The Cellar: Thanksgiving Add-Ons

Email to a friend Permalink

Thursday, November 27, 2014

GoLocalWorcester Food Team

Thanksgiving is upon us and if you’re into wine then you have probably already been bombarded with dozens of wine recommendations and suggested food and wine pairings. So instead of recommending the traditional white and red, I have decided to talk about two other categories of wine that I think are great for Thanksgiving - wines that will be on my table: Bubbles & Dessert Wine.

NV Paul Cheneau, Blanc de Blancs, Reserva, Cava, Penedes, Spain

I like to pour bubbles as an aperitif and Spanish Cavas are among my absolute favorites. I have always hailed Cavas for being (generally) of good quality and delicious, not to mention great values. While most $10 Cavas are meant to be straightforward sparklers there is a more serious side to this category – a wine perfect for greeting your Thanksgiving guests – the Cava Reservas. These wines exude more ‘champagne-like’ characteristics including increased intensity of bubbles and flavor, more pronounced acidity along with the traditional yeasty and biscuity flavors and aromas associated with good traditionally made sparkling wines - characteristics that come with extended bottle aging.  That said these wines are often still very reasonably priced at well under $20.

The traditional grape varieties that form the base in most Cavas are the indigenous grape varieties Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel-lo. That said the Champagne grapes Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are also being used in some Cavas, especially in better quality examples like this week’s Reserva from Paul Cheneau. To qualify as a ‘Reserva’ the wine must age for a minimum of 15 months in the bottle, as opposed to 9 months for basic Cava. Cheneau’s Reserva ‘Blanc de Blanc’ has 10% Chardonnay in the base blend and has been aged for 24 months. The result is a deliciously intense sparkling wine that boasts of dry fruits, toast and citrus. Delicious.

Taylor Fladgate ’20 Year Old Tawny Porto’, Oporto, Portugal

Port is a category of wine that remains largely overlooked by the general public. If you think Port is something exclusively found in your grandmother’s dusty cabinets, it is time to think again. Fortified wine, which has been made and traded since the 17th century, remains a popular category among connoisseurs for good reason. Not only are Ports super versatile when it comes pairing with food, they are also often great values. This week’s featured Port is one of the most popular Ports in the US; the 20 Year Old Tawny from the iconic producer Taylor Fladgate. 

All Port wines start their life as any other regional red wines and are made from grapes sourced from the hot and arid Douro Valley. Each Port house has their own signature blend; most of them based on the traditional grape varieties Touriga Nacional , Tinta Barroca, Tinta Cão, Tinta Roriz (aka Tempranillo) and Touriga Francesa. During fermentation, however, grape brandy is added to the fermenting must killing all the yeasts bringing fermentation to a screeching halt. The result is a densely colored red wine that is high in alcohol, as well as high in non-converted residual grape sugar. In making Tawny Port the wine then goes to age.

As the name indicates the base wine in Taylor’s ‘20 Year Old Tawny’ has been aged for an average of 20 years in oak barrels. The extended aging causes the wine to oxidize and with oxidation comes a concentration of flavors, as well as a change of color from dark red (ruby) to brown (tawny). Taylor’s 20 Year Tawny is ready to drink and absolutely delectable with aromas and flavors of hazelnuts, fig preserves with hints of clove. While sweet and rich, this wine is by no means cloying as it finishes surprisingly savory. Try this stunning wine with milk chocolate desserts, nuts or dried fruits. Or pair with a cheese plate as Tawny Ports generally pair well with hard cheeses.

Cheers & Happy Thanksgiving!

Steffen Rasch is a Certified Sommelier and Specialist of Wine. Feel free to email him at [email protected] with any wine-related question or learn about wine in person by signing up for one of his tastings through the Providence Wine Academy.

Related Articles

• The Cellar: Late Summer Values
• The Cellar: New Zealand Pinot Noir
• The Cellar: The King of Wines
• The Cellar: Last Chance for Rosé
• The Cellar: Two Wines You Should Always Have On Hand
• The Cellar: Expand Your Palate
• The Cellar: For the Love of Cabernet (Franc)
• The Cellar: 3rd Annual Wine, Cheese and Chocolate Market
• The Cellar: The Other Pinot
• The Cellar: Aged Rioja and a Great Chardonnay
• The Cellar: The Making of a World Class Wine
• The Cellar: 2 Outstanding (unusual) Reds
• The Cellar: Loire & More Day 1
• The Cellar: Loire & More Day 9
• The Cellar: Loire & More Day 8
• The Cellar: Loire & More Day 10
• The Cellar: Wines That Get Better With Time
• The Cellar: Traveling Loire
• The Cellar: Loire & More Day 7
• The Cellar: Loire & More Day 6
• The Cellar: Loire & More Day 2
• The Cellar: Loire & More Day 3
• The Cellar: Loire & More Day 4
• The Cellar: Loire & More Day 5
• The Cellar: 2 Great Values

Enjoy this post? Share it with others.

Email to a friend Permalink