If you’ve ever stood with clammy hands looking up at the 10-foot tall “Wall of Wine” in the grocery store wondering how the heck you’re going to pick wines to pair with all the crazy flavors of the Thanksgiving meal, not to mention satisfy your crazy family members, this episode of “Wines of the Week” is for you! In it, I recommend wines that will alleviate your Wine Pairing Paralysis and pair beautifully with EVERYTHING and EVERYONE at your holiday table.
This week’s episode features 4 All-American Thanksgiving Wines from some of my favorite producers to pair with this most All-American holiday. These wines are all relatively easy to find, but if you can’t locate them, simply ask your local wine retailer to recommend a similar wine.
These wines are also crafted from grape varieties which are legendary for “playing nicely” with a wide variety of flavors. You definitely want to avoid wines with lots of oak or harsh, aggressive tannins that’ll clash with many of the flavors commonly found in a Thanksgiving meal.
4 Fabulous All-American Thanksgiving Wines
(Please watch full episode below for detailed tasting notes & MORE helpful advice):
1.) Domaine Carneros Brut Rosé Cuvée de la Pompadour, Carneros, California, NV ($42)
*SHOW NOTE: To read more about sparkling wine & Champagne production, please read my “Champagne 101” post by clicking here.
2.) King Estate Backbone Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley, Oregon, 2015 ($28)
*SHOW NOTE: This wine was aged “sur lie” a French term that means “on the lees” and to find out what the heck that means, simply click here.
3.) Résonance Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon, 2015 ($45)
4.) Duckhorn Merlot, Napa Valley, California, 2014 ($50)
For ALL the details on this week’s All-American Thanksgiving Wines please watch the Facebook LIVE video above. To view previous episodes of “Wines of the Week” on Facebook LIVE, please click here. And if YOU have any favorite wines you’re looking forward to enjoying next week, I’d LOVE to hear about them! Please let me know in the Comments section below.
Wishing you a Happy & Delicious Thanksgiving,
The post Wines of the Week: 4 All-American Thanksgiving Wines appeared first on The Glamorous Gourmet.
The sweltering Summer temperatures have wine lovers around the globe craving deliciously chilled white wines this time of year. Which brings me to the point of this post. As a Wine Educator, Certified Sommelier and Proprietor of The Wine Atelier online wine boutique, I often tell my students and clients to “drink what you like” and I do sincerely mean... Read More
The post This Summer Just Say No…to Pinot Grigio! appeared first on The Glamorous Gourmet.
The sweltering Summer temperatures have wine lovers around the globe craving deliciously chilled white wines this time of year. Which brings me to the point of this post. As a Wine Educator, Certified Sommelier and Proprietor of The Wine Atelier online wine boutique, I often tell my students and clients to “drink what you like” and I do sincerely mean that…most of the time. Where I feel the need to intervene at times is if I suspect my fellow wine lovers are being taken advantage of or duped in some way and are being sold a bill of goods instead of a good bottle of wine.
I’m afraid this is what has happened with Pinot Grigio, the benign, white wine-producing grape variety found predominantly in Italy’s Trentino-Alto Adige region. Pinot Grigio in its most banal form seems to have blossomed into a vinous epidemic here in the US, with one brand in particular garnering more than $20 a bottle retail and over $60 a bottle on local restaurant wine lists here in Delray Beach, Florida – considerably more than the next Pinot Grigio on the list! It’s bad enough to foist an insipid wine on the wine consuming public but to financially gouge them as well? The real tragedy here is the number of infinitely more interesting and enjoyable white wines in the world, many of which are from Italy, that go unnoticed as a result of the obsession with this uninspiring wine. Here’s a few reasons why you should just say no to Pinot Grigio this Summer:
With over 3,000 wine grape varieties out there you could easily drink a different wine every night of the week for a very long time and never have the same one twice. How exciting, right? Yet many of us still frequently find ourselves in a wine rut and while we all have our favorites, mixing it up regularly helps develop your palate which is defined as much by what you don’t like as what you do. Experiencing different wines from different regions is really the only way to do this and by all means let your palate be your guide on what should be a enjoyable vinous journey.
