Post #200: Quick Picks for Thankgsgiving Wine

It's been a busy fall @ work and home, hard to believe Turkey Day is almost upon us. So I must get at least something posted about Thanksgiving Wine--and yes, this makes blog post #200!

The last few years, I've covered a lot of ground in my Thanksgiving Wine Chat columns, including last year's consideration of out-of-the box choices like Cabernet Sauvignon and red Italian blends. My favorite last year from this exploration was the 2006 Clayhouse Adobe Red Paso Robles ($17), an interesting blend of Zin, Syrah, Petite Syrah and Malbec. I've still seen this one around wine shops lately.

But having surveyed the scene a bit in recent years, I think I'll go back to basics this year--for me, that means Pinot Noir will be the featured wine on Thursday.

Pinot is very food friendly and versatile. The fruitiness can pick up the sweet elements on the table and a good bottle typically also has enough body and earthiness to fare well with items like turkey, gravy, and my favorite, the mashed potatoes.

But alas, Pinot is a tough one for the bargain category, so I haven't had a chance lately to do too much sampling for recommendations. I picked out a bottle of the 2005 August Cellars Pinot Noir ($18) from the Willamette Valley; primarily because it seemed like a good price for a bottle from this Oregon Pinot hot-spot. Now if you want a real treat from the same region, grab a bottle of the 2005 Domaine Serene Evenstad Reserve Pinot Noir, which I enjoyed on Father's Day. Only share this one with people who will appreciate it (or leave the price tag on if that's the only way you forked out some real cash for it!). Somewhere in between from the same region would be a bottle from the Willamette Valley Vineyards, which has some good options for reasonable prices.

Though the first bottle I'll open to go with the feast with will be pinot, I'll probably also bring something like a Chenin Blanc for pre-dinner nibbling, and perhaps a Cote du Rhone or zin (still have some Amador County Zin waiting in the cellar--could be a nice choice as it's a bit lighter than some zins).

Not as many bottles to suggest this year as some past; for more ideas consult one of my older posts; or check out Eric Asimov's Six Year's of Wine Wisdom or Good Wine's for Under $20's 2009 picks.

Final tip--there are plenty of wine options out there that work nicely with Thanksgiving. If you're not sure, grab a few different bottles, and see what you like best! Enjoy!