Affordable Wines to Pair With Your Thanksgiving Meal
With Thanksgiving only one week away, we invited Joel Freeborn, owner of Wine Cellar of Wisconsin, to share some suggestions on wines that would pair nicely with a Thanksgiving meal, yet not break the budget.
Pairing a wine with the traditional turkey dinner can be one of the trickiest wine pairings of the year. Because turkey, as well as traditional side dishes like stuffing and cranberries, have subtle and varied flavors, many ‘big’ reds like Cabernet and Syrah can overpower the meal, making everything else seem a bit bland. Moreover, the Thanksgiving dinner table is almost certain to include diners with a wide range of palates, making it extremely tough to select a bottle that pleases everyone. To tackle this annual pairing challenge, we recommend taking one of a few approaches:
Celebrate a global tradition: Every year, on the third Thursday of November, the producers of France’s Beaujolais region celebrate the global release of the World’s youngest wine, Beaujolais-Nouveau. Made entirely from grapes of this year’s crop, 2010 Nouveau was on the vine just weeks ago, and hit store shelves today. Light and fruity, Nouveau typically shows very well with the traditional turkey dinner. Just make sure to drink up. Fun and tasty on release, Nouveau does NOT age well, and is best consumed within its first 3-6 months. The most famous bottling – and often the best value – is the Georges Duboeuf 2010 Beaujolais Nouveau ($7.49 at the Wine Cellar, prices vary elsewhere).
Enjoy a crisp White: Many experts agree that traditional German Riesling makes the ‘classic’ white wine pairing for Thanksgiving. Crisp, clean and refreshing, Riesling makes a great mouth-cleanser between bites. German Riesling can vary from bone-dry all the way up to a fully sweet wine. While there is no iron-clad rule regarding sweetness, we find that bottles with just a touch of sweetness tend to be the biggest crowd-pleasers. Meilen Riesling 2009 Mosel ($6.99) is a terrific bang-for-the-buck.
On an American holiday, sip America’s wine: Although global debate rages over which regions can produce the best Chardonnay, Cabernet, Pinot Noir, etc., there is no question that California produces the finest Zinfandel in the world. And as luck would have it, traditionally-styled Zin has just the right combination of fruit and spice to complement turkey beautifully. We recommend the Van Ruiten Old Vine Zinfandel 2008 Lodi ($11.99).
Drink the classic Red pairing: Pinot Noir is another popular ‘classic’ pairing for the traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Fruit-forward Pinot carries much more flavor and complexity than Beaujolais-Nouveau, without overpowering the flavors of the food. California’s Poppy Pinot Noir 2008 Monterey ($12.99) is a huge crowd-pleaser, and a very safe bet.
Shake things up a little: If you’re looking for a tasty conversation-starter, pop an ice-cold bottle of Sparkling Shiraz. Affectionately known as ‘Black Bubbles’ in its native Australia, Sparkling Shiraz bounces with the same dark fruit notes found in its classic red counterpart. Unlike regular Shiraz, which typically finishes with a peppery spice, Sparkling Shiraz finishes clean with bright, almost sweet fruit notes. Sparkling Shiraz works great as an aperitif, but will also pair surprisingly well with the meal. Henry Martin Sparkling Shiraz ($9.99) is a longtime store favorite.
Established in 2006, The Wine Cellar of Wisconsin’s goal has been to provide the best service, selection, and pricing in Wisconsin, and was recently voted “Milwaukee’s #1 Wine Shop” in WISN’s A-List competition. For more information on Wine Cellar of Wisconsin, including their attempt at a world record on Black Friday and their weekly wine tasting events (for only $5 plus tax!) visit their website, like them on Facebook, or follow them on Twitter. Wine Cellar of Wisconsin is located in Elm Grove at 12910 W. Bluemound Road.
Special Offers Around Milwaukee on Foursquare
Foursquare, a rapidly growing social networking site, is also a way to find special offers at businesses around the Milwaukee area. We’ve been keeping our eye out for special offers and have found a few detailed below. If you know of any others, please leave a comment. A more detailed explanation of what Foursquare is and how it works can be found below.
Milwaukee Public Museum – Unlimited free general admission for the Mayor and a guest, and 20% off originally priced items in the gift shop.
Bacchus - Free Spinach Risotto Fritter Appetizer on your third Check-in.
Ferch’s Malt Shoppe – Free Burger or Frozen Marble Top Cone for the Mayor upon their 10th Check-in.
Wine Cellar of Wisconsin – Leave a Tip on Foursquare and receive a free 6-bottle wine tote.
Blu (at the Pfister hotel) – Check in and show your server/bartender and receive a free item off the small plates menu. Valid for your first check in only.
AJ Bombers- Get a free Pnut bomb (Pnut bombs are actually free for everyone who visits AJ Bombers!) If you dethrone the Mayor, you receive a free burger. Add a Tip or a To-Do and you’ll receive a free cookie.
What is Foursquare?
Foursquare states they are a “cross between a friend-finder, a social city-guide and a game that rewards you for doing interesting things. We aim to build things to not only help you keep up with the places your friends go, but that encourage you to discover new places and challenge you to explore your neighborhood in new ways.”
How does Foursquare work?
Users “Check-in” at a location by using their smartphone or sending a text from their cell phone. After checking in, Foursquare awards points and occasional “Badges” to users. If a user has checked-in to a location more than anyone else, they will become Mayor of that location. Users can also share “Tips” with other users, and create “To-Dos” as suggestions for yourself.