Italy is a veritable treasure trove of wine grapes from which white, red, sparkling and sweet wines are made. From Piedmont to Sardinia, each region has its own unique vinous culture and if you’re a white wine fan, this country could keep you busy for years discovering all the wonderful whites it has to offer. A few white wine grapes to seek out are Garganega, Pecorino, Malvasia, Greco, Ribolla Gialla, Vermentino and Falanghina (click links for examples and characteristics of each). I must warn you though, you might make your Sommelier positively giddy if you request a wine made from one of the abovementioned grapes instead of the same old $60 Pinot Grigio…so be prepared.
It’s true that Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio are made from the same grape, but they are definitely not the same wine! The two wines are produced in different regions and climates and Pinot Gris, which is predominantly found in Oregon’s Willamette Valley and France’s Alsace region, has a very appealing viscous texture with ample flavor and personality which definitely deserves your attention! While perfectly enjoyable on its own, it’s also a very food-friendly wine – for some examples of Pinot Gris, please click here.
Farmers who toil in obscurity to make a living growing esoteric wine grapes struggle due to the lack of consistent demand for wines produced from grapes outside the mainstream. The unwavering consumption of mass-produced wine in this country ultimately limits the availability of more unique, artisanal products. Next time you’re in the mood for a light, crisp white wine ask your Sommelier or retail sales person to recommend a wine with that profile, that’s a little off the beaten path. Whether they recommend an Albariño, Torrontés, Grüner Veltliner, Riesling, or any of the abovementioned wines, your selection might have more far reaching effects than you think.
Is there a particular white wine grape you’re looking forward to trying? Would love to know, please let us know in the comment section below!
Cheers,
In the constant quest for healthy, weeknight meals that require a minimal amount of time and effort, here’s another Fast & Fabulous recipe I’d like to share with you!
This Red Curry Chicken Stir Fry was inspired by some of my favorite Asian flavors including spicy red curry; rich, creamy coconut milk; and freshly grated ginger. The shiitake mushrooms, chopped peanuts and dark meat chicken also add delicious texture to the dish that really keeps you coming back for more (Steve will happily vouch for that).
If you’re in the mood for wine (c’mon, you know you are), a white wine with a hint of sweetness like a Pinot Gris or Riesling will work nicely to complement the flavors as well as keep the heat in check. If you’re in the mood for red, however, give a light, fruity Beaujolais a try.
I hope you enjoy this dish and stay tuned for more Fast & Fabulous recipes!
Cheers,
Red Curry Chicken Stir Fry
Serves 2-4
3 Tbs. peanut oil
1 carrot peeled and thinly sliced
8 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into bite size pieces
2 Tbs. plus 1/4 cup chicken stock
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbs. peeled and grated fresh ginger
2 Fresno chiles, sliced
2 Tbs. prepared red curry paste
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup coconut milk
8-10 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
2 scallions sliced, green and white parts separated
1 Tbsp. fish sauce
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup cilantro, for garnish
1/2 cup chopped peanuts, for garnish
Directions:
Heat 1 Tbsp. peanut oil in skillet over high heat. When oil starts to smoke, add green beans and carrots and stir fry for 1 minute. Add 2 Tbsp. chicken stock to facilitate cooking and stir fry for another minute. Transfer to plate and set aside.
Wipe out the pan and return to heat. Add the remaining 2 Tbs. peanut oil and heat over med-hi heat. Add the garlic, ginger and half the chiles and stir fry for about a minute. Add the red curry paste and stir fry for 1-2 minutes. Add the chicken and stir fry until chicken is browned, 3-4 minutes. Add the coconut milk and cook for an additional minute. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup chicken stock, shiitake mushrooms, light parts of the scallion, and fish sauce and cook until the chicken is cooked through, 1-2 minutes more. Add the green beans and carrots back to the pan and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with the chopped cilantro, green parts of the scallion, remaining chiles and chopped peanuts. Serve over white or brown rice.
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