This past week Napa Valley has received the gift of unseasonably warm temperatures with seemingly never ending warm rays of sun.   The leaves on the grape vines have peaked and in certain American Cultural Areas (“AVAs”) such as Yountville and Carneros, autumnal colors literally carpet the landscape.   Wandering in among the vines, (as depicted in the photo above), one is ensconced by sheer natural beauty and the colors festively celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday that will arrive next week.

Generally each week I develop a new recipe to pair with a carefully selected wine from Napa Valley.   This month, however, I have been flooded by requests for suggestions regarding what wine to serve for Thanksgiving.   Before an anticipatory “Turkey Coma Yawn” ensues, Thanksgiving meals can be far more than about turkey.   For example, in the Bay Area, Dungeness Crab season began this week and some families celebrate Thanksgiving with this seasonal delight on its tables.    Other families on the East Coast manage to always have lasagna on the table right next to the turkey.  Other families serve Beef Tenderloin Roasts and some go completely vegetarian.   The possibilities are endless and rather than direct my readers to simply sort through all of my past articles, I have elected to shine a spotlight on a few previously reviewed wines (and one spectacularly new wine) to guide you through.

To begin, I generally make a turkey each Thanksgiving.   Depending on the number of guests in attendance, I may simply opt to make a roasted turkey breast (which is what I did last year).   Last year, as a thank you to my fans, I posted my recipe on the Facebook Fan Page for the web site and will do so again this year in a formal note.   If you have a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc that has just coasted past its peak (yet is still decent), pull that bottle for your turkey if you are following my recipe.   I generally purchase an inexpensive Sauvignon Blanc (such as Kendall Jackson’s) and guiltlessly use that to baste my turkey throughout the day.

As a tradition, generally my Thanksgiving morning starts out with a brunch which always includes freshly baked blueberry muffins sporting blueberries picked from my Sunshine Blueberry Plant on the back patio.   Mimosas are generally served but using a Rosé Sparkling Wine, in this case Schramsberg’s Sparkling Brut Rosé (featured last year in the article, “Bubbles and Holiday Cheer”).

As the afternoon wears on, Schramsberg’s Sparkling Brut Rosé is out in the kitchen as a treat for anyone who volunteers to help chop, mince, dice, stir or watch the clock.  Schramsberg’s Sparkling Brut Rosé presently consists of 68% Pinot Noir grapes and 32% Chardonnay grapes (hailing from Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and Marin counties).   The combination of the two types of grapes from various vineyards creates a sparkling wine characterized by vibrant fruit, spice and length in its finish.  Flavors of strawberry, rhubarb and blood orange grace the palate and it will pair well with a variety of cheeses, fruit and raw vegetables prior to the actual meal.   If you manage to have any left by the time the turkey is served, this wine will also pair well with the main course.

But what if turkey is not being served?

As mentioned, Dungeness Crab often makes its first rounds at Thanksgiving and there is no better wine to serve than a sparkling, in this case Schramsberg’s Blanc de Blancs (which can be found at most Trader Joe’s locations and was featured with Dungeness Crab on this site in the article titled, “ ‘Tis the Season!”).  Made from 100% Chardonnay grapes, Schramsberg’s Blanc de Blancs presents lovely aromas and flavors of citrus, green apple, pear, apricot and honey.

If you are not a fan of sparkling wines, try Benessere Vineyard’s (“Benessere”) Pinot Grigio.   Benessere’s Pinot Grigio consistently has a balanced acidity yet is light enough on the palate with round tropical fruit flavors that it pairs deliciously with Dungeness Crab and other seafood (see article titled “The Return of Pinot Grigio”).  Depending on the herb seasonings with your turkey, it will pair well, too.

Switching gears, Chardonnay often pairs well at Thanksgiving dinner because of the wide array of vegetable and fruit dishes served.  It will also serve wonderfully at vegetarian themed Thanksgiving meals (along with Pinot Noir).  There are many favorite Chardonnays, but limiting myself to one would have to be Bremer Family Winery’s Chardonnay (see, “Casual Backyard Elegance”).

Bremer Family Winery (“Bremer”), located on Howell Mountain in Napa Valley, produces a beautifully balanced Chardonnay.    This wine demonstrates careful, loving winemaking as its aromas and flavors on the palate are not so bold to overwhelm your senses but instead convey a sense of quiet, smooth elegance and finery.   You will not find big brash oak or butter in this Chardonnay.   Instead, the Bremer Chardonnay on the nose sets forth a whisper of honey, memories of freshly baked banana bread and macadamia nut.   Gliding across the palate, flavors of pear, fig, almond and macadamia nut come forth only to fade into a lovely caramel-like finish.   Sipping this wine by itself would cause a revered hush to fall upon any room, but if paired with the proper food, the Bremer Chardonnay transcends dining into elegance.

If the flavors of the side dishes are going to be heavier and warmer in spices, nuts and herbs, look for Mer Soleil’s Gold Chardonnay by Charlie Wagner (of the Caymus family).

His wine truly captures California in a bottle and will transform nearly anyone into a Chardonnay lover (see, “To Oak or Unoak, ‘Tis the Question for Chardonnay”).

But what if I want a White Wine that is NOT Chardonnay?

Having already mentioned Pinot Grigio, of the other white grapes to select from and to be unique, I would recommend Riesling at Thanksgiving.    At Casa Nuestra Winery up valley, Gene Kirkham produces one of the few Rieslings in Napa Valley that is not only perfectly palatable but maintains integrity to the identity of the Riesling grape (see, “Holiday Sweets, Baked Goods & Riesling”).  Last year at Thanksgiving, to practice sustainability, I used fuji apples from a neighbor’s tree, plumped dried cranberries and rhubarb and sweet onion from my garden to create a flavorful warm fruit chutney to top stuffings.   Casa Nuestra’s Riesling offers flavors of green apple and white peach with a slight minerality which pair intuitively with fruit and can transition to dessert.

Red wines…  We want Red wines…

Pinot Noir is the first choice of red wines to serve with turkey.   It is not acidic and its tannins are balanced.   Depending on where the grapes are grown, the wine can offer bright red fruit such as cranberry or cherry flavors.    If the traditional turkey is being served as a main course, Hendry Ranch Winery’s (“Hendry”) Pinot Noir is my first pick as its estate grapes are grown in close proximity to a creek and despite Napa Valley’s warmer than necessary temperatures for Pinot Noir, this geographical location nearly emulates qualities and characteristics of the Russian River Valley.   The flavors of Hendry’s Pinot Noir wine delicately float across the palate, revealing themselves in artful layers of cocoa, cherries and toast (see, “Romancing the Senses: Pinot Noir”).

Elyse Winery also offers Pinot Noir and this year their current offering is from Napa Valley but may require some decanting prior to enjoying.   If you prefer a bigger Pinot Noir, this may be an alternative selection.

If lasagna makes it to your table, Sangiovese is the best matched wine for this Italian red sauce delight and if oregano is used to season your turkey, Sangiovese will pair well in this regard, too.   While Sangiovese is made by several winemakers in Napa Valley, Benessere is the place to go.   Using more clones of the Sangiovese grape than any other vintner in Napa Valley, Benessere’s wine is unparalleled for fruit flavors, spice, depth and smooth mouth-feel.   If your Thanksgiving has a Tuscan theme, it is best to stop by Benessere particularly as their 2007 Sangiovese is now available to the public for purchase (and 2007 was a fantastic year for this grape).

Also while at Benessere, investigate the 2007 Holystone-Collins Vineyard Old Vine Zinfandel (formerly called the “BK Collins Zinfandel”).   This past week I had the opportunity to sample this wine and there is only one word to describe it:   luscious.   Rich flavors of black raspberry, plum jam, lavender and sandalwood make this wine easy to enjoy.   Tasting the 2007 vintage in particular, this wine can exceed the typical trappings of barbeque related food pairings.    If you are serving roasted beef tenderloin with gravy and mushrooms, this is its wine soul mate.   Benessere has also recently made this wine more affordable given the economy so a visit to the tasting room will pleasantly surprise your pocketbook.

Got a Sweet Tooth?

Dessert wines generally need to be carefully paired at Thanksgiving.   Families present various pies (fruit and nut) and my preference is to keep the sugar level in check when pairing a wine at the end.   The heavier, often syrupy Late Harvest wines often overwhelm the flavors in the pies (in my opinion) and ports tend to be better paired (again in my opinion) throughout the winter months of December through February.   So what does that leave us?   If you have Riesling, that will pair well.   If you are looking for something different, consider Chenin Blanc.    Goosecross Cellars in Yountville has a wonderful Chenin Blanc that is kissed with a simple amount of sugar such that pear flavor dominates.   Elyse Winery in Yountville offers its “La Peche” which also is slightly sweet.  Benessere’s Frizzante is also a good choice despite being a Muscat de Canelli because it is not syrupy sweet and Markham’s Muscat Blanc this summer won my heart for perfect stone fruit pairings (see, “Summertime Good Libations” and “Muscat Love”).

Living in Napa Valley, there are so many good wines to choose and enjoy.   With hundreds of wineries right up the road (many of which are family owned), it is painful to try to publicly limit my picks for Thanksgiving.    Ask me tomorrow and I may recommend something else by a different winery.   There are so many wonderfully handcrafted wines in Napa Valley reflecting the art of the individual winemaker that any selection will lend an almost artisanal aspect to your table.  This article will hopefully serve as a road map to provide some guidance and to inspire your creativity no matter what is being served in your house for Thanksgiving.