I'm done trying to pair Reds with Turkey

[Ken_V]

We had a 2007 G. Conterno Barbera Cascina Francia that worked well.

[Howard_Cooper]

@David K o l i n

Had a '75 Chateau Palmer last night that matched up well, but I don’t each cranberries or sweet potato (with or without marshmallows)

I did similarly. Had a 1975 Leoville las Cases.

[john_stimson]

There’s no way you can match the wine with all the food that’s served. The wine served with the actual meal for me ends up being a small segment of the wine consumed, so I just serve what I want to drink. I actually think riesiling does the best-alsatian prob best, but I prefer white and particularly red burgundy, so that’s what I serve. These things do fine with the turkey, dressing, potato, and gravy core of the meal. Particularly a fruity, generous acid, younger burg. (I think Beajolais is a good idea, but I just haven’t caught the bug yet)

[Jody_Smith]

We started with some plebian bubbles, Fieulatte then moved on to an Aubert Lauren. Those were too easy, and my wife wanted red. I pulled the ultimate anti-pairing move and poured an 06 El Nido. Yep, El Nido and Turkey.

[Peter_Kleban]

@alan weinberg

@John Morris

Turkey isn’t the problem. It’s the flippin’ cranberries and marshmellowed sweet potatoes.

exactly–it’s the sides which dictate the wine.
alan

I agree. None of our sides were too sweet (no marshmallows or anything close) or tart (the cranberry sauce was made with agave and I don’t know what else that somehow rendered it neither as sweet nor as acid as it usually is). The turkey was organic and not bitter in the least. All this (and more) went very well with

Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve 2003 Merlot

brought (in Jeroboam!) by one of our guests. Really a nice wine, never would have sprung for it myself, but it worked very well.

[Harry_C]

The best red I’ve had with Turkey is aged Rioja.

[M_Dildine]

@Brian Loring

Champagne is our family wine of choice for Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. I gave up on reds as well many years ago…

I’m drinking a very tasty LWC 09 “SLH” as I write this. I’m thinking this would have been pretty great with turkey.

[Brian_G_r_a_f_s_t_r_o_m]

@Joe Hauck

@Brian G r a f s t r o m

good call, Joe. while there may be some reds that work well with turkey, i think there’s a wide variety of whites that perform much better. we had a 2008 M. Chapoutier - St. Joseph blanc (100% Marsanne) with our turkey and it was an amazing pairing.

how was that Bert Simon? I happened to purchase a bottle of that wine a couple weeks ago b/c K&L had a good deal on it.

It was so Good!!

Awesome!

[Paul_F_a_r_a_c_i]

@Jody Smith

We started with some plebian bubbles, Fieulatte then moved on to an Aubert Lauren. Those were too easy, and my wife wanted red. I pulled the ultimate anti-pairing move and poured an 06 El Nido. Yep, El Nido and Turkey.

Ew. Loads of coffee, oak, no acid, and turkey. Sounds like Prince Charles and Carmen Electra.

[bretrooks]

We did two pinot noirs with the traditional Thanksgiving dinner, and they each worked well with turkey and various sides, even if there wasn’t really a standout pairing: 2009 Paro Sonoma Mountain and 2006 Failla Occidental Ridge. Both were quite nice, but the best pairing of the day for me was a 2004 Lone Madrone Nebbiolo with stuffed mushrooms.

[Brian_G_r_a_f_s_t_r_o_m]

@bretrooks

… the best pairing of the day for me was a 2004 Lone Madrone Nebbiolo with stuffed mushrooms.

I always enjoy this wine and its versatility with various foods.

[Thomas_Keim]

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@A. Christiansen

Beaujolais

With a slight chill - the only red that consistently works with Turkey -

[Enzo_Ruffalo]

[drsugarman]

1997 Produttori Barbaresco Montestefano Riserva - was a poor match
2004 P. Morey Meursault Tessons - worked quite well.

[GregT]

Not Thanksgiving w/out cranberries. They have to be there. And if you’re a wine drinker, obviously you won’t be using some frozen or canned crap either.

