Cork Report | Barbara Ensrud | Giving Thanks … with Heartwarming Reds

Giving Thanks … with Heartwarming Reds

By Barbara Ensrud

Ah, the chill of late fall and red wines rich enough to warm the heart! Meals get heartier now, leading up to our national feast on the 26th. It’s always fun to recommend wines for Thanksgiving because there are so many possibilities. Do it differently this year — don’t have the same wine you always have. If you usually serve white, try a red; if you only drink red, work in a white — maybe as an aperitif.
Personally, I like to open a sparkling wine to start things off on a festive note. I’m partial to American wines for this most American holiday celebration, and as a locavore (a local foods and wine maven), I recommend some of our best North Carolina wines, in addition to other American wines.
There has never been a better time to do so — 2007 red wines from North Carolina are excellent, perhaps the best ever. Curiously, it was a plus-and-minus year. The 2007 Easter weekend freeze wiped out most of the white varieties, but it was also a drought year, therefore excellent for reds. No hurricane rains to dilute flavor, just sunny warmth that made for exceptional ripening. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cab Franc, Merlot, Syrah are all dark and rich, some quite opulent. (see box)

Pairing wines with roast turkey isn’t difficult — many wines will work, just as they do with roast chicken. It’s all those spicy accompaniments that complicate things: caramelized sweet potatoes or mashed turnips, cranberry sauces and relishes, sage-laced dressings. Generally, tannic wines, like red Bordeaux or young Cabernet and oaky Chardonnays — which can be perfect with meats and shellfish — don’t work very well in this instance and can even clash with certain dishes.
I always have both red and white wines on the Thanksgiving table, so folks can choose. I favor a juicier style of red and an unoaked white such as Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc or Fumé Blanc. Here are some specific suggestions for white and red wines.
Sparkling aperitif: Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut, California, $20. Dry but not severe, with tiny bubbles and a crisp long finish. NC: Shelton Blanc de Blancs Brut 2005, $16, a Double Gold Medal winner at the recent NC State Fair Wine Competition. Very crisp, dry and tasty. How nice to have another NC sparkling wine.
Let’s have more.
Sauvignon Blanc/Fumé Blanc: Owl Ridge 2008 Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma, $12. This wine won the Sweepstakes White at the recent Sonoma County Harvest Fair judging. Dry, with lovely citrus and melon flavors. If you want a white for turkey-and-trimmings, this would be a good choice. It has NC connections. Winemaker Joe Otos has family here and visits the Triangle occasionally. Great value too!

Viognier: The floral spice aromas of Viognier make an excellent aperitif and can also go nicely with multiple dishes. NC: Flint Hill won a Gold for its appealing 2008, but it’s mostly available at the winery; Childress ’08 and Hanover Park ’08, both $15, are also quite good. CA: Kunde 2008, Sonoma Valley, $13.
Cabernet Franc: You can hardly do better for a Thanksgiving red than Childress 2006 Cabernet Franc, $16.95, which just won Best of Show at the NC State Fair judging. Other good Cab Franc: Shelton Vineyards 2007, Grove Winery 2007 — both lively proof of the excellent 2007 NC reds.
Merlot: “Serious” Merlots (also expensive) can be as huge and tannic as Cabernets, so for Thanksgiving I recommend more moderate-priced offerings that emphasize fruit and smooth texture. Trentadue 2006, Sonoma, $15, velvety rich and smooth; also Frei Brothers Reserve 2007, $20. NC Merlots are rarely over-tannic, and many quite lively and smooth: Benjamin 2006, Childress Reserve 2007, Dobbins Creek 2006, Iron Gate Vineyards 2007.
Syrah/Shiraz: Many California Syrahs are a bit tannic early on — fruit-driven examples include Geyser Peak Shiraz and Qupé Central Coast, $14-18. NC: RayLen 2007 Shiraz, $13.99, is quite luscious, a very good pick for Thanksgiving dinner and other meaty meals as well.

Red Blends: Often smooth and accessible, blended reds can be well-rounded enough to pair reliably with the spicy meal. Here are some juicy suggestions: Childress Meritage 2006, $25, very appealing, nice richness but round and smooth; RayLen Category 5 2007, $18, the five Bordeaux varieties in a more structured, complex blend but very drinkable now (as well as two or three Thanksgivings to come). An excellent buy! RayLen Carolinius 2006, $14, a distinctive blend of Bordeaux varieties in a somewhat mellower style — best lightly chilled. Hanover Park Michael’s Blend 2004, $17, a fully mature red — Silver medalist at the State Fair.
Dessert: What to drink with pumpkin or cinnamon apple pie? Muscadine, of course — or if you’re too full, a glass by itself. Best of Show in 2009 is the Cypress Bend Campbell, quite delicious and not overly sauvage. The runner-up is one of my consistent favorites, Duplin Hatteras Red. The muscadines, remember, are loaded with antioxidants — just the healthy follow-up to a grand meal.

Medal Winning Wines
The 10th Annual NC State Fair Wine Competition, held in Raleigh last month, presented judges with 416 wines submitted by 51 NC wineries (total wineries now over 85). Childress Vineyards took home the NC Winegrowers Cup and Best of Show honors with its 2006 Cabernet Franc. Biltmore Winery led the medal count with 43 awards, though most made from West Coast grapes. Cypress Bend Vineyards took the NC Muscadine Cup for best Muscadine wine for its Campbell. Only wines made from NC grapes qualify for Best of Show.
Best of Show — Childress Vineyards Cabernet Franc 2006
Best of Muscadine — Cypress Bend Vineyards Campbell
Best Red Vinifera — Childress Vineyards Cabernet Franc 2006
Best White Vinifera — Cellar 4201 Stainless Chardonnay
Best Fruit Wine — Sanctuary Vineyards Blackberry
Best Sparkling Wine — Shelton Vineyards Blanc de Blanc Brut 2005

Among the 26 Double Gold medals (unanimous panel votes) were these:
Biltmore Reserve Cabernet Franc, American
Biltmore LR Malbec, American
Childress Barrel Select Cabernet Franc 2006
Childress Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
Duplin Hatteras Red (muscadine)
Flint Hill Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
Hinnant 2006 Norton
Raffaldini Vineyards Montepulciano 2006
RayLen Eagle Select Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
RayLen Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
RayLen Category 5 (red blend) 2007
Shelton Vineyards Cabernet Franc 2007
Grove Jug House Blush
McRitchie Pale Rider Dry Rosé (sangiovese)
Brushy Mountain Red Bud Ridge
Old Stone Chambourcin 2007

These wines are outstanding, as were several others winning Gold and Silver medals. For a complete list of medal winners, go to: www.nccommerce.com/en/TourismServices/ NurtureWineAndGrapeIndustry/NewsAndEvents/AwardsAndCompetitions.htm.