Turkey & Wine

Welcome to Vine to Wine this is your host Linda Moran. Thanksgiving is just a couple of weeks away and I decided not to wait for the annual emails asking what I recommend for wines and beverages for the Thanksgiving holiday. So let’s talk turkey!

Well of course I don’t think anything about the big Thanksgiving feast should be stressful. I mean isn’t really best when viewed as an opportunity to get together with your family and friends and enjoy one another. It seems as though everyone has their own traditions and recipes - so the logical thing to do when selecting wines is to start with what you like, and how far out of your comfort zone are you willing to go and try something new. Let’s start with the main event - the turkey – do you deep fry it, smoke it, cook it on the grill or roast it in the oven? Believe it or not that makes a difference. Where I enjoy Riesling and Gewurztraminer with an oven roasted turkey with the traditional sage dressing, I don’t enjoy it that much with the deep fried version. I actually like Chardonnay with deep fried turkey. When smoked I find a nice white Burgundy or Chablis is the ticket in the white category and Sangiovese or Grenache in the red. When slow cooked outdoors on the grill, that oh so subtly charred flavor comes through and I think big reds work just fine. Don’t hesitate to bring out the Zinfandel or the Meritage blends. As far as red wines with the traditional oven roasted turkey I say Gamay Beujolais or a lighter style of Pinot Noir. Above all enjoy your holiday and think about going for a walk before or after. Remember to send your wine questions to Linda at vine to wine dot net and thanks for joining me on today’s Vine to Wine.