Which Wine Goes with the Turkey?

by Ned Benton

(November 13, 2003) "Wines for Thanksgiving ! What a challenge..." mused Etienne Touzot of Larchmont's Le Wine Shop when asked by the Gazette to offer suggestions. "Think about it: the soft velvety sweet candied yams, the aggressive and acid cranberry, the delicate and exquisite roasted turkey, the heavy stuffing based with onion, mushroom, and bread. Let's not talk about the rest and especially the marshmallows. The key for a good match is the balance, no strong tannins for the reds but some fruits, no excess of oak for the whites but a good balance in acidity."

Touzot was among the local wine experts responding to the Gazette Thanksgiving challenge: pick a red and a white wine in both the under $15 and the over $25 range.

The picks come from around the world, but one of the most interesting selections has a distinctly local connection. Nancy Heinbockel of Post Wine & Spirits opted for a Landmark Chardonnay, the product of West Coast winemaker and Mamaroneck High School graduate Eric Stern. During his Mamaroneck years, Stern (MHS Class of '63) was more attracted to trombones (he studied with the legendary Mo Snyder and enrolled in Julliard) than grapes. "I was intrigued by wine bottles, though," he recalled. "I had all the different shapes and colors displayed on my window sill."

Years later he's merged his musical and vintner skills, as noted on the Landmark website, "Eric took the notes he had been given and created a great fugue, bringing together grapes from selected diverse vineyards, innovative and traditional techniques, and French oak to produce an opulent and elegant wine that made the name Landmark synonymous with 'super premium' Chardonnay."

Eric will be returning to Mamaroneck for a family Thanksgiving in a few weeks: there is no question about who is bringing the wine.

If you're bringing the wine and need some help, keep reading for the entire list of nominated wines. Many of the wines, like the celebrities they are, have their own websites - so you can click for further details.

 

Red Wines Under $15
CJ’s Fine Wine & Spirits	Pinot Noir Bouchard Aine & Fils	$11.99
Le Wine Shop	Bourgogne Rouge, Le Vignot, Domaine Fichet, 1999	$15.00
Post Wine & Spirits	Ramsay Pinot Noir	$14.99
Winetasters of Larchmont	Ravenswood Vintners Blend Zinfandel	$11.99

"Zinfandel is a traditional Native American grape that goes with all the traditional Thanksgiving fixings, " said Russ Cantwell, the Manager of Winetasters of Larchmont. For price and quality, the Ravenswood Vintners Blend is as good as any."

Nancy Heinbockel, owner of Post Wine & Spirits, observed, "Pinot Noir is becoming a very popular grape varietal - overtaking the Merlots as people’s taste becomes more sophisticated. The Ramsay is easy drinking, jammy in style with a dark berry fruit and a soft finish. It would pair perfectly with the turkey dinner."

Red Wines Over $25
CJ’s Fine Wine & Spirits	Earthquake Zin from the Michael-David Vineyards	$25.99
Le Wine Shop	Bordeaux Saint Emilion grand cru, Chateau tour simard (second wine of Chateau Pavie), 1999	$34.75
Post Wine & Spirits	Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir	$24.99
Winetasters of Larchmont	Ridge Vineyard Geyserville	$34.99

Jenny Mandala-O’Rourke, owner of CJ's Fine Wine and Spirits, described the Earthquake Zin as a "tremendous wine." The wine comes from the Lodi region of California and it is one of the "seven deadly zins" according to the winery.

Nancy Heinbockel noted that the "Patty Green" is from Oregon and "has that wonderful bright black cherry, lush berries and currant quality. It’s well-structured and refined." Patricia Green, the woman behind the wine, opened her cellars in 2000 and her product has been well received.

Jenny Mandala-O’Rourke's first white pick is a Santi Pinot Grigio that hails from an Italian vineyard in Illasi near Verona and Lake Garda. The original winery established in 1843 still houses the winemaking facilities and aging cellar and stands on the plain below Castello d'Illasi, a ruined medieval fortress.

According to Nancy Heinbockel, her Nugan selection "is a favorite of wine expert Robert Parker. It’s a great value. You get flavors of melon and peach and very subtle oak. Perfect for the turkey and all the trimmings."

 

White Wines Over $25
CJ’s Fine Wine & Spirits	Trefethen chardonnay	$25.99
Le Wine Shop	Burgundy, Meursault Domaine Palette, 2002	$24.75
Post Wine & Spirits	Landmark Chardonnay	$26.99
Winetasters of Larchmont	Beringer Private Reserve Chardonnay	$39.99

According to Jenny Mandela-O'Rourke, Trefelen Chardonnay "is a chardonnay that will bring out al the other flavors in the turkey dinner." According to the winery, your turkey had better get ready for some competition: "The first aromas to greet the nose are wonderful, soft vanilla toastiness from the oak and lovely buttery notes. Then, the lushness of Granny Smith and Fuji apple becomes apparent. On the palate, the wine is crisp citrus, tropical fruit and guava with excellent balance and good acid with a long creamy finish." How can a turkey compete with this?

Etienne Touzot suggests "a white burgundy like a Meursault will support the diversity of tastes we are about to enjoy, but you can also select a Gewurtz or a Silvaner. The smooth tannins of the red Burgundy will achieve the search for balance, and a Beaune 1er Cru , a Vosnes Romanee or any Pinot Noir with its subtle tannins and generous red fruits will make you happy."

The Beringer Private Reserve Chardonnay is rated by Russ Cantwell as "consistently one of the best chardonnays from California - full-bodied enough to stand up to the meal." According to Ed Sbragia, the winemaster, "I've always found that the key to making a Chardonnay in the big, rich style of our Private Reserve is balance. Any one component can dominate if you're not careful, but I think our 2000 Private Reserve Chardonnay is a good example of my motto: the blend should be greater than the sum of its parts. Its aromas and flavors are layered with all kinds of fruit, spice and vanilla/butterscotch characteristics and yet it's seamless. No single component stands out."

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