Given the different flavors of the meal, choosing a Thanksgiving wine that can take you through stuffing and turkey to cranberry sauce and sweet potatoes to green beans and pie can be a tough choice.
Or you could just let us pick. This year, we tapped SHED Beverage and Café Manager Patricia Philitsa to give us her best bets for your Thanksgiving wine shopping. All of them are available at our Healdsburg store. Stop by and let us help you load up!
2014 Davis Family Rosé de Noir, Russian River Valley ($60)
Made entirely from Pinot Noir grapes from cool climate Dutton Ranch in Russian River Valley. This limited production sparkling rosé is light and elegant with nuanced layers of orange blossom, rose petal, and bright Bing cherry.
2014 Inman Family Winery Pinot Gris, Russian River Valley ($37)
With its delicate aromas, opulent texture. and balanced acidity, Pinot Gris is an ideal food wine. Fermented in stainless steel, this crisp white wine has notes of tart nectarine, quince, and lime zest with a bouquet of white peach and baking spice.
2013 Robert Sinksey Pinot Blanc, 375ml, Los Carneros ($21)
Planted in three prime Carneros vineyards, this wine achieves optimal ripeness while maintaining a vibrant structure and refreshing mouthfeel. Fresh pear complimented by tart notes of kaffir lime and green almond. No oak, but a delicious yeasty-toast essence.
2014 Ryme Chardonnay, Ritchie Vineyard, Russian River Valley ($34)
Ritchie Vineyard is planted in the center of RRV and sits on fluffy Goldridge soils that produce concentrated fruit resulting in Chardonnay with great depth and richness. Aromatic notes of citrus, white florals, and stone fruit. This chardonnay underwent full malo-lactic fermentation and was aged 18 months in neutral barrels.
2017 Scribe Nouveau of Pinot Noir, Los Carneros ($28)
This celebratory harvest wine takes inspiration from the fresh and lively nouveau wines of Beaujolais that are traditionally released in France on the third Thursday of November, and have become synonymous with Thanksgiving. Scribe uses 100% Pinot Noir grapes, 100% carbonic maceration, and no filtration or fining to create this easy-drinking red wine that bursts with tart raspberry and freshness, sure to complement your turkey dinner.
Note: Scribe will donate proceeds of the sales of this Nouveau to La Luz Center, a Sonoma Valley nonprofit focused on the health, education, and financial security of immigrants in our community, which has established a fire relief fund for those affected by the disaster.
2014 Eric Kent Pinot Noir, Sascha Marie Vineyard, Sonoma Coast ($58)
One of the trio of very fine Pinots from Eric Kent, the Sascha Marie is medium-bodied with notes of rich black cherry, framboise, and dark plums. This Pinot sees 60% new French oak and though earthy at its base, is well balanced with fresh mineral notes and dark fruit.
2015 Idlewild Dolcetto, Fox Hill Vineyard, Mendocino ($28)
Fermented 100% whole cluster with partial foot treading, this vintage shows the contrast of bright freshness against firm structure that I love seeing in Dolcetto. The nose shows black cherry, almond, anise, fresh soil, allspice, and cinnamon stick. The mouth is medium-bodied with freshness and firm tannin on the finish. It is joyful and fully serious all at once.
2015 Ridge Zinfandel, Geyserville 50th Vintage, Alexander Valley ($40)
Ridge has made the Geyserville as a single-site Zinfandel every year since 1966. This is the perfect peppery Zinfandel with notes of pomegranate, rose petal, and wood smoke. Slightly earthy with a tannic and tight youthful structure, this big red will only get better with time.
