Didn’t see a thread on this yet. What are you drinking? Traveling? Cooking anything amazing?
Love this holiday. Always travel to GA to see my side of the family. For wines, I try to do something American. Never open anything special though. Just gets lost with the food imho. Also, it’s a big affair at my parents’ house. Way too many people and the focus is just hanging out with family, so try to keep it casual. Was thinking about a Turley Zin or a Pinot of some sort. Will probably have some sort of bubbles too.
Going to my sisters house, head count is 35. We bought a case of Pinot during the recent Wtso sale, also have close to a case of Bollinger special cuvée. For post dinner will have a 1970 Grahams VP and a Yquem to go with a cheeses and dessert.
Start the day around 10 with bloody Mary’s to take the edge off before the real eating and drinking starts around noon, dinner served at 2:30/3, dessert around 5, and so on.
Like you, I don’t put special or fancy wines out- they just get lost in the culinary rugby scrum that is “el Dia de Gracias”.
We keep the Pinot and Kab/Spat Rieslings flowing. Champagne is never wrong. Bordelet Pear cider is excellent and the low alcohol makes for a brighter afternoon.
T-day is my favorite holiday of the year, built around a shared meal, laughter and no expectations of gifts. In our house, everyone is family on Thanksgiving.
I love Riesling for Thanksgiving but my wife hates it and it would always get a lukewarm reception from others when I brought it, so I just stopped. Tried everything trocken to spatlese to see if was a sugar thing and nope. It was just a Riesling thing haha.
Will have a smaller celebration with a few of my brothers and their significant others. None of them are big wine drinkers so will keep it light - most likely a bottle of our new Cab Franc pet Nat, a bottle of our The Outlier (dryish Gewurz) and most likely a bottle of Beaujolais . . .
Just gonna be me and my folks this year. They only drink Napa cabs, and I’m trying to get them to try something new. Picked out a Foillard Beaujolais and a 2000 Lagrange - hopefully they’ll like it
Usually I’m in the camp of ‘the good stuff gets lost in the chaos’. Last year, though, I was rummaging around in the cellar and came across a bottle of 86 Chasse-Spleen. Some will recall there was an ex-chateau release (dump?) of this vintage a couple of years back. I decided, eff it, let’s put this on the table and see what happens. Then my sister in law (fellow wine geek) shows up with a 1971 Auslese (can’t recall the producer, wasn’t a big name). To our surprise, both were big hits with the non-wine nerd crowd. Both were absolutely in tertiary territory and also completely sound bottles.
So all of this is to say I have no idea what to serve this year.
Small gathering at our house, my wife’s dad and Aunt, plus two other empty-nester friends. I’ll be again doing the spatchcock-and-smoke method for the turkey, and as for wine, it’s a real mixed bag of drinkers, near impossible to determine what to open.
To ‘pair’ with Thanksgiving, the only wines my wife would like would be Champagne or Zinfandel. Her dad likes richer Cabs and Chardonnay, but more ‘mass produced’ type stuff, though higher end on that category. Aunt Barb orders ‘house Merlot’ at any restaurant, and her favorite wine is Blackstone Merlot, so there’s that. Friends are all over the place as well, preferring Pinot for one, and the other tequila at this point. Fun!
Going to my daughter and SIL’s home, for first turkey day for the granddaughter (just turned 10 months). Daughter’s mom (my ex) and her husband will also be joining the celebration. The drinking will be light (will be some of the first wine drinking my daughter has done, since her pregnancy). I am thinking of taking either a Goodfellow or a Patricia Green, but haven’t yet decided on vintage. I will be making and bringing my apple pie.
A tale of two Thanksgivings, super small gathering for an early dinner, I’ll likely open a Pinot (PGC or Goodfellow) for that. After a glass, we’ll go see my dad and sneak his favorite NA beer into the nursing home. Then after, we’ll go to friends house who are big Napa cab drinkers, we’ll probably bring a W&M or Alpha Omega (both of which they visited with us earlier this year)
My sister and B-I-L are coming in, plus my adult kids. BIL loves Carlisle. Son likes BDX and Rhone. Daughther is Chanpagne fan. I will do the European wines Wed and Friday. T-day will be all American. Carlisle and some Arcadian for sure, maybe some others
Hosting family with a traditional Thanksgiving meal. A Tribute to Grace Grenache pairs well with a number of the different dishes we serve, so I have a few bottles readied for the meal. Maybe some Champagne to start.
New to champagne. I bought 4 different NV champagnes with a plan to see which style I like the most. No idea how different these styles are, and they are all highly rates on CT and bought for $50-65. Any recommendations re decanting or air would be appreciated.
Vilmart Brut Champagne Grand Cellier 1er Cru NV
Egly-Ouriet Extra Brut Champagne Les Prémices NV
Agrapart Extra Brut Terroirs Grand Cru NV
Bérêche & Fils Brut Champagne Réserve NV
