Thursday, November 12, 2017

Susan has chosen her top 13 wines for the holiday that pair especially well with Thanksgiving fare. Enjoy!

#1: Sometimes you have a bottle and everything is in perfect harmony. To me this is the 2013 Colombera & Garella Coste Della Sesia Rosso. Man, oh man, is this special. A Nebbiolo blended with Croatina and Vespolina grapes from volcanic terrior. Fermented in concrete, aged in used barrique. Tannins are soft, aromas of cranberry and rose petals. Serve this brilliant red just a wee bit chilled. | @colomberaegarella is one of the new projects from Cristiano Garella, the Alto Piemontese wünderkind who made wines at Tenute Sella (Lessona) through 2013. | #13thanksgivingwines #winecountdown#colomberaegarella #costedellasesia#piemonte

#2: The winds are brisker, and the red wines you’re craving are bolder. 2015 Brunier ‘Mégaphone’ packs that Syrah black pepper spice, complimented by fresh, ruby-red fruit of the Grenache. It has a backbone of chewy tannins, with a dose black olive and sage notes. | This classic blend from Vignobles Brunier embodies the holdings by the Brunier family in the Southern Rhône. Brothers Frédéric and Daniel Brunier are 4th generation winemakers and work hard to solidify the legacy left by their father, Henri, and their grandfather, Hippolyte. They oversee an array of properties, including La Roquète (Chateâuneuf-du-Pape), Les Pallières (Gigondas), and Le Pigeoulet (Vin de Pays de Vaucluse). They’ve even expanded their activities to Lebanon, where they’re now winegrowers at Massaya in the Bekaa Valley! | #13thanksgivingwines#winecountdown #kermitlynch#vignoblesbrunier #rhônebaby#mégaphone

#3: “I think every woman should have a blowtorch.” -Julia Child | Christina Netzl is one of Austria's top young winemakers specializing in Zweigelt in the eastern Carnuntum region. For her 2014 Netzl Carnuntum Cuvée, 40% Zweigelt pumps out bright red fruit, 40% Blaufrankisch gives intensity and structure, and 20% Merlot adds richness and spice. Ripe aromas of blueberries and white pepper, and aged for 16 months in used oak casks. Elegant enough for your turkey feast, but easy enough to sip on while you cook and channel Julia Child. | #13thanksgivingwines #winecountdown#austria #netzl #juliachild #weloveyoujulia

#4: Camin Larredya Jurançon Sec! This superb dry white is blended with the grapes Gros Manseng, Petit Manseng, and Petit Courbu, aged in foudres and kept ‘sur lie’ for at least six months. The natural acidity and bright citrus notes, combined with a rich, powerful, waxy nose of yellow plum and honey, will make this biodynamic wine a hit with your cheese platter or traditional Thanksgiving spread. | The Grussaute family have a small but remarkable vineyard situated in the Chapelle de Rousse area of Jurançon in Southwest, France. The word “Camin,” used instead of Domaine, is the local dialect for road. | #13thanksgivingwines #winecountdown#jurancon #grussaute

#5: Punta Crena’s ‘Cruvin’ is from the rare and indigenous grape varietal Crovino. For over 500 years, the Ruffino family has been tending vineyards in Liguria, overlooking the Mediterranean in northern Italy. To this day, they still use traditional winemaking methods and ethos that their ancestors did hundreds of years ago. ‘Cruvin’ means ‘to fall’ in local dialect because the Crovino grape easily falls off the vine when it’s ripe. The curious fox on the label is sitting under the vine waiting for the grapes to ripen, and then…Mangia! Let’s eat! Open this alongside some cranberry sauce and that monstrous turkey sandwich post feast day. It’s juicy like a Beaujolais Cru, with some pepper and funky notes like a Rhône, and rustic like a Piedmontese Barbera. All around, a perfect Thanksgiving pairing. | #13thanksgivingwines#winecountdown #puntacrena #liguria#crovino #foxy

#6: the legend, Jean Paul Brun, makes Beaujolais Blanc too! Yes, that’s right, Beaujolais can be white wine too. This steel fermented Chardonnay shows elegance and restraint at first sip! On the palate, the wine is deep and full-bodied, with bright acidity, and a long finish full of peach and apple notes. This is every bit as satisfying as a top Mâcon and sells for far less, making it also an incredible value! Think of that oily turkey leg and buttery mashed potatoes, and you have your Chardonnay picked out for every one of your relatives, even the pickiest of wine drinkers! | #13thanksgivingwines#winecountdown #jeanpaulbrun#beaujolaisblanc #chardonnay#burgundybabes

#7: Have we mentioned we love @donkeyandgoat 😂 - our favorite Northern Californian vigernons making some of the best (the best?) natural juice in the US! D&G Isabel’s Cuvée Rosé is named after one of Jared and Tracey’s two daughters (the other is Lily and she has her own unbelievable sparkling Chardonnay!) | This rosé is all sass and class. We held onto a case of the 2016 for the holiday because with a little time in bottle, it’s even more of a treat with some age. Picture this: a glass of Isabel with a heap of homemade cranberry sauce and sweet potatoes. 😋 With a heady floral nose of strawberry leaves and spicy blood orange, this Grenache Gris soars in texture, finesse, and a mineral finish. Aged in neutral French oak and unfiltered - save that last glass for an adventurous drinker who isn’t afraid of natural sediment (the last glass is always the most delicious)! | This is Donkey & Goat’s oldest running wine - the 2016 Isabel’s Cuvée is their 13th vintage from the historic Gibson Ranch in the McDowell Valley, dating back to the late 1800’s and home to the oldest planting of Grenache Gris in the USA! | | #13thanksgivingwines#winecountdown #donkeyandgoat#isabelscuvee #roséforturkeyday

