Anthony Gismondi: Wines to fill your glasses to give thanks
Credit to Author: agismondi| Date: Fri, 11 Oct 2019 18:00:18 +0000
It’s been a lifelong goal of mind to avoid “turkey” wines, but it’s Thanksgiving this weekend, and for most of us living in Canada, that usually means turkey is on the menu.
In the spirit of lowering the stress of big family holidays, we have some wine suggestions for the weekend that are widely available in government stores and should be easy to find.
For those of you who worship at the “anything goes with anything” altar of food and wine matching, have fun. For those with a bit more discernment, consider some thoughts on the big bird.
Turkey is a pretty easy match given its bland flavours, so what you need do is pay attention to the trimmings, the vegetables, the gravy and sauces to see what might dominate as the flavour of the day.
Even then, turkey’s high protein count and fat and oils are a fabulous foil to the fruit and tannins in red, white, rose, and sparkling wines and that is the path we go down this weekend. Our only advice is to avoid youthful reds bathed in oak; they don’t work no matter how much money you spend.
We begin with sparkling wine and three primary choices. Easy sipping, affordable and fun to drink is Italian Lambrusco; for a more sophisticated dinner table local sparkling made in the traditional method is an excellent choice, and should your budget permit, Champagne is always welcomed.
Our picks include Concerto Reggiano Lambrusco from Emilia-Romagna ($19.99), a turkey slayer for the curious mixing balsamic, savoury, wild, red berries with some tartness to counterbalance any natural sweetness. Locally we are fans of the highly underrated Gray Monk Odyssey White Brut Méthode Classique 2016 ($21.79). It is razor sharp, with a beautiful freshness that runs from the front to the back of every sip. Our Champagne pick is Champagne Bollinger Special Cuvée Brut ($87.99), one of the more opulent styles that can efficiently work at the dinner table.
Turkey and white wine matches are an endless list, but an aromatic and fruity Riesling is a natural choice, and you can choose from the super dry to the off-dry. Viognier is another grape that is gaining acceptance with its more luxurious textures and flavours. It is especially compelling with white meat, and locally, the selection has never been better.
All that buttery sage stuffing and spicy side dishes call for Chardonnay and or Gewürztraminer; the new style Chardonnay with fresh, citrus notes and muted oak works, as will a spicy, ripe ebullient Gewürztraminer that rises above the clatter of cranberries and gravy.
Whites to look for include: Quails’ Gate Gewürztraminer Orchard Block 2018 ($21.99) and its orange and lime-laden fruit. A real bargain is the Paul Mas Viognier (Vin de Pays d’Oc, Languedoc,$13.99) fragrant, fresh, floral, tropical fruit-driven flecked with citrus and ginger. From its renowned reserve series, there is plenty to like about the Mission Hill Reserve Chardonnay 2017 ($19.99) with its ripe apples, orange, and lemon lined, vanilla, leesy. Finally, we love the crowd-pleaser Leitz Dragonstone Riesling Kabinett 2016 ($19.99) from Rheingau, Germany, mixing stony tangerine and pear skin fruit with a splash of residual sugar.
Pinot Noir is a simpatico choice for turkey, and if it’s ripe enough, a delicious, mouth-filling diversion for your guests. The ultimate bargain is the Santa Carolina Reserva Pinot Noir (Leyda, Chile, $13.99). Locally you can choose between Mission Hill Reserve Pinot Noir ($27.99), CedarCreek Pinot Noir ($26.99) or Tantalus Pinot Noir ($29.99).
One of my favourite turkey pairings is southern Rhone and or Languedoc red blends. Soft and round, spicy and fruity, the Grenache-Syrah combo seems to melt into the turkey: appellations to look for include Cote du Rhone, Cote du Rhone Villages, Gigondas, Vacqueyras and Languedoc. Reliable producers include Chapoutier, Gabriel Meffre, Louis Bernard, Paul Mas, Gerard Bertrand and Pierre Henri Morel. Look for a price that fits your budget.
We have so much to be thankful for living in this part of the world, so make sure you take some time to do just that this weekend and enjoy your time with family and friends.
Concerto Reggiano Lambrusco 2016, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
$19.99 | 88/100
UPC: 6269902371143
There was a time when the mention of Lambrusco would send me in the opposite direction at tastings, now I stop, listen and taste. The name refers to a wine made from the eponymous Italian grape grown in eight DOC regions across Emilia Romagna. The Concerto is the perfect wine to speak to the renaissance of this variety. The nose and palate are a mix of balsamic, savoury, wild, red berries with some tartness to counterbalance any natural sweetness. It’s a single-vineyard, traditional method sparkler that is lightly effervescent and best served chilled. It is very turkey friendly.
