Thanksgiving Weekend Wines

Ah, the flavors of a Thanksgiving meal. With tastes and textures that range from savory to sweet, delicate to heavy and herbaceous to creamy, it can be tough to find wine pairings that work.

We gave you a few tips last year and they still hold as general guides and specific wine recommendations. Here are a few more tips to help you through the holiday meal.

Two whites that work better with traditional Thanksgiving foods than go-to Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc are Pinot Gris and Riesling. Look to Oregon for Pinot Gris that are richer in style and body than Italian Pinot Grigio, made from the same grape. Most Northwest Pinot Gris have soft fruit and floral flavors with a light earthiness and plump body that pairs well with turkey and traditional Thanksgiving side dishes. Try Bethel Heights 2009 ($15 at LQ Wine on Washington, near the La Quinta Trader Joe's), Elk Cove and other reliable producers such as A to Z Wineworks, or California's tangent for a homegrown taste of Alsace style.

Riesling is another white that can carry the Thanksgiving meal. Two German Rieslings that finish dry and have the added bonus of low-alcohol content are Mönchhof Mosel Slate 2009 Riesling Spätlese ($16 at LA Wine Company) and, for closer to $10, Dr. L Riesling by Loosen Bros. in the gorgeous sleek teal bottle (Dan's Wine Shop, Trader Joe's and grocers). Both are screw-cap and go down smooth and easy. Flavors of stone fruit, green apple and lime work well with turkey while both have just enough kick and slatey earth to pair with more exotic holiday spices. If you haven't tried too many Rieslings - or if you think all Rieslings are sweet - here's your chance to discover why this varietal is so food-friendly and a chef favorite.

Rosé is another wine that stands up to holiday fare. Rosés made from Cabernet Sauvignon can be a tad tannic for turkey so look for Provençal and other French styles, or American rosé made from Pinot Noir or Sangiovese. Plus, rosé delivers the biggest bang for your holiday buck, especially if you have lots of hungry, thirsty mouths to satisfy. Look to sunny Spain for the dry 2009 Márques de Cáceres ($7 at Trader Joe's) or 2009 Borsao (also $7 at LA Wine Company). Ask local wine merchants about their favorite rosés from Oregon, France and California producers such as Frog's Leap and Belle Glos. Chances are you won't go wrong with rosé.

If only red will do, Pinot Noir fits the bill. Low in tannin and medium in body, Pinot Noir has bright cherry flavors, floral and baked spice aromas and the mouthfeel to pair beautifully with many traditional Thanksgiving foods. Splurge with a special bottle from Oregon (Shea, Domaine Serene, Adelsheim) or Elk Cove for quality at a gentler price. Our local wine merchants carry excellent Pinot Noirs – ask about their favorites. We love California's cool-climate gems Millworks for value and reliable, delicious Byron. BTW, Byron's Pinot Blanc also makes a good Thanksgiving pick.

Another red alternative is Gamay, the grape of Beaujolais. Unless you're feeding a group of guzzlers, spend a couple dollars more for the greater complexity and elegance of cru Beaujolais over fruitier Beaujolais Nouveau. Look for the quality designation cru on the label. And, while you're in the French section, many red or white Côtes-du-Rhône wines are worth a pop with holiday foods.

End your meal with a refreshing Moscato and let the skinny kids devour the rest of that pumpkin pie. Or bust open that bottle of port you haven't been sure about. Enjoy a dessert wine and walk away from your holiday table feeling lighter – and thankful for all we have in this beautiful country.

Three 4 Three: Memorial Day Wines

Even though Mother Nature is blasting us with heat for Memorial Day, you'll stay cool over the weekend with this trio of festive wines.

Fans of aromatic wines can set their sniffers on 2008 Big House White. Romanian-born winemaker Georgetta Dane pulls off a quirky blend that includes über-fragrant Malvasia Bianca, Muscat Canelli and Viognier finished with a splash of Roussanne. The end result is 100% pleasure – a fruity "nose candy" wine with floral, melon-laced aromas that burst onto the palate with white peach and tropical fruit flavors. Find this screw-capped lip-smacker on sale at Albertson's for around $8.

If your grill will be sizzling with burgers and 'cue, say sí sí to Crios de Susana Balbo Rosé of Malbec. Crios, the Argentine winemaker's second label, has given us plenty to crow about since our WinewomenPSP event at Ruth's Chris a couple of seasons ago. Her fresh-tasting rosé is dry and juicy with strawberry and watermelon flavors that linger on an end-note of cinnamon spice. Give it a chill for a no-brainer pairing with backyard fare. Head to Dan's Wine Shop in Palm Desert where you'll find it for just under $10. Score a couple extra bottles to serve your Thanksgiving guests next fall – yes, it's that good and versatile.

Gotta have red or expecting the party crowd? Go for Boho Vineyards 2008 Old Vine Zinfandel. Look for its octagonal-shaped packaging by Octavin Home Wine Bar at Albertson's. Each eco-friendly package holds three liters of wine, or the equivalent of four standard 750-ml bottles. A convenient pour spout makes it easy to serve a yardful of guests – or just yourself, one glass at a time for up to six weeks. It's soft, fruity and lower in alcohol than many Zins. We're sold on Octavin Home Wine Bar's Silver Birch 2009 Marlborough New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, too. Stay tuned for more about this worthwhile portfolio.

So what are you waiting for? Unscrew, uncork or flip the lever this weekend and start sharing some holiday cheer!