#8: Forlorn Hope ‘Que Saudade’ is a white wine with the crystalline elegance of an aged old world Chardonnay, with the rustic charm of a Californian Verdelho (yes, Verdelho!), made by the one and only Matthew Rorick from Forlorn Hope. Rorick’s wines have a driving theme: big, rich, lower in alcohol, yet fresh and mineral driven. With notes of golden apples, straw, and meyer lemon, this Verdehlo is unctuous, oily, chewy, and decadent, yet light on its feet on the finish - it’s a horse that starts at a trot and moves to a canter. Lasso this baby, it’s a winner. It will totally rock your Thanksgiving table! | @forlornhopewinesbased out of the Sierra Foothills, CA, tend to their own vines, and work with a handful of growers, and try to never add anything but natural yeasts and limited sulfur to their wines. This Verdelho hails from Rorick’s own vineyard in Calaveras County, as well as the certified organic DeWitt and Vista Luna vineyards. Hand harvested, whole cluster pressed, and fermented in a combination of stainless steel and neutral puncheon. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. | #13thanksgivingwines #winecountdown#forlornhope #quesaudade #verdelho

#9: What would Thanksgiving be without a lil’ Beaujolais? Here is 2016 Vieilles Vignes from organic grower and winemaker Xavier Benier. Xavier is the youngest in a small family of growers in southern Beaujolais. He hand harvests his 6.5 hectares of vines atop soils of red sand and clay. His Gamay (all Beaujolais rouge is from the Gamay grape!) is so expressive! It speaks to you like one of your favorite holiday songs: full of cheer, warmth, and joy. It’s got the red fruit in the nose, finishing dry with ripe tannins that speak of Beaujolais terroir. Come get Xavier’s delicious Beaujolais while it’s still here! | #13thanksgivingwines #winecountdown#beaujolais #xavierbenier#gamayforturkeyday

#10: A biodynamic, pétillant naturel from the Loire Valley! All Chenin Blanc bubbles that go aaaahhhh in your mouth. Imagine taking that bite of pre-or-post-Thanksgiving-dinner cheese, accompanied by the glorious Folles Bulles (‘crazy bubbles’) from Domaine La Folle Berthe. On the nose, there are ample pear and orange marmalade notes; in the mouth, fine bubbles with notes of toasted almonds and brioche. Cheese pairing suggestion: Urchrüter, from Swiss cow’s milk, that is silky, smooth, and buttery, with a hint of sweet walnut flavors. | Loire winemaker David Foubert, is a former Parisian journalist, who moved to Saumur for a life change and to study winemaking. His first vintage was in 2014, and he now farms vine parcels leased from the recently retired Philippe Gourdon - but Philippe can’t stay away! He can still be found in the vineyard lending a hand to David! | #13thanksgivingwines #winecountdown#cheninblanc #lafolleberthe #loirevalley#bubsfordinner #follesbulles

#11: 2014 Côte de Bourg, Les Demoiselles de Falfas. Véronique Cochran makes all biodynamic wine on a 20-hectare property on the Right Bank of the Gironde River in Bordeaux. This Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon blend is aged in stainless steel, seeing no oak, and is meant to be enjoyed while young. Balanced, round, generous, and earthy-crunchy, full of black fruit and smooth tannins, without a lack of slight gamey notes while you sip. If this wine were a fictional character, it would be Clare Fraser from the Outlander series – outspoken, svelte, somewhat brassy, and shrouded in a bit of mystery. | The beautiful Louis XIII-styled Château Falfas is one of the four great crus of Bordeaux’s Côtes de Bourg. Rebuilt in 1612 on foundations that date back to the Hundred Years’ War, this historic château is situated on clay and silica soil over a deep limestone bedrock of fossilized oysters, a classic combination for growing great wines in Bordeaux. | #13thanksgivingwines#winecountdown #bordeaux #cotesdebourg#chateaufalfas

#12: 2016 Muscari Tomajoli ‘Nethun’ - an organic Vermentino from the hills of Tarquinia, Lazio (Italy) - just a quick ride to the Mediterranean Sea! Marco Musari is a 32-year-old vigneron who inherited property from his late father. @vinimuscaritomajoli once belonged to Marco’s grandfather, who also grew olives and various crops, and always dreamed of making wine in Lazio. Marco’s special Vermentino is intensely aromatic with notes of daffodils, grapefruit, cedar, sage, and tropical fruits. It has a full-bodied roundness in the mouth, and a pop of mineral drive on the finish, thanks to its vines atop calcareous clay soil beds. It will absolutely stun your friends and family! Plus, Vermentino is an ultimate (and highly underrated) food pairing wine! It is ideal with oily turkey meat, creamy leek soup, asparagus, artichokes, roasted veggies, and definitely cheese! | The four fish on the label is a drawing by Guido Silconi, based on frescos found in local Etruscan caves. Tarquinia was once the Etruscan capital, before the Romain invasion. | #13thanksgivingwines #winecountdown#muscaritomajoli #vermentino#doastheromansdo

#13: Magnum of Filippi Soave! This is tutto Garganega, fermented in stainless steel vats. Vigna della Bra has enticing aromas of apple pie and pears, and is super mineral-driven on the palate. Towering above the valley just fifteen kilometers east of Verona, Filippo Filippi oversees the secluded vineyards and woodlands of this tranquil, special place in the Veneto. | Happy Thanksgiving everyone! We are closed today and reopen tomorrow at 11am. | #13thanksgivingwines #winecountdown#soave #filippofilippi

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!