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The holidays are here, and I’m often asked what wines pair well with the traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Although I believe in the motto: “Drink what you like and like what you drink,” the first wine I think of is Riesling because wine with a touch of sweetness would complement the dry white meat of turkey. Here are five wine suggestions to complement your Thanksgiving dinner.
The grapes used in Firestone Riesling from Santa Ynez Valley, Calif., are harvested during the early morning to preserve the floral aromatics and delicate flavors. The wine is fermented and aged in stainless-steel tanks at cold temperatures to quarantine its freshness. This wine is very well-balanced and would be a great aperitif or pair very well with your turkey dinner.
Hogue Late Harvest Riesling, from Columbia Valley, Wash., is also a very popular choice. Because of the cool nights along the Washington coast, this is an excellent area for producing this wine. The Riesling has a touch of sweetness with crisp flavors of apricot and tangerine.
Italy’s Cupcake Moscato D’Asti has floral notes that dominate with hints of peach and flavors of tropical fruit. This is a soft and balanced wine that has some effervescence and just the right sweetness to pair well with holiday meals.
Firelands Winery, from Sandusky, Ohio, was established in 1880 as one of the state’s oldest wineries. Its Riesling has a touch of sweetness and has crisp apple and banana flavors. This wine pairs well with Gouda and goat cheese or by itself as an aperitif or accompaniment to Thanksgiving dinner.
Geneva, Ohio-based Ferrante Winery is one of the most popular wineries in Northeast Ohio. Its Cranberry Blanc is a new wine and has been very well-received. It would pair well with a traditional Thanksgiving dinner due to its berry aromas and sweet crisp finish.
Look for these wines at your favorite Buehler’s Fresh Foods, Acme Fresh Markets, Heinen’s, West Point Market, 750ml, Mustard Seed Market, Fisher’s Markets, Giant Eagle or other fine retailers in the Greater Akron area.
Wine Wisdom
An Acquired Taste
When I first started in this business, I’d have an excellent wine with dinner but when I tried the wine again, it just wasn’t the same. Remember: The wine doesn’t change but the food you eat with it does. That’s why your favorite wine might not taste the same way when you pair it with a different meal.
/ Rick Rodger is a manager at Heidelberg Distributing Company.
