For Thanksgiving you often think of Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris as “perfect” pairings. And in fact, those are the varietals that I almost always seek out for the big day in part because they are such a good match but also because it is an ‘excuse’ to spend the bigger bucks on a great red Burgundy or some incredible Alsatian PG. But Thanksgiving really is an open-ended wine pairing holiday.

Like chicken, turkey offers a clean slate. It’s like the tofu of the meat world; it’s something that needs dressing up to have a real identity. As such, wine pairing is more about all the sides you are going to prepare – cranberry sauce, earthy root vegetables like brussel sprouts or creamed white onions, or sweet potatoes, or your mother’s fruit salad (with marshmallows) that you have every year because it’s “tradition”. Yes, the Pinot family can take the fun on home with sides like these. But the world really is your oyster!

Here are a few other ideas to consider – and when I say consider, I mean who all is coming to dinner, what their preferences might be and how to keep everyone happy (sometimes the real objective at your holiday gathering)….

Whites  ~

White Burgundy, or the more affordable alternative, Macon Chardonnay. The thing about these wines is that Burgundy (and the surround areas where you can spend a few less dollars) offers a full, fleshy and fruit-forward experience that won’t weigh you down. They are gently oaked wonders, which means that you can still bring Chardonnay (a familiar grape) to the table without bringing a bottle of buttery, wooded, BIG juice, that won’t quite work with such a big meal. Clean, pure, fruit and citrus lift are a winning combination.

Albarino. Albarino is an incredibly versatile option that will pair with anything. Its low alcohol, terrific, sea-like minerality and bright acidity keep your guests, and your overindulgence, in check, and also offers a little something unique and enjoyable beyond “the usual suspects”. While gaining in popularity, it is still a grape that not everyone knows. Few are likely to have a preconceived notion of what to expect – and whether they will like it or not. Chances are – they will, too.

Reds ~

Malbec. Now this is a grape that people know and tend to have only very positive feelings about! And, it is also a grape that won’t over-power the turkey and will certainly complement the earthier fare on your table. Seek out fruit forward, earthier styles (as opposed to the chocolatey, rich ones) for a real treat.

Zinfandel. Zin can be tricky because so many of them are so high in alcohol. That is dangerous both on an over-consumption level and also because it really can weigh you down. The juicy sweetness and slightly earthy nuance on offer (in great Zin) certainly pairs with the cranberry sauce. But for the Thanksgiving table that runs the ‘non traditional’ gamut in particular by delivering an Italian feast (and yet for folks that want a truly “American” wine to pair), this is an option to consider. My recommendation? In this case, spend the extra bucks to get a really well-made, more nuanced wine.

What will you be drinking next Thursday?

Last weekend at a pumpkin carving fiesta a good friend asked me which wine I would pair with pumpkin. I was arm deep in pumpkin guts at the time (see image to the right) so I told him to keep an eye out for a post this week. And now here we are 3 days from Halloween with an ample supply of pumpkin around town – also known as the biggest opportunity to bust out your culinary genius. A post was all too necessary!

Here are a few different ways you could go (and there are many…):

Pumpkin Rissotto w/Scallops

If you prefer a cheese-tastic take on rissotto, go for a buttery Chardonnay from California. If you prefer a lighter, savory risotto, go for a more mineral-driven, Alsatian white like Chasellas or even Pinot Blanc.

Roasted Pumpkin w/Root Vegetables

My brother in law makes a killer roast pumpkin – with all the root veggies and even tomatoes left to stew inside his prized Princess pumpkin. In this case, a fine option would be a Valpolicella from Italy. Savory, with stewed fruits and some nice structure, this wine’s earthiness, fruit forward qualities and natural food-loving nature would be a treat. An earthy red from the Cote du Rhone would also work superbly.

Beef and Pumpkin Stew

Go to the mothership of all things beef: Argentina! Go team Malbec.

Pumpkin Pie or Pumpkin Bread

Any dessert made with pumpkin and seasoned with cinnamon and nutmeg will love a great off-dry white. Think Riesling or Gewurtztraminer. Either of these will complement the savory brown spices in the dessert, yet the richness of the food will be cut by the great acidity and low-alcohol nature of the wine.

Which pumpkin dish is your favorite to make this time of year?

Another wine I fell in love with all over again last summer was the Schoffit Chasselas, this time the 2008 vintage. Chasselas is a little known varietal grown from New Zealand to France, Switzerland, Germany and even due West as far as Portugal. Truth be told, I’ve only ever tasted Schoffit’s attempt, an example from Alsace, France to be precise. Finally back in stock after nearly a year, I hurried to bring home the latest vintage at the tail end of last summer. I remembered the previous vintage offering a large helping of mouthfilling fruit – pears and melon and bananas, oh my! It also had a distinct minerality to it, which endowed a cleansing lift that seemed to cut through the seeming “fat” of the ripe fruit flavors.

The 2008 vintage was even more exciting – more ripe and nuanced – so much so that I’ve been saving our discussion about it until we were fully in throws of October. Why? First, the aromas of  citrus blossoms, orange rind and even coriander lifted from the bowl of my glass as soon as I poured the Schoffit; rich, mouth-coating flavors of ripe banana and tangerine thrilled my tongue. These are smells and flavors I most often associate with the German wheat (weiss) beers I love so much. I find them enthralling for their texture and distinctness in the world. They give me a break from wine – but no less something to think about as I breathe in and then savor each sip. My second reason is that October brings more crisp fall days than hints of summer. The smell of leaves fills the air. I look forward to warming meals and fleshy, richer wines. The Schoffit Chasselas is precisely the kind of white I get super excited about.

So if you have a serious beer drinker in your life, or are one yourself, consider grabbing a bottle of this low-allocation, hard to find white, and dish up a plate of butternut or pumpkin squash risotto! You’ll be thanking your lucky stars you did.

Are you familiar with Chasselas? Which German wheat beer is your Oktoberfest pick?

Two summers ago I put together a case of wine for a family gathering out on Block Island. I knew my sisters prefer their wines white in the summer – and as crisp and citrusy as they come (enticing labels never hurt either). Aiming to please, the case was filled with six bottles of white, two rosé and two reds. In that mix, a few were Sauvignon Blancs (the family “fan fav”) from different parts of the world and including a White Bordeaux (a blend of mostly Sauvignon Blanc and a little Semillon) and a little Chilean number. But my goal was also to expand their wine varietal horizons, and so I threw in a Pinot Blanc and two Chenin Blancs for good measure. I figured the “Blanc” would be familiar, but different, and peak their curiosity.

Discover “what the blanc?!” on Wicked Local today!

Easter is a holiday that not everyone celebrates – nor in the same ways. Traditions are a bit more fluid somehow here in the United States. Maybe your family prefers a delicious Easter brunch after a morning visit to church and an Easter Egg Hunt for the kiddies. Maybe you do your own thing with your family in the morning, then visit with friends in the afternoon over a mid-afternoon dinner of baked ham or a leg of lamb. But one thing is certain: such a lack of specific tradition can cause some level of Easter week “panic.” Of course, there’s no need to stress when a little advice is at the ready. Pop over to Wicked Local today to get some ideas for your celebration!

Will wine have a place at your Easter table this year? What will you uncork?