Sweet potatoes are fine, but just cube them and roast them with some rosemary or sage or thyme and butter. We have those fairly often in the winter and they work with whatever we’re drinking. Or don’t. I’m not always sure but I usually just pick a wine I want to drink and don’t worry about pairing. I just sip the wine when I don’t have a particular taste in my mouth.

I’m biased in favor of Riesling for Thanksgiving though, since that’s what I grew up with as a kid. But we always open some reds too. I think the key is to avoid a lot of oak and other than that, pretty much everything works - Nebbiolo, Barbera, Beaujolais, Zin, Pinot Noir, etc. As mentioned, it’s not the turkey itself that you’re pairing.

But for the day after, with cold turkey sandwiches, it’s Rioja.

[Peter_Kleban]

@GregT

I think the key is to avoid a lot of oak and other than that, pretty much everything works - Nebbiolo, Barbera, Beaujolais, Zin, Pinot Noir, etc. As mentioned, it’s not the turkey itself that you’re pairing.

I beg to differ:

@Peter Kleban

None of our sides were too sweet (no marshmallows or anything close) or tart (the cranberry sauce was made with agave and I don’t know what else that somehow rendered it neither as sweet nor as acid as it usually is). The turkey was organic and not bitter in the least. All this (and more) went very well with

Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve 2003 Merlot

brought (in Jeroboam!) by one of our guests. Really a nice wine, never would have sprung for it myself, but it worked very well.

This K-J is VERY oaky, but still in balance with the Merlot. Paired very well with just about everything.

[craig_v]

I think I’m done with Turkey. Next year its Cornish Hen or seafood.

@Joe Hauck

I’ve tried a lot of different Reds- Zins, Cali Pinot, Burg, CDP, even Cab. This year I went a different route, while still having another amazing '07 Scherrer OMV Zin for pre-dinner. It just seems that the richness of the gravy, stuffing, yams, Mashed Potatoes, etc… just doesn’t seem to work for me…

Problem is now solved- 2002 Bert Simon Serriger Würtzberg Riesling Auslese

Up there with the best food matches that I’ve had. Reisling and Turkey = major win

[Joe_Hauck]

@craig vanderah

I think I’m done with Turkey. Next year its Cornish Hen or seafood.

@Joe Hauck

I’ve tried a lot of different Reds- Zins, Cali Pinot, Burg, CDP, even Cab. This year I went a different route, while still having another amazing '07 Scherrer OMV Zin for pre-dinner. It just seems that the richness of the gravy, stuffing, yams, Mashed Potatoes, etc… just doesn’t seem to work for me…

Problem is now solved- 2002 Bert Simon Serriger Würtzberg Riesling Auslese

Up there with the best food matches that I’ve had. Reisling and Turkey = major win

Blasphemy

[Graeme_Gee]

The traditional Australian match has been sparkling shiraz; not a cheap sweet one but something decent from Seppelt, Rockford, Leasingham, Barossa Estate (E&E), etc. Just bear in mind that Christmas turkey is served in the middle of summer, so it mightn’t always translate too well to the northern hemisphere at the same time of year…
cheers,
G

[Chris_Seiber]

I’ve moved in the opposite direction conceptually. Instead of trying to find the optimal food-wine pairings, I served wines this year that were merely passable/adequate in the wine pairing department but which were wines which, standing alone, my relatives and their friends would enjoy.

So, instead of ending dinner with a table full of barely-touched Spanish rose, Beaujolais, gewurtztraminer, etc. like I did last year, this year I went with two bottles each of 2007 Sanford La Rinconada Chardonnay and 2005 Cargasacchi Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills, then a 2001 Chateau de Malle Sauternes to go with dessert.

I think most “civilians” care more about having wines they like (on a stand alone basis) than ones that are the most optimal match to the food. And you never get that perfect of a match on Thanksgiving dinner anyways, what with the huge variety of things all served simultaneously.

I might rethink the Sauternes next time, as I’m not sure how many civilians get it, but the chardonnay and California pinot seemed to work pretty well with me and the overall group, as would probably a number of other mainstream choices.

[Having said all of that, I understand and admire those of you whose focus is on perfecting the match rather than finding common ground with the relatives and neighbors. More power to you.]