Category: Penedes

G.K. Chesterton wrote, “I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.”

Despite (or perhaps because of) the tumult of 2020, we can probably all find something to be thankful for this year. Whether it be health, family, a meaningful life, or just a substantial supply of toilet paper, why not celebrate with a box of tasty wine especially selected to pair with the season’s feast?

The typical Thanksgiving meal is far too diverse with textures, flavors and aromas to labor over perfect pairings. The most important characteristics of the wines on your table is that they are light, refreshing, energetic, with moderate alcohol, lots of fruit, a lively acidity, and versatile.

We’ve selected a list of wines that will enhance any holiday feast: white wines abundant with fruit and freshness, and reds that aren’t too tannic or heavy. You don’t want anything too bold that might become cumbersome and overpower many of the dishes. Best of all, these are all wines that drink well before, during, and after the meal, so there’s no need to get all fussy about what’s getting poured.

Half-a-Dozen Wines to Pour on Thanksgiving Day (12-pack for $280 All-Included)

This 12-Pack contains two bottles of each wine. The price includes tax and delivery, as well as a discount of nearly 15% off the regular price. We will also honor a 10% discount on any bottles you might wish to add to your order.

As usual, we can deliver to your doorstep for free (within a reasonable distance of our shop) and leave it there for you to bring in at your convenience, including on Thanksgiving Day.

 

Domaine Weinbach Riesling (Alsace 2018) Regular Price: $33, WHITE

Domaine Weinbach lies at the foot of the majestic Grand Cru of Schlossberg hill and has been planted with vines since the Ninth Century. A family run estate since 1898, they produce an exquisite range of wines. Domaine Weinbach started farming biodynamically in 1998 and were certified in 2010. With a focus on purity and terroir expression, the wines are made in old oak vats with indigenous yeasts. This is the epitome of Alsace Riesling, dry, rich, concentrated, and intoxicatingly fragrant. A glass is juicy, vivid, ripe and fresh, with a stony finish that speaks deeply of the land.

 

Can Sumoi “Perfum” (Penedès 2019) Regular Price: $25, WHITE 

Can Sumoi is a new project from Pepe Raventós and Francesc Escala to create vibrant wines from the mountains of the Baix Penedès in the Catalunya region of northeastern Spain. True to its name, “Perfum” exudes a heady mix of aromatics, primarily floral notes of jasmine and rose, although there is an abundance of orchard fruit as well. A sip leads with citrus that turns to soft, ripe apples on the midpalate. All that fruit rides a wave of juicy acidity all the way to the finish. The wine is a blend of 50% Moscatel, 30% Macabeo, and 20% Parellada. Although vinified completely dry, the Moscatel (Muscat) variety contributes much of its aromatic character to this wine. Bottled without additives or filtering.

 

Domaine Gachot-Monot (Côte de Nuits-Villages 2018) Regular Price: $34, RED

Fifth-generation vigneron Damien Gachot and his Danish wife, Lise, farm about 30 acres in the village of Corgoloin, in between Nuits-Saint-Georges and Beaune. He has harnessed the ability to balance traditional vineyard management and respect of terroir with more contemporary methodologies in the cellar. His wines are some of the best values in Burgundy. 100% Pinot Noir from vines 40 to 45 years old growing in clay and limestone soils, this is a deeply colored, highly aromatic, full and complex Côtes de Nuits Villages that tastes more like Nuits-St-Georges than village Burgundy.

 

Domaine Robert-Denogent “Jules Chauvet” (Beaujolais-Villages 2017) Regular Price: $25, RED

“Cuvée Jules Chauvet” is made from a three acre parcel of Gamay vines in a 15 acre vineyard that was owned by the late Jules Chauvet – a legend for his pioneering work with organic viticulture in Beaujolais and his leadership in the French natural wine movement. The wine is made with rigorous sorting in the vineyard and minimal intervention in the cellar and then aged for 16 months in seven-year-old barrels. The aromatics are all strawberries and cinnamon, the telltale of a semi-carbonic maceration process that keeps the wine light and lively. A sip is fresh and bursting