I’ve been asked time after time, “What’s a good wine for Thanksgiving?” When Alison (the muse for this blog thing) asked me again, I decided it was the perfect subject for a Vinerant.
You may be surprised to learn that my go-to vino for turkey day is an old Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, something over five years old, or a good Napa Valley Merlot. Yes, I said it — Merlot. Because our traditional roast turkey is easily rich enough to stand up to Cabernet, or the softer Merlot. The real problem for wine matching is all those damned side dishes. Candied yams! Give me a break. Those sides run the lighter whites right off the table. It takes a rich, big wine to prevail.
That said, you may run into those guests at your table that insist on a white wine. So I’ll list some good bets, but I’ll be focusing on reds. After all, it’s my blog, so my rules. That said, to answer Alison’s request, all the wines mentioned can be had at Total Wine, or Trader Joe’s. Plus, all are well under $20. Of course, these wines won’t be aged much. If they were, they’d cost more.
To cut to the choice, here are my top choices. Then you can go through my notes. Or not. Up top you.
#1 Franciscan Napa Valley Merlot 2006 — 13.5% Alc $15.99 Total Wine & CostCo
#2 Franciscan Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2007— 13.5% Alc $16.99 @ Costco & Total Wine
#3 Trader Joe’s Reserve Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 — 13.7% Alc $9.99
FIRST OFF, WINES TASTED 11/12 — 11/13.
Three Knights Los Carneros Pinot Noir 2009 — 13.5% Alc $7.99 Trader Joe’s
COLOR — Bright ruby red, very light at the edges. Light in color over all, not a dark red. NOSE — Cherry cola, a touch of strawberry with a touch of musty mushroom, and maybe a bit of barnyard. TASTE — Nice candied red cherry fruit & a touch of cola and vanilla. Slightly unripe strawberry. Not much earth. FINISH — Medium bodied, with good bright acid, medium in length, and nothing green. Vanilla from oak covers the fruit. RATE — 3 Stars. While lighter in body, this is a pretty typical Carneros Pinot — for just $7.99. Decent Pinot, from a real place (not basic CA) at that price is tough to get.
Sebastpol Hills Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2010 — 14.5% Alc $9.99 Trader Joe’s
COLOR — Bright & clear ruby red to the edges. Medium depth.
NOSE — Red cherries and berries. Not a gushing nose. A touch of mushroom. Not really complex.
TASTE — Nice red cherries and berry fruit with balanced acidity. Some vanilla from oak. No sign of the 14.5 % Alc.
FINISH — Medium bodied, with a medium length. Slightly mouthwatering.
RATE —3.5 Stars. I think this is better than the Three Knights. Not a very complex wine, but tastes like the cooler Sonoma Coast and pretty decent Pinot for $9.99. I’d pick this to stand up to Thanksgiving fare better than the Three Knights.
Franciscan Napa Valley Merlot 2006 — 13.5% Alc $15.99 Total Wine & CostCo
COLOR — Deep garnet red, all the way to the edge.
NOSE — Big nose of dusty cherries with notes of sage and mocha. Nice.
TASTE — Mouthfilling sweet cherries with touches of mocha, vanilla with dusty tannins.
FINISH —Medium to full bodied, with some tannins. Cherries and mocha, with good length.
RATE —4.5 Stars. This is what Napa Merlot can & should be. Tastes like Oakville, with dusty sage notes. Great quality for under $16. Had trouble spitting this out. Wine of the night. You & your guests will love this! A perfect wine if you want the words “Napa Valley” on the table.
Trader Joe’s Reserve Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 — 13.7% Alc $9.99
COLOR — Deep garnet red, to the edges.
NOSE — Red currents and black cherries with notes of pencil lead & black olive. Nice.
TASTE — Mouthfilling red currents, cherries, with same hint of black olives & some mocha.
FINISH — Full bodied, currents, olives and pencil lead, with some velvety tannins. But not a mouth-drying finish.
RATE —4 Stars. Still love this. I wouldn’t age this much. A wine for now. To me the best of the TJ’s Reserve Cabs.
Trader Joe’s Reserve Mendocino County Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 — 13.9% Alc $9.99
COLOR — Deep purple-garnet out to the edges. A young color.
NOSE — Dill and tart red cherry, something like stones in the background. Needs air.
TASTE — Bright red berries and cherries. No hint of the green dill from the nose. Sweet on entry, maybe a bit of vanilla and menthol. Tastes like it’s from a cooler climate, which Mendocino County is. This deepend and got better with an hour of air. Changed to blueberries, blackberries & mocha.
