Thanksgiving Wine Under $20: My Picks for 2009

It's that time of year again, when people take to their computers in search of Thanksgiving wine recommendations. (vintage Thanksgiving image from an 1894 cover of Harper's Bazaar)

This is my fourth roundup of wines on GWU$20 that I think will pair beautifully with your turkey dinner--and they're all under $20. Whether you prefer sparkling, rosé , white, or red wine, I'm sure there's something here that will suit your palate and your budget. And I made sure that you could still get the wine I've listed below. We're all too busy to hunt out wine that's no longer available in the market!

If you are looking for general advice on Thanksgiving wine and hospitality, I'd encourage you to check out this article I wrote a few years ago on issues facing the host/hostess and the guests.

In the recommendations below, clicking on the wine's name and range of prices will take you to a list of retailers who stock the wine.

Sparkling Wines: I'm a big fan of sparkling wine, and they're good for more than just toasting to your family's good health before dinner. Given the wide range of flavors and the rich dishes on most holiday tables, sparkling wine is an excellent choice if you're looking for a wine that will take you from the first course of butternut squash soup to the apple pie you're having for dessert. And sparkling wine need not break the bank, as these suggestions show.

2006 Raventós i Blanc Cava L'Hereu Reserva Brut ($14-$25) This vintage Cava from Spain tasted very traditional, and had lots of complexity. Expect aromas and flavors of toasted bread, apple, and citrus.

N.V. Domaine des Roches Crémant de Bourgogne Rosé ($15-$20) A full-bodied, sophisticated sparkling rosé with aromas of mineral, dough, and strawberries. The dry flavors have underlying strawberry fruit and toast notes.

N.V. Mumm Napa Cuvée M ($12-$25) This Napa Valley sparkler is one of the most impressive under $20 bottlings I've had lately. Made in the sec style from Pinot Noir and late harvest Muscat, this wine has aromas of white chocolate, toasted bread, and strawberry. On the palate, there were layered flavors of white chocolate, rose petal, Meyer lemon, strawberry, and toast.

White Wines: If I'm not serving a sparkling wine I enjoy white wines with my turkey dinners. I find that the acidity of a white wine brings some much-needed refreshment to dinner, and they go well with the stuffing, creamed onions, and vegetables side dishes so common on Thanksgiving tables.

2008 I Stefanini Soave Il Selese ($9-$11) A beautiful, distinctive Italian wine with musk-melon aromas and some white floral and saline notes. On the tongue, there are flavors of white peach, lemon, and bitter almond with a juicy aftertaste

2007 Helfrich Pinot Gris (available for $9-$17) This Pinot Gris has oodles of personality and class with its aromas and flavors of smoke, grass, and apple with a mineral note in the aftertaste. If I was having duck, goose, or a smoked turkey this would be my choice in wine--and it will be a knockout with traditional oyster stuffing, too.

2008 Dry Creek Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc ($13-$20) If you've been looking for a domestic Sauvignon Blanc that can hold its head up among New Zealand bottlings, but has a bit more softness and is less assertive, you've found your wine--and a wine that will go beautifully with Thanksgiving dinner, too. Aromas of grass, hay, melon, and citrus, all of which are echoed in the flavors.

2008 Sebastiani Vineyards & Winery Chardonnay Unoaked Russian River Valley ($17-$20) with all that's already on your holiday table, who needs oak? This lovely bottle of wine is very restrained in style, with faint aromas of pear, mineral, and salt. The palate has light and fresh lemon and pear flavors, and the aftertaste is juicy and clean. An elegant choice for your Thanksgiving dinner.

2008 Weingut Gritsch Grüner Veltliner Mauritiushof Axpont Federspiel (around $18) A complicated, delicious wine that starts out with faint citrus aromas, followed up by honeyed lemon peel and lemon curd flavors, with notes of grass and pollen. Terrific with turkey!


Rosé Wines: Regular readers have heard me go on about this before but nothing--and I do mean nothing--is as good with a leftover turkey sandwich as a rosé wine. And, if you have some guests who prefer red and some who prefer white, you can probably please them all with these robust, dry and flavorful rosé wines at the big dinner, too.

