Thanksgiving is a time of celebration when family and friends gather with, of course, different tastes in wine. Be prepared for wine lovers with choices in both red and white that won’t compete with all the delicious dishes that are served. In lieu of a recipe for Thanksgiving (too many to choose from), we opted to review two wines this week.
2007 Gobelsburger Riesling is a delicious dry Riesling from the mountains in Austria. It reminded me of my travels in Germany discovering the wonderful troken (dry) Riesling wines that are famous throughout.
Layman’s Review: I loved the dry, light taste of the Gobelsburger Riesling. I tasted a touch of lemon and felt as the flavor was exploding upon the finish. A great match on Thanksgiving with appetizers to start all the way through dinner with turkey and all the fixings.
Expert’s Review: Here’s a wine game you can play this holiday season: serve this zingy, BONE DRY, creamy Austrian number to all your friends and family who adamantly insist they don’t do Riesling. There’s a symposium of goodness going on here: lime zest, wisteria, green tea and granny smith apple flavors hone in like a laser-beam and enthrall you with its detail. This could be the first chapter on the great grape of Riesling that for many wine lovers is the holy grail of white grapes. It is nearly impossible to find anything with this kind of complexity for around $20 and it will stand tall with the roast bird while dancing gracefully with all the table sides. This will create converts!
Specialty Priced: Around $19 a bottle
Available at: Markus Foods & Uncorked Wines
The 2007 Westrey Pinot Noir is a delicious wine from our neighbors in Oregon. The Pinot grapes here compete with harvests in France. It is a perfect wine to please the entire table.
Layman’s Review: A beautiful garnet color that tastes light but has a backbone. It has a slight fruit flavor and packs a bit of a wallop on the finish. It will partner well with Thanksgiving dinner.
Expert’s Review: Immensely sweet aromas of bright cherry, sandalwood, Nag Champa and Chinese Five Spice. Just enough wild mushroom and forest floor notes to keep things “Burgundian” while maintaining its silky-smooth frame, ease and sense of grace. Pinot Noir is the perfect Thanksgiving Day red wine and nobody does it better than Westrey at this attractive price. They make affordable Pinot look easy, which it is anything but.
Specialty Priced: 19.99
Available at: Markus Foods, Jug Tree, Montana Liquor and Wine and Uncorked Wines. Also available at Capers restaurant by the glass.
