Thanksgiving Wine Special

There is such an amazing variety of wines available that its hard to choose. Each variety comes with a different flavor and aroma. In general, white wines complement lightly flavored meals, whereas red wines accentuate richly spiced up ones. Pairing therefore is essentially a skill one needs to excel in. My guests have varying tastes and in order to provide succour to each one's palate, I decided to delve into the world of wine online.

Red Wine

• Reminds me of the beautiful vineyards in France I had once witnessed. Red wine can be served with turkey breast, or stuffed with sausage, herbs, nuts and fruits as well. Its sensuous color and rich fruity aroma extols the spirt of fall. A highly aromatic wine, Pinot Noir (also called ' Starter Reds') is the most loved on any Thanksgiving table. It is generally light in body with a soft texture. Syrah, another variety has strong black pepper qualities. Cabernet Sauvignon, is characterized by its high tanin content which goes well with red meats, pasta and lamb.Tempranillo and Zinfandel are other quality wines.

Price range and variety:

• 1998 Borsao, Campo de Borja ($4.99)- Strawberry flavored and comes with a soft hint of cedar goes well with both dark and white meat.
  
• 1997 Chateau Valcombe, Cotes du Ventoux, Signature ($8.99)- Packed with the flavor of plums, dried figs and some hint of wood. This wine provides an authentic countryside feel.
  
• 2004 Napa Valley Pinot Noir; $32
  
• 2005 Petite Sirah; $26
  
• 2004 Napa Valley Merlot; $50

• 2002 Hogue Cellar's Cabernet Sauvignon (Washington) $10
  

White wine

• Chardonnay, made in a dry but fresh fruity style is perhaps the best pairing for turkey and other traditional side dishes. Some tangy ones are: Viognier, low on acidity and comes with the essence of peach, apricot and pear. Chenin Blanc, spicy and slightly sweet with high acidity. Sauvignon Blanc, light and crisp, with grassy or herbaceous flavors. Higher acidity. Riesling, from Washington or the Finger Lakes region of New York are great for Thanksgiving dinner. Either dry or sweet as well as spicy, with touches of peach or apricots and a floral fragrance, this wine appeals to a wide audience. Gewurztraminer, dry or sweet. These wines are highly aromatic with floral touches and spice notes such as cloves or nutmeg. They pair well with Asian dishes, chicken wings or barbeque.
  

Price range and variety:

• 2005 Macrostie Winery & Vineyards Chardonnay $16.99
  Pale gold in color, the aromas are tropical fruit mixed with a bit of herb, like pineapple sage. In the mouth it is quite rich, more like pineapple upside-down cake, minus the sugar.
  
• 2001 Chappellet Dry Chenin Blanc ($13)

• 2005 Viognier Sanford & Bendict Vineyard; $35
  
• Claiborne & Churchill Vintners
  1998 Dry Gewürztraminer, $12- With .03% residual sugar, a tinge of sweetness makes the flavors more approachable to the American palate than a traditional Alsatian style.
  
• 2004 Gewürztraminer

• 2005 Sauvignon Blanc; $11
  
  
• Trefethem-2005 Dry Riesling; $18- Exotic taste of apple blossom, tropical fruit and lime.
  

Sparkling Wine

• The fine bubbly bite of a great sparkling wine makes any event more lively and special. If you're serving a sparkling wine with dinner, be sure it is labeled brut (which means it is dry) and not a sweet sparkling wine such as Italy's Asti Spumante.Another good choice for a delicious sparkling wine for this holiday meal is one from the Loire Valley in France. These wines are made from the Chenin Blanc grape, and offer fresh and luscious fruit flavors that harmonize well with all of the traditional Thanksgiving delights.
  

Price range and variety:

• Blanc de Noir; $34
  
• Krug Grande Année Brut $130
  
• 1999 Perrier Jouët Fleur de Champagne Blanc de Blancs $220
  
• Pugliese Vineyards Sparkling Merlot $16.99
  An ideal dessert accompaniment.
  
• Simple Peach Sparkling Peach $13.99
  

Rose Wines

• It's true that dry rose wines go well with almost any dish, and with so many flavors on the table at Thanksgiving, rose can be a great choice. If your taste runs to drier wines, a rose from the Cotes du Rhone or Provence regions in France will be light, crisp, and flavorful, but won't overpower the meal. A dry rose from California--made from one of the Rhone grape varieties such as Grenache--will also nicely fill the bill.
  If your tastes run to the slightly sweeter and fruitier wines, White Zinfandel is a good choice, with supple, ripe fruit flavors that fit right in with sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, and the sweet onion flavors of most stuffings.
  

Price range and variety:

• 2005 Syrah; $17
  
• 2004 Francis Coppola Sofia Pinot Noir Rose $13.99
  
• Bright and lively, this wine offers generous flavors of juicy black cherry, raspberry and kiwi fruit while being dry and refreshing on the palate
  
• 2005 Wolffer Estate Rose $9.99
  
• Peter Vella White Zinfandel $14.99
  
• 2005 Beringer White Zinfandel $12.99
  

For more information, click on:

• http://wine.about.com/b/a/218157.htm

Online retailers:

• http://www.novusvinum.com/features/thanksgiving_wines.html
• http://www.wine.com/wineshop/
• http://www.americaswineshop.com/index.html
• http://www.thewineclub.com/
• http://www.hitimewine.net/

In case you would like some tips on How to pick a wine on Thanksgiving, click here.