On Thanksgiving Day, don't give your guests something to whine about. Ditch the cheap Yellow Tail and find them a tasty drink that can play sidekick to the buttery, rich flavors on the table.
Don't know much about wine? Owner Mark Thomson of Plaza Liquors takes us through some of his favorite Turkey Day styles, with recommendations for each.
Pinot Noir: Because of their light, delicate character and cherry notes, pinots are the perfect choice for Thanksgiving dinner. "You don’t want to drink a wine that overwhelms the food," Thomson says. Pinot is originally from Burgundy, France, but Plaza carries some excellent American varietals from two big pinot regions, The Russian River Valley in California and the Willamette Valley in Oregon.
Favorites:
Bearboat Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, California, $15
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Elk Cove Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon, $28.99
Beaujolais Nouveau: This go-to Thanksgiving wine is popular for a reason: The sweet, cranberry taste of the fresh grapes marries perfectly with the cranberries on the dinner table, Thomson says. While also from France, this unaged wine became an American tradition because it was consistently released right before Thanksgiving, offering the first taste of the year's vintage.
Plaza carries two varieties of Beaujolais Nouveau by Georges Duboeuf for $10 and under, and is expecting to bring in another brand before Thanksgiving.
Riesling: For lovers of white, Thomson thinks a dry Riesling from Germany or Washington State is one of the best things you can put on the Thanksgiving table. Its apricot honey notes are well balanced by the acidity and effervescence of the wine, making it a light pairing for Thanksgiving flavors.
Favorites:
Snoqualmie, Columbia Valley, Washington, $9.00
Clean Slate, Mosel River Valley, Germany, $10.50
Chardonnay: The rich buttery notes on a typical California Chardonnay play very well with the Thanksgiving turkey, Thomson says. It's important to pick the right one though, because too much oak can overwhelm the other flavors on the plate.
His pick:
Cloisonné, Russian River Valley, California, $16.45
Beer!
Let's take a moment to pause and be thankful. Isn't it absolutely amazing how far in America this working man's drink has come from its humble Milwaukee days, that we're now writing about the different varieties and embracing it on the holiday table? How wonderful is that!!!!
We asked Plaza beer specialist Gabriel Romero for some of his favorites both here and abroad. You can find him drinking an Odell's IPA any time of year, but for a winter specialty, he recommends:
Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome Ale, North Yorkshire, UK, $2.33 for a 12-ounce bottle, $3.85 for a pint bottle
New Belgium Accumulation White IPA, Fort Collins, Colorado, $1.48 for a 12-ounce bottle
Young’s Double Chocolate Stout, Bedford, UK, $2.98 for a 12-ounce bottle
Cheers!
