While You're Dishing Up All Your Favorite Foods This Thanksgiving, You Don’t Want to Forget the Wine. These Five Northern Californian Varietals Will Add the Perfect Top Notes to Your Thanksgiving Feast
1. Cabernet Franc
This wine from Pine Ridge Vineyards in the Stags Leap District is perfect for a traditional Thanksgiving meal, as it pairs well with sweet and savory combinations alike. Hand harvested in October, the grapes chosen for this bottle result in a rich crimson color with notes of wild blueberry, toasted oak, and black currant. Due to vertical planting, grapes used for this wine are smaller and packed with incredible flavor to ensure firm tannins and a palpable but smooth midpalate weight.
2. 2015 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
All five of the cabernet sauvignon vineyards at Corley Family Napa Valley Monticello Vineyards were used to create this full-bodied wine with blackberry and blueberry aromatics. While cabernet sauvignon is typically paired with dark red meats like steak rather than the traditional Thanksgiving turkey, consider serving this with a charcuterie appetizer that features smoked gouda or aged cheddar.
3. 2012 Le Rêve Blanc de Blances
If you’d like to make a Thanksgiving toast with something bubbly, pick up the 2012 Le Rêve from Domaine Carneros. This winery was founded by the Taittinger family from Champagne, France, and their sparkling wines strictly follow the traditional method. Using estate-grown Chardonnay to craft this exquisite sparkling wine, no other drink perfectly encapsulates the Domaine Carneros’ flavor and finesse.
4. 2016 Palmaz Vineyards Louise Riesling
Now vintage, this Palmaz Vineyards Riesling has had time to reach its full flavor potential, which makes it a perfect choice for your Thanksgiving get-together. Both floral and citrusy, this mature wine is an excellent pair for hors d’oeuvres as you begin hosting. Because this variety had no barrel-aging, it remains crisp and light on the palate. Palmaz Vineyards respects the importance of the grapes in creating stunning wines and has worked to honor the vineyards they tend for two generations by combining innovative technology with age-old tradition.
5. 2014 IL PASSITO Reserve
After dinner, try this beautiful wax-sealed dessert wine from Castello di Amorosa. Honeyed and spicy, this “noble rot” wine was made from overripe sémillon and sauvignon blanc grapes experiencing botrytis to increase the sugar content. Serve with dried fruit or, if you can’t wait until dessert, pair this wine with foie gras or slow-roasted gammon.
Holidays are the perfect time to gather, and these wines will keep your guests coming back for seconds. Want to move to the area where these delicious wines are made? If you’re interested in learning more about Napa Valley luxury real estate or Napa Valley estates, contact me today.