2008 Robert Oatley Sangiovese Rosé ($12-$18) A lovely rose, with fresh wild strawberry aromas and a hint of leafy greenness that keeps it from turning sappy in the flavors department. Excellent value, and excellent style that will please red wine drinkers.

2008 Domaine Sainte-Eugénie Corbières ($9-$12) Made from a robust blend of Cinsault and Syrah, this wine's lush cranberry and strawberry aromatics will have you thinking Thanksgiving no matter what time of year it is. The flavors are refreshing, with mineral notes and a fruity core that runs the spectrum from currants to cranberries.

2008 A to Z Wineworks Rosé Oregon ($9-$17) Another beautiful wine made with Sangiovese, here the emphasis is on crisp and refreshing with the dry aromas and flavors of raspberry, strawberry, parsley, and cucumber.

Red Wines: Many people prefer red wines with special dinners, but it is very easy to overwhelm a turkey dinner (and your guests!) with a heavy, high-alcohol wine. If I'm serving a red I tend to go with Tempranillo, Pinot Noir, or a traditional Zinfandel that is not too high in the alcohol department.

2005 Bodegas Montecillo Rioja Crianza ($7-$15) This is becoming an annual recommendation for me, as the consistent quality and friendly price-point of the Montecillo wines make it a reliable go-to bottle. Delectable aromas of leather, earth, herbs, and black cherry turn into juicy flavors that linger in the mouth. Will stand up to the most robust turkey and duck dishes, and will be particularly good with spicier side dishes.

2007 Sean Minor Pinot Noir Four Bears ($14-$16) Pinot Noir fans rejoice! This affordable example of a Carneros Pinot Noir has aromas of berry and sour cherry, and flavors of earth, clerry, and chalk held together by a silky texture. This will be a brilliant pairing with traditional Thanksgiving fare.

2006 Dry Creek Vineyard Zinfandel Heritage ($12-$19) Another annual pick, my gold standard in Zinfandel, with blackberry aromas and flavors and layers of black pepper and baking spice accenting the fruit. This Zinfandel is rich and spicy, but never heavy or overwhelming.

Full Disclosure: with the exception of the Cava, the Crémant de Bourgogne, and the A to Z Wineworks rosé, I received all these wines over the past 11 months as samples.

Vinho Verde--Just Because

Just because it's Monday...
Just because you got paid this weekend...
Just because you feel like fish tacos for dinner...
Just because you have some roasted cashews or almonds...
Just because you're trying to stay out of your kid's candy stash...

Vinho Verde.

It's not profound. It's not prestigious. It's not something you see on every restaurant wine list.

But it is perfect for those "just because" days when you have no plans, nothing much to celebrate, and want to drink an interesting wine anyway.

Try this one on for size: the 2008 Trajarinho Vinho Verde ($9.99, domaineLA; $8-$10 elsewhere) It's light, fun, zippy--everything Portuguese Vinho Verde is supposed to be! You'll discover citrus, mineral, and herb notes in the aromas and flavors, along with a bit of yeastiness. You may also sense a spritz on your tongue, which is normal for Vinho Verde, as is its 11% alc/vol. And for under $10 it represents excellent QPR.

Today on Serious Grape: Wine Survival Strategy for the Holidays

As 12:01 AM today, it is officially that festive time of year known as "the holidays." It is a time of joy, of family celebrations, gift-giving, and--hysteria.

Before you hit the panic button, go out now and get yourself a mixed case of wine so that you've got bottles on hand for emergencies that include: we have nothing in the house for dinner, two people just stopped by with pumpkin bread, and extreme mall fatigue. (photo by dumbledad)

This week on Serious Grape I've got a shopping list for a mixed case of wine that will help you cope with most holiday emergencies. Head over and check it out, and if you have any other holiday entertaining survival strategies, leave them here or over there in the comments section.

Gemischter Satz--It's Austrian for Delicious

If you hear "Gemischter Satz" You may be tempted to say "God Bless You!"

But the appropriate answer is "They're delicious, aren't they?"

