Your Wine
WINE FOR THNAKSGIVING
By Leslie-Ann Sheppard
Thanksgiving: the ultimate holiday for 'foodies.' Without the stress and focus of gift-giving, Thanksgiving is a comfortable celebration of abundance - giving thanks for the bounties at harvest's end. Celebrating with family or friends over a traditional roast turkey dinner is only made better by choosing the perfect wines to complement the meal.

Thanksgiving Day is celebrated in November to commemorate the landing of the Pilgrims at Plimouth Rock. Many other cultures preceded this occasion with their own form of Thanksgiving celebration, in which the community gave thanks for their harvests at season's end. Still, our Thanksgiving is distinctly American, and for that reason I suggest choosing some great American wine to pair with your meal.

Before the bird makes its appearance, you'll want an aperitif to offer guests. Whether at a restaurant or at home, most folks will start their meal with something other than turkey. Perhaps a cheese platter, or a salad, or scallop appetizer… whatever it is, keep in mind one of the 'cardinal' rules of wine pairing: white preceeds red. Start off the big day with a crisp white, or consider bubbles. You can't go wrong when you pop a Champagne cork on Thanksgiving. It induces celebration. The U.S. does produce a fair amount of good-quality sparkling wine. Some reliable domestic sparkling producers are Gruet, Schramsberg, and Roederer Estate. But, here's where I make the exception and go French: you just can't beat Champagne. Try Duval-Leroy - my perennial favorite rose, or Gosset - the oldest Champagne house. For a splurge, seek out the famous-for-a-reason Dom Perignon, or a Blanc-de- Blanc from Laurent Perrier.

If you prefer to serve a still white, consider something crisp and dry- this will prepare the guests' palates for the heavier items to come. A classic beginning is Sauvignon Blanc, but other interesting options are domestic Pinot Gris (same grape as Pinot Grigio), Riesling or Viognier. Chardonnay is still the best-selling white, but the jury is still out whether it is universally appealing. Some

wine drinkers have been turned off by over-oaked versions; it might be wise to choose a Chardonnay that is more balanced than buttery.

Next, it's on to the all-important main course. Though menus will vary a little, most people look forward to the grand bird- a roasted, grilled, or deepfried turkey. If you've grown to believe that poultry is best complemented by white wine, think again. The preparation of the dish is at least as significant as the main ingredient. Also important are the accompaniments to the main dish, and since it's Thanksgiving: buttery mashed potatoes, stuffing laden with nuts, cranberries and sausage, rich gravy, butternut squash, green beans, corn, cranberry sauce…. Yes, white wine does work, but there is a better option: RED.

Pinot Noir is a grape varietal producing wines of great finesse, and is a good choice to accompany the traditional turkey dinner. Unlike Chardonnay, which can add buttery notes to an already rich plate, Pinot Noir offers a bit of contrast. Just as cranberry sauce to turkey- a good Pinot Noir's berry flavors, with nuances of fig, dried leaf, walnut and spice just elevate the experience to the sublime. Pinot Noir also will not overpower the flavors on the plate; it is an accessory that allows each flavor to maintain its individuality.

Merlot is more full-bodied than Pinot Noir, and tends to have soft tannin, sometimes encouraging people to use the descriptive terms 'velvety' and 'smooth' to describe it. It is a grape more often used in blends in France's famous Bordeaux wines, but it does make some very fine wines on its own. For Thanksgiving dinner, I suggest choosing a Merlot with a 'backbone' - you need acidity in order for it to be a good food wine. Some favorite Merlot producers are Duckhorn, Twomey, Shafer and Truchard.

Perhaps the most famous California red is Cabernet Sauvignon. The Napa Valley put California on the world's radar for great Cabernet back in the 1970s, and continues to produce some of the best in the world. It is also very commonly blended with other grapes to produce Bordeaux-style wines. Cabernets tends to be more full-bodied than Merlot and can really range from light style and versatile to very tannic and tough. I'd suggest choosing a Cabernet that has moderate alcohol, soft to medium tannins, and medium fruit concentration. Many people enjoy Cabernet that are heavily extracted and alcoholic, however, these are better suited to meals that are heavier than turkey, such as lamb, elk or beef.

Another great American red is Zinfandel. Zin can be seductive and luscious, but it can also be 'over the top' in terms of jammy fruit extraction. I suggest choosing a Zinfandel that balances its fruit with acidity and tannin. Similarly, Syrah is another full bodied red that can work for Thanksgiving; but I'd choose American Syrah over Australian shiraz- they tend to be very heavy with chocolate and mocha flavors not being uncommon.

Of course there are many wine choices that can complete your Thanksgiving celebration. Whatever you choose, I hope the holiday finds

you happy and healthy. I

Leslie-Ann Sheppard is the owner of The Cellar, a wine and cheese shop on Surfside Road.