bob

We usually drink gewurtztraminer for Thanksgiving but a few weeks ago on
a trip to New England we did a tasting at the Sakonnet Winery in RI.
The first wine we tasted was their Vidal Blanc and we looked at each
other and both said "Thanksgiving!" We have three bottles waiting and
I wish we had bought more.

What a PITA it is trying to get wine home on a plane these days.

gloria p

Nancy2 > wrote in news:df23cbc9-4069-4f5b-b479-
:

> On Nov 14, 1:31*pm, Mr. Bill > wrote:
>> On Fri, 14 Nov 2008 19:13:42 GMT, notbob > wrote:
>> >Choose a wine you like. *Duh....
>>
>> Found a great inexpensive table....Sutter Home Chenin Blanc. * * Unde
> r
>> ten per bottle. *A little sweeter....great with the usual choices. *
>
> Not for Thanksgiving, because I like a Reisling, but anytime, I go for
> (red) Bolla Valpolicella Italian wine - inexpensive and I think really
> good. I thought there was a similar white one, but can't recall the
> name.
>
> I'm not a connoisseur, I just know what I like.
>
> N.
>

I lean more towards the "What no lemon pie" kinda whine.

--

The beet goes on -Alan

Zinfandel or Pinot Noir. 'Nuff said.

Paul

On Sat, 15 Nov 2008 13:18:19 +1000, "Michael"
> wrote:

>I just
>skimmed that article but they didn't appear to try either.

It was not a serious "wine article", Michael.


--
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that
interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.

Mae West

Mark Thorson > wrote:

> If multiple years were blended, you might have a better product
> and certainly more consistent. This can be done at home, if you
> blend different vintages of the same wine (from the same vines,
> of course). I wonder why that isn't usually done?

Oh but it *is* usually done! Non-vintage Champagne (most of it, by far)
and similar wines have always been produced that way.

I do not quite understand the premise of the article I quoted. On the
one hand, it sings praises of the individual vineyard's terroir; on the
other hand, it assumes that blending of multiple vintages is a good
thing. This is what individual Champagne growers (and some of the
"grandes marques" with some of their special cuvées) have been doing for
centuries, if only for the lack of any alternative, given the Champagne
traditions.

Victor

Goomba wrote on Fri, 14 Nov 2008 17:37:41 -0500:

>> Nonsense! Pinot Noir from NZ or the US is good and Champagne from
>> California always is too! I have to admit that French
>> companies based there make pretty good Champagne even if they
>> won't bring themselves to call it that.

>As well they shouldn't (and can't). It is sparkling wine if it is from
>anyplace than the Champagne region of France. I don't begrudge
> them that distinction.

Ah! The sound of the people who listen to advertizing. Did you see that
the official limits of the Champagne producing area were doubled last
year? It does not include England yet :-)

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

Gloria P wrote:

> What a PITA it is trying to get wine home on a plane these days.

You can say that again. We went to Europe this summer and wanted to take
some local wines to hour hosts. I would have preferred to take it in
carry one luggage rather than risk putting it in our suitcases. I could
not get anything at duty free leaving Toronto because we had a layover
in Amsterdam and would not have been able to take it back on the plane
there, though I could have picked up some at Schipol. We did buy some
duty free booze in Tallinn and take it to Sweden with us. On the way
home we flew from Copenhagen to Schipol, then on to Toronto, and were
able to get some in Schipol. It is strange. You can buy duty free booze
and take it on the plane at the airport where you buy it, but you cannot
take it on board (in carry on) at any other airport.

On Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:19:44 -0800, Mark Thorson wrote:

> Sheldon wrote:
>>
>> No wine on the planet (all wine is fermented/rotted fruit juice) is
>> worth more than $10 bottle (the bottle, label, stopple, carton,
>> shipping, and profit is worth $8 of the $10)... anything more is pure
>> hype and those who pay it are imbeciles.
>
> I think that pretty much sums up your knowledge
> of wine.

it matches his knowledge of pretty much everything.

your pal,
blake

On Fri, 14 Nov 2008 22:21:45 GMT, James Silverton wrote:

> Victor wrote on Fri, 14 Nov 2008 19:51:57 +0100:
>
>> Choosing the wine for any occasion is well known as an
>> exercise in agony. Thanksgiving, for some reason, fills people
>
> Nonsense! Pinot Noir from NZ or the US is good and Champagne from
> California always is too! I have to admit that French companies based
> there make pretty good Champagne even if they won't bring themselves to
> call it that. Gloria Ferrer and Korbel make some pretty good stuff too!