FINISH —Medium bodied, with some drying tannins at the end. Good length.
RATE —3.5 Stars. This is a young Cabernet that’s drinking well now, and may not go anywhere with time. Still not a bad value in today’s CA Cabernet world. Got better with an hour of air.
Trader Joe’s Reserve Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 — 14.7% Alc $9.99
COLOR — Deep garnet red to the edges.
NOSE — Red cherries a touch of black berries, vanilla and menthol.
TASTE — Sweet black cherry with some vanilla. Very round and ripe, but not hot from Alc.
FINISH —Soft vanilla & fruit. Not complex. A touch of tannins.
RATE —3 Stars. This is round and ripe, for those that like softer, easy-drinking wines. Not an ager. Nothing wrong with this, just not my style. But fine value in CA Cabernet. Let this breathe for 45 minutes.
REDS TASTED EARLIER:
2007 Franciscan Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon — 13.5% Alc $16.99 @ Costco & Total Wine
COLOR — Deep garnet red all they way to the edge, Deep, opaque
NOSE — Red currents, red cherries, dusty sage and something meaty.
TASTE — Currents & cassis, tart cherries, sage and dust. Full body
FINISH — Long & deep red fruit with serious dusty tannins. Sticks your lips to your teeth. Full bodied. OLD SCHOOL!
RATE — 4 Stars. This is everything I personally want form a Napa Cab. Kills wines twice its price, for me. Needs time, like five years. I’ve bought 10 so far. A perfect wine if you want the words “Napa Valley” on the table.
2008 Beaulieu Vineyards Rutherford Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon — 14.5% Alc $15.99 @ Costco Also at Total Wine
COLOR — Deep garnet red. Opaque all the way to the edges.
NOSE — This one changed with air. At first it smelled of the dusty currents I expect from Rutherford Cabs, but later changed to red cherries and eyucliptis, with a hit of vanilla.
TASTE — Red cherries, mocha and a good touch of minty-vanilla.
FINISH — Lush red cherry fruit, vanilla and some soft & dusty tannins. Medium-full bodied.
RATE — 3.5 Stars. I used to LOVE this wine in the early 90s, when it was $10.99 & 13% Alc. But winemakers change, and so do fashions. I can’t help but like this wine, but it isn’t a classic Rutherford Cab, like it should be. Still, if you’re not into the harder, old-school Napa Cabs like I am, you may LOVE this wine! I think it will age well for 3 years.
OLD STAND BYS, NOT TASTED FOR THIS BLOG
Saitnsbury Garnet Carneros Pinot Noir — 13.5% Alc $15.49 @ Total Wine Don’t let the screw top bother you. This wine is better than the pinots mentioned in the tasting notes. I have the 2008 in my cellar.
Acacia Carneros Pinot Noir
This is one of the prototypes for Carneros Pinot. Great Cherries and cola with mushroom and earth. Nice acid. Hard to go wrong here.
Cambria Santa Maria Julie’s Vineyard Pinot Noir One of the top values in pinot from Santa Barbara County year after year. A little gutsier than the Carneros pinots mentioned, with more earth, but can easily stand up to Turkey, etc.
WHITES FOR THOSE WHO MUST
When it comes to Thanksgiving, I’d stick with Chardonnay. I’ve tried other whites, and they don’t really have the stuffing to hold up to the rich foods of the season. (yeah, I couldn’t leave the “stuffing” pun alone) But I’m not into the big oaky, butter bombs many CA chards have become. Here’s a list of fruit- & vineyard-driven Chardonnays I think do the job.
Jordan Russian River Chardonnay — 13.5% Alc $15.97 @ Total Wine
I used to hate this wine, but Jordan dialed way back on the oak, and created a nice fruit driven wine. Rich, pit fruits of white peaches and nectarines, with hints of Myer lemons, minerals and some good acidity.
Acacia Carneros Chardonnay — $14.97 @ Total Wine
This is an always nice Carneros Chard. Not an oak bomb, with some acid, focuses on pit fruits, like white peaches and nectarines.
Martin Ray Russian River Unoaked Chardonnay — $14.99 @ Total Wine
I like this a bunch! Real Russian River wine. Nose of tropical fruits, but balanced pit fruits and acid in the mouth. Don’t fear the screwtop. This will play with Tgiving faves.
Cambria Santa Maria Katherine’s Vineyard — $13.97 @ Total Wine
A dependable Chrad from Santa Barbara. Not a lot of oak, enough acid to work with the rich turkey. I haven’t bought this in a while, but tasted not long ago and it never sucks.
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