Anyone silly enough to have stuck with this site over the years might recall my thoughts on Thanksgiving. In their most abbreviated form: the perfect wine is a fool's errand, beer is where it's at, and, above all, don't let your focus be distracted from those around the table.
Still, every year I'm asked (and flattered to be) what I'll open for the Thanksgiving meal. Here's the answer to that.
We're (gasp!) getting take out. From a BBQ joint (wait, what?) No turkey (gasp-gasp!) Brisket and pulled pork instead (I can hear my mother's disappointed stare.) There'll also be mac and cheese, a hearty kale salad, and chocolate cake a friend is bringing. This menu simplifies the beverage formula immensely.
First, let's start with the warm-up part of the day (Chicago Bears vs Detroit Lions,) we'll be enjoying Maine Beer Company's Lunch bottling. My infatuation with this brewer's products and philosophy began earlier this year when a friend brought back a bottle of their Dinner beer. Take a look at their mission statement and you'll understand why this belongs on every Thanksgiving table.
As we move to the kitchen, we enter dicey territory. We're drinking a lot of Loire valley whites these days, which are a perfect amuse bouche for any meal. But drinking anything besides American feels somewhat sacrilegious on this holiday, so I might just grab a bottle of California sauvignon blanc for an affordable get-us-to-dinner wine.
As we pull re-heated take out from the oven, the BBQ sauce is the lowest (or highest, depending on how you look at it) denominator here. It demands something with heft and fruit and backbone. Thankfully, this is one thing the USA does well, and what domestic merlot does even better. There's a whole mess of Washington state reds in the cellar that are just coming out of their infancy, a few of which are merlot or merlot-heavy blends. If you're looking for something off the shelf and not outrageously expensive, Columbia Valley merlot is not an endangered species, but you're probably not lucky enough to be having Ray Ray's Hog Pit's tasty meats instead of turkey. Or, you could serve your turkey with BBQ sauce, grab a bottle of merlot, and call it a win.
We've also got an older bottle that should do well, 2012 Wrath Wines Pinot Noir KW Ranch from the Santa Lucia Highlands.
Finally, after a post-prandial walk of the dogs and rubbing of the bellies, we'll enjoy "just a little slice for me" cake. If at this point we're not yet speaking in tongues, I'll open a half bottle of California port. It's ageless and, particularly when made from grapes not normally used for port, can be phenomenally off-dry and balanced in a luxurious way. Elyse and Vincent Arroyo are prime candidates.
However you choose to complement your meal, I hope you'll take the easy path on your beverages so you can enjoy the people - present or not - around you.