December Holiday Wines

Remember the big Cabs and lush whites we asked you to skip at Thanksgiving? Well, it's late December and it's official: Loosen your wrists and pop those corks.

This month's holiday celebrations typically center about heartier winter fare such as rib roasts, duck and lamb. Pasta-centric Italian families dish out meat lasagne, ragù with rabbit sauce and elaborate veal dishes. Even fish dishes are sauced with a heavier hand this time of year, from beurre blanc to rémoulade. Having chest pain yet?

All these foods scream out for bigger wines. As with Thanksgiving, we suggest at least two wine choices for your holiday guests. Lead off with a lighter-bodied or higher-acid wine to tickle taste buds instead of hammering your guests' palates with the powerhouse red you've been aching to open all year long.

Check out these wines we've spotted around town to help get you through holiday meals with grace and good taste. Starred wines are value-priced at less than $15-20 a bottle at Dan's Wine Shop, LA Wine Company, Cost Plus World Market, Costco or grocers Vons, Albertsons and Ralph's.

Lighter whites: Dry Riesling (Pacific Rim°, Chateau Ste. Michelle°)

Medium-bodied whites: White Burgundy (Mâcon Villages, 2006°), McManis Viognier°

Powerhouse whites: Chardonnay (Trinitas°, California; Luca°, Argentina)

Ligher reds: Dolcetto D'Alba, Pinot Noir (Cambria, Julia's Vineyard 2006°; Becker Estate 2007°, Germany)

Medium-bodied reds: Monte Antico° (Sangiovese-based blend, 2006. Italy), Volver° (Tempranillo, 2007, Spain), Robert Hall Syrah° and Rhône de Robles° 2006, Perrin & Fils Côtes du Rhône Villages 2007°

Powerhouse reds: Orin Swift's The Prisoner (Zinfandel-based blend, California), Robert Mondavi Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon, Cannonball 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon°)

Do you have a special bottle you've saved for your holiday celebration? Stay tuned for a few of our fallen soldiers in the weeks ahead.

Holiday Wine Book: A Keeper by Kevin Zraly

Go beyond the sensory pleasures of the vine with a literary treat for your wine pals this holiday season. Gift books are sure to bring barrels of pleasure to the wine lovers on your list. Besides those already listed on this blog, Kevin Zraly's latest book, Windows on the World Complete Wine Course 25th Anniversary Edition (Sterling, 2009) is one that belongs on every wine lover's shelf. Like a favorite bottle of wine, readers will want to keep going back for more.

Zraly was cellar master at Windows on the World, the iconic restaurant on the 107th floor of Tower One at New York's World Trade Center. Today, the master wine educator continues the wine school he founded at Windows in Times Square at the Marriott Marquis Hotel.

The 338-page hardcover anniversary edition gives structure to the world of wine. Novices and wine sophisticates alike will enjoy its lively pace and juicy sidebars packed with entertaining and betcha-didn't-know nuggets of wine information.

Region-focused chapters spirit readers off on a condensed tour of regional history, terroir, major grapes, producers and specific wines that are Zraly favorites or benchmarks. For a DIY experience, the author suggests wines readers can choose to taste along the way to train their palates and understand defining characteristics. Chapters end with questions that simulate a wine course but no angst necessary – Zraly gives reference pages for the answers. Color illustrations include regional maps, wine labels, tables and those fun sidebars that make review a challenge and the book a pleasure to read.

Tips, FAQs and wine-buying strategies round out the last few chapters. The book ends with the author's personal history of the landmark Windows, tragically gone but never forgotten.

We've added this book to our favorites and hope you will too. For only $27.95, this book will bring a world of wine pleasure to wine lovers on your holiday list. Watch this blog for more gift-giving ideas coming soon.

Thanksgiving Wines – Part 1

If you're thinking about busting out a big Napa cab or Chardonnay for your Thanksgiving meal, well, we'll be nice and say please reconsider.

Unless you plan to serve juicy steaks or lobster with butter sauce, those bold, oaked wines won't be at their best with Thanksgiving foods. Frankly, not many wines can carry an entire Thanksgiving meal given the crazy clash of flavors that ride in on stuffing, gravies, those once-yearly sides, the bird itself and your family or host's specialties.

Here are a few tips we hope you'll find helpful:

Offer two or more different wines. Depending on the size of your crowd, have more than one wine style at the table. Even though you might not care for rosé, someone else at the table probably does, or at least might be willing to give it a swirl at holiday time.

Leave the oak in the forest. Many Thanksgiving foods just don't go well with oaky wines. If you simply must have your Chard, try an unoaked variety. Not sure what's oaked and what's not? Ask your wine merchant or look for key words on the label like fresh, clean, fruity, or stainless-steel fermented that might indicate an unoaked Chardonnay. Words that imply an oaked style are toasty, vanilla, rich, smoke or creamy.

Check the alcohol percentage. High-alcohol wines will not only make you tipsier, they can also taste hot or harsh with all that food. Go slow and go low. Look for the alcohol percentage on the bottle before you buy. Choose wines below 13.5%, or save blowtorches for late in the meal. Zin lovers, beware – Zinfandels are generally higher in alcohol.

Be safe. Agree on who'll be the designated driver and stick to it. All that good food doesn't soak up alcohol and won't help your liver metabolize it any faster. Be careful not to flood your engines and if you do, give your car keys to the tee-totaler.

Next post, we'll give you a few suggestions on value-priced wines you can find around town or drop us a comment and we'll get them to you sooner. Watch for more wines we like on our Facebook page, too. Find the fan box in the right column of this blog and FAN our page today.