Quails’ Gate Gewürztraminer Orchard Block 2018, Okanagan Valley
$21.99 | 89/100
UPC: 778856417067
Orchard Block is a soft and creamy Gewürztraminer that leans a bit toward Alsace. The entry is spicy and fresh with orange and lime-laden fruit that floats across the palate. It’s the delicacy that makes this so attractive, and the almost watery texture that keeps you coming back to the glass for more. Not typically Gewürztraminer, but charming in its own right. The source is old 1989 plantings.
Nielson Pinot Noir 2016, Santa Barbara County, Central Coast, California, United States
$34.99 | 90/100
UPC: 732099038694
The fruit comes off three dominant Pinot Noir growing regions in Santa Barbara County. Santa Maria Valley, one of California’s coolest AVAs, brings the aromatics. Los Alamos, a slightly warmer site, brings the riper, darker fruit flavours. South of Santa Maria Valley and Los Alamos, the Sta. Rita Hills AVA and its steep slopes add stony minerality and some austerity. Look for fresh, brambly red fruit aromas that spill onto the palate with more dense, vibrant black cherry fruit flavours. All the blocks are harvested separately to allow for a wide choice of tastes and styles — a distinctive style that has turkey written all over it.
Gérard Bertrand St Chinian Syrah Mourvedre 2016, Languedoc, France
$23.99 | 89/100
UPC: 351412 0107893
St. Chinian is a place made for Gerard Bertrand and his love of the Languedoc. Wine has been made there since the Middle Ages, and this Syrah-Mourvèdre planted over calcareous/schist soils is dialed. I love the smoky, savoury red fruit and black licorice nose. The attack is similar, with smoked meat, espresso, blackcurrant, and prune. When you think it will be big and boisterous, the finish remains fresh with a mineral undercurrent. Impressive for the price.
Fonseca 10 Year Old Aged Tawny Port N/V, Douro Valley, Portugal
$36.99 | 88/100
UPC: 5013521100949
Open this over the holiday weekend end and sip at your leisure. You will love the youthful sweet cherries, sugar plum, toasted nutmeg and marmalade lined with brown sugar on a medium-weight palate. Intense and warm but elegant with a dryer finish. Best served with caramelized desserts such as crème brûlée.
Evan Funke was already a well-known chef before he made his pilgrimage to Emlia-Romagna to learn how to craft the world’s most old-school handmade pasta from master sfolina (pasta-maker) Alessandra Spisni at La Vecchia Scuola Bolognese. The cookbook America Sfoglino — by Funke and co-author Katie Parla — truly is a master class in the pasta specific to that region. You will spend months, if not years, mastering these techniques. This recipe is just a taste of what awaits if you decide to commit.
1/4 cup (60 mL) unsalted butter
5 oz (140 G) prosciutto di Parma, thinly sliced and torn
3 cups (510 g) cherry tomatoes
Kosher salt
4 oz (114 g) arugula
24 oz (700 g) strichetti fresh bow-tie style pasta
1 cup (250 mL) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter until frothy and golden. Add the prosciutto and cook until aromatic, about 15 seconds. Add the cherry tomatoes and season with salt. Cook just until softened. Add the arugula and toss to combine. Set the sauce aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat. Season the water with salt (see page 25). When the salt dissolves, add the strichetti pasta and cook until tender, 2½ to 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, return the sauce to medium heat. Using a spider, transfer the pasta to the sauce. Add about 2 tbsp (30 mL) of pasta cooking water and toss vigorously to coat. Serve immediately with the Parmigiano-Reggiano sprinkled on top.
Makes 6 servings.
Pasta, tomatoes and prosciutto make for a rich dish best accompanied by dry, crisp, Pinot Gris to wash away the fat of each bite.
Liquidity Wines Pinot Gris Reserve 2018, Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley, $32
A luxurious style packed with ripe pear/peach/yellow apple fruit wrapped in lemon curd that will clean the palate between pasta moments.
Laughing Stock Vineyards Pinot Gris +19/09 2018, Okanagan Valley, $19.99
Ripe, lush peach and pineapple fruit spiked with ginger ale and slightly bitter peach finish to act as a foil to the tomatoes and prosciutto.
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