American Wines for an American Holiday

November is the unofficial beginning of the end of the year, and for those of us who have had a rough 2020 (all of us), we can start to unpack the holiday decorations and at least pretend to be excited about giving thanks and receiving presents. 

If you will be hosting any upcoming holiday meals, you know that this time of year also comes with its own set of stressors in addition to the global pandemic and national election, like cooking the perfect turkey, serving the best wines and hosting mothers-in-law. If you need any reminders, order your turkey early, and never try to fry it! As for finding the right bottles to please those mothers-in-law and maintain your sanity, keep reading.

Though you won’t learn all the answers to arranging a perfect Thanksgiving dinner here, we can provide some pointers when it comes to finding and pairing your wines. It’s important to offer wines that will appeal to every guest at the table, so we sourced a few sure to please from our local wine shop – 305wines.com in downtown Miami – to get you started with presenting a fantastic meal. All three of these wines are from our American West Coast wine-producing states, which suffered great losses this year due to devastating fires, giving us more reason to give thanks for our blessings and support our American wine industry this holiday season. 

When it comes to whites, Chardonnay is a quintessential Thanksgiving wine, as it often has the weight and creamy spice to complement your turkey and gravy. In the world of food and wine pairings, one of the most important rules is to make sure the weight of your wine matches the weight of your food. This is why we often hear that red wine pairs with meat and white wine with fish, although this is not an absolute rule. 

Chardonnay can be versatile and come in a range of styles, from crisp and steely to heavy and spicy. When made in an oaked-style along with a process called malolactic fermentation – which is essentially turning harsh acids into softer ones during the winemaking process – Chardonnay can be fuller-bodied, with those baking spices and creamy nuances that many wine drinkers love. For a bottle that shows all of these complexities, consider the 2018 Milbrandt Chardonnay out of Columbia Valley, Washington. Milbrandt expresses all the classic aromas and flavors of Chardonnay, with lemon citrus, apple and pear reflecting on the nose and in the mouth, combined with vanilla spice and a long, creamy finish. Take a sip, enjoy a bite of juicy turkey and come back for another taste to complete the experience of the pairing. 

For those who dish out the cranberry paste and smother the plate with it, consider this next bottle. The 2017 Alexana Terroir Series Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley in Oregon is just divine, and a perfect accompaniment to a table complete with spiced ham and red berry sauces. Bright red cherry and baking spices present on the nose like a freshly baked cherry pie right out of the oven. On the tongue, red berries like ripe raspberries intermingle with vanilla and cinnamon, along with some earthier flavors and well-integrated tannins for an elegant, velvety finish. Pinot Noir can be a crowd-pleaser, bridging the gap between wine lovers of all kinds. This bottle from single vineyard sites will surely not disappoint. Also, if you have diet-specific eaters at the table, you can let them know that this wine is vegan and gluten-free.

If your guests aren’t satisfied yet, there is one more bottle to present. From an iconic winery in California’s Central Coast region of Paso Robles, the 2017 Tablas Creek Vineyard Patelin de Tablas Rouge is one beautiful wine. It’s a red blend of 48% Syrah, 32% Grenache, 16% Mourvèdre and 4% Counoise for a traditional Rhône-style GSM+. The Syrah in the blend creates a bold base with ripe darker fruits like blackberry and black cherry. Blueberry and red cherry, licorice and vanilla jump in with light spices in the glass to create an expressive nose of aromas. Black pepper dances through the finish, following a touch of gaminess that adds savory weight to the wine. Consider serving this bottle with heartier dishes like roasted veggies or even beef. 

With a bottle from Tablas Creek on the table, you’re sure to impress anyone at dinner who is familiar with deeply rooted international wine families, as this winery is a partnership between the Haas family in Paso Robles and the Perrin family of Château de Beaucastel fame in France’s Rhône Valley.