i was thinking champagne also. i brought a bottle or two of korbel to my
parents house for many years.

your pal,
blake

"blake murphy"
Mark Thorson wrote:
>
>> Sheldon wrote:
>>>
>>> No wine on the planet (all wine is fermented/rotted fruit juice) is
>>> worth more than $10 bottle (the bottle, label, stopple, carton,
>>> shipping, and profit is worth $8 of the $10)... anything more is pure
>>> hype and those who pay it are imbeciles.
>>
>> I think that pretty much sums up your knowledge
>> of wine.
>
> it matches his knowledge of pretty much everything.
>
> your pal,
> blake

Especially the part where he explains how they can bottle and ship wine in
glass bottles for $2.95 when it according to him costs $8.

Ask The Experts over at alt.addiction.recovery.alcoholism.


--
http://www.gillsmith999.plus.com/Military_Suite/


http://www.gillsmith999.plus.com/Into_The_Blue/

On Sat, 15 Nov 2008 10:36:36 -0500, Dave Smith
> wrote:

>Gloria P wrote:
>
>> What a PITA it is trying to get wine home on a plane these days.
>
>You can say that again. We went to Europe this summer and wanted to take
>some local wines to hour hosts. I would have preferred to take it in
>carry one luggage rather than risk putting it in our suitcases.

I think I would have put the wine (properly packaged to prevent
breakage) in my suitcases. That way I'd have room to pack whatever I
bought overseas.

>I could
>not get anything at duty free leaving Toronto because we had a layover
>in Amsterdam and would not have been able to take it back on the plane
>there, though I could have picked up some at Schipol. We did buy some
>duty free booze in Tallinn and take it to Sweden with us. On the way
>home we flew from Copenhagen to Schipol, then on to Toronto, and were
>able to get some in Schipol. It is strange. You can buy duty free booze
>and take it on the plane at the airport where you buy it, but you cannot
>take it on board (in carry on) at any other airport.

I didn't know that!


--
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that
interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.

Mae West

Dave Smith wrote:
> Gloria P wrote:
>
>> What a PITA it is trying to get wine home on a plane these days.
>
> You can say that again. We went to Europe this summer and wanted to take
> some local wines to hour hosts. I would have preferred to take it in
> carry one luggage rather than risk putting it in our suitcases. I could
> not get anything at duty free leaving Toronto because we had a layover
> in Amsterdam and would not have been able to take it back on the plane
> there, though I could have picked up some at Schipol. We did buy some
> duty free booze in Tallinn and take it to Sweden with us. On the way
> home we flew from Copenhagen to Schipol, then on to Toronto, and were
> able to get some in Schipol. It is strange. You can buy duty free booze
> and take it on the plane at the airport where you buy it, but you cannot
> take it on board (in carry on) at any other airport.
>


That's because you can't carry it through security lines.

When you buy it at the airport you are already in the "sterile" area,
i.e. inside of security screening.

Response to 9/11 has made prisoners of us all.

gloria p

In article > ,
quadhammerNO@SPICEDHAM says...
> James Silverton wrote:
> > Victor wrote on Fri, 14 Nov 2008 19:51:57 +0100:
> >
> >> Choosing the wine for any occasion is well known as an
> >> exercise in agony. Thanksgiving, for some reason, fills people
> >
> > Nonsense! Pinot Noir from NZ or the US is good and Champagne from
> > California always is too! I have to admit that French companies based
> > there make pretty good Champagne even if they won't bring themselves
> > to call it that. Gloria Ferrer and Korbel make some pretty good stuff
> > too!
>
> Don't agree that anyone does bubbles better than the Frenchies, but
> certainly the NZ pinots can be. Certainly as you say, both countries do
> some very good ones of both. More importantly, both the types you mention
> would be one of the first choices for turkey, especially the pinot. I just
> skimmed that article but they didn't appear to try either.
>
> Their loss.
>
>
>

The little Eno wine shop in downtown Providence has a wide selection of
champagnes and sparkling wines. I'm looking forward to trying a few.

The other thing I love about the place is the staff pretty much knows
everything on the shelves. Go in and say you like fruity but dry wines
and they'll show you several varieties. Go in and ask what red or white
wine goes with particular cheeses, and again they'll help you out.

The prices range from extremely reasonable to extremely expensive. But
worth every penny.

I'm so glad to see places like Eno, Farmstead, and even Symposium Books
in downtown Providence.