Which Wine Goes With the Turkey?
by Ned Benton
(November 25, 2002
) Still flummoxed over which wine to
serve with Thanksgiving
dinner? Larchmont Gazette asked several of our local
wine stores for their advice. We began by asking "red
or white?" and our local experts suggested "both." So
we asked for specific recommendations in four categories:
a red under $15, a red over $15, and a white under $15
and over $15.
Red Wines
 Nancy
Heinbockel, the owner of Post Wine and Spirits, started
her selections with a less expensive red wine, the J. Lohr Painter Bridge Zinfandel-Shiraz by the J. Lohr Winery for $7.99. This wine won a silver
medal at the California State Fair and a double-gold
at the San
Francisco International Wine Competetion. Not bad
for $7.99.
For a more expensive red wine, she recommended
Zaca Mesa Syrah for $19.95.
 Over
on Chatsworth Avenue, Russ Cantwell, Manager of Winetasters,
recommended the $11.99 Red Zinfindel
by Ravenswood
Winery. He called it a "softer red based on a traditional
red grape that goes with the many foods that we eat
at Thanksgiving."
For a more expensive red wine - a splurge at $49.99
- he suggested the Pinot Noir by Archery Summit Winery in California.
According to Wine Spectator, this wine is "dense,
rich and vibrant, beautifully packed with dark berry
and cherry flavors galore, deftly arranged into layers,
with sweet spice pepper and a touch of mint lingering
background."
White Wine
Winetasters' pick for a less expensive white wine
was a $12.99 Chardonnay by the J.
Lohr Winery. According to Wineguru.com, "This Chardonnay
shows a well focused amount of pear and lemon/citrus
fruit on the palate with a shot of taosted oak. Beautifully
balanced and finishing nicely with a firm hit of acids
(that is a good thing)."
For a more expensive wine, Russ Cantwell recommended
the $44.99 Chardonnay by the
Chalk Hill Estate
Vinyards and Winery. The Wine Spectator
described this wine as a "rich, unctuous style, with
toasty oak wrapped around a core of fig, nectarine and
tangerine-shaded flavors. Long, intense and concentrated
finish."
Post Wine and Spirits went with the Chenin
Blanc from Daniel
Gehrs Wines for $9.99. For a slightly more expensive
white wine, Nancy Heinbockel recommended a $13.99 Riesling
by Dr. Constantine Frank Winery. This is a New York
State wine from the Finger Lakes region.
Bon Appetit!
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