Monday, November 08, 2010

Before Your Thoughts Turn to Turkey...

It's easy in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving to lose sight of everything but turkey and what to have with it. After Thanksgiving? I don't know about you, but the weeks between late November and early January are always a complete blur with too much going on.

So I'll be suggesting some wines in the next few weeks that you might want to get in the house before the Holiday Zanies hit. My time-saving hint is to buy three bottles of them if you think you will like the way they taste and know that you and your family will be eating lots of the food that I suggest as perfect pairings for the bottle in question. That way, you will have one less thing to worry about.

My pick for this week is perfect if:


If any of these describe you, try to get your hands on some 2007 Guglielmo Family Winery Petite Sirah Private Reserve. (suggested retail, $19) This is, hands down, one of the nicest examples of this hearty grape I've had in some time. It is rich, warm, and perfect for winter meals. Delicious aromas of mocha, blackberry, and plum blossom provide a hint of the range of flavors to come: more mocha, tobacco, plum, and some smoky cigarbox notes. This smooth, mouth-coating wine is a bit lighter on its feet than many domestic examples, and slightly lower in alcohol, too, which is welcome news to me. The result is a food-friendly Petite Sirah that doesn't leave you feeling like you've had an unfortunate encounter with a hammer the next morning. Excellent QPR.

Full Disclosure: I received a sample of this wine for review.

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