Gemischter Satz are special wines from Austria's capital city of Vienna. Made from a blend of white grapes that are grown together in the field, then picked and fermented at the same time, there was a point not too long ago when the mania for "single varietal" bottlings threatened this age-old tradition of Austrian field blends. Happily, the tradition was maintained, the grapes remained planted in gloriously mixed vineyards of Gruner Veltliner, Weissburgunder, Riesling, Muscat Ottonel, and other grapes. Few Gemischter Satz bottlings specify the grapes within, and none that I've seen can give you varietal percentages. Don't worry--go for it.

I'm a relative newbie to the wines of Austria, but I can't recommend Gemischter Satz highly enough. If you enjoy crisp, food-friendly whites--and are a bit tired of the same-old same-old that you've been drinking lately seek out one of these wines and perk up your tired tastebuds.

2008 Weingut Rotes Haus Gemischter Satz Classic Nußberg ($20) This tasted very much of a Gruner Veltliner to me, with its white pepper, salt, and grapefruit aromas. The flavors of apple, grapefruit, and pepper confirmed my initial impression and the aftertaste was interesting--like sour apples. Very good QPR.

2007 Weingut Hajszan Gemischter Satz Weissleiten ($18) This stunning organic and biodynamic wine had unmistakable aromas of freshly ground black pepper, with floral notes. The flavors turned melony, with a zing of quince, and remained dry and refreshing. The juicy, lively aftertaste kept you reaching for the bottle. This is the kind of wine that invites you to spend the evening with it, discovering the flavors that are magically contained within it. Excellent QPR.

2008 Weingut Christ Wiener Gemischter Satz ($16) This wine had piercing aromas of apple, salt, and lemon. The flavors are equally intense, with loads of minerality and stone to accompany the slightly bitter lemon at its core. A fresh and citrusy wine. Excellent QPR.

2008 Zahel Gemischter Satz Schloss Schönbrunn (NA as of yet in the US) This restrained, elegant wine had faint aromas of lemon and peach. Dry flavors reminiscent of Meyer lemon dominate the palate, and there is a touch of bitter orange follows in the aftertaste. Well worth seeking out--and I hope an American retailer snaps this up.

Note: I've been sent some corrections and have made them in the body of the text above. The wines themselves all come from within the city limits of Vienna, and Weingut Hajszan's wine is certified organic and biodynamic.

Also, if you are looking for these wines, retailers are popping up in the comments to say they have these sometimes-hard-to-find bottlings. So check below if you are interested in purchasing, as the usual online wine search engines are not always exhaustive.

Full Disclosure: I received these wines as samples.

The Red Wines of Calabria: Fruity, Funky, and Fabulously Affordable

This month I've been getting to know the red wines of Calabria--and they've surprised me. When I mentioned Calabrian wine to most people--even Calabrians!--they scoffed at the quality of wine produced in this region of Italy. But I liked the rusty funkiness, the fruitiness, and the great value that I found in the wines I tasted. And though these wines came from southern Italy, they reminded me of French wines from Burgundy and the Beaujolais.

Take the 2004 Vintripodi Arghillà ($19.99, Wine Expo) This wine, a blend of Nerello Calabrese and Alicante, has the certain funky pungency that is characteristic in my (limited) experience of Nerello, and reminds me of a good Beaujolais. The wine showed some tawny edges around the dark purple juice at the center of my glass. The aromas were of sour cherry, earth, and funk and the flavors followed suit. This was certainly not a boring, same-old red and I think it would go just as brilliantly with stews as it did with our pasta dinner.

The other Calabrian wine I tried was the 2006 Ippolito Cirò Liber Pater ($17.99, Wine Expo; available elsewhere for $17). Made with a native Calabrian grape called Gaglioppo, I wasn't familiar enough with the variety to know what to expect. What I discovered was a wine that was nicely poised between a Pinot Noir and a Nebbiolo in terms of flavor and style. There were minty, brandied, and currant aromas. Following up were leather, plum, and currant flavors with a long, savory finish with notes of soy sauce. The juxtaposition of the berried, herbal aromas and the savory qualities of the flavors was intriguing and made this wine memorable.

Some may raise their eyebrows at Calabrian wine, but you won't catch me doing it. Give a Calabrian wine a try. They were a delightful surprise as I wrap up my journey through Italian wines. All that's left is Emilia-Romagna--and we'll head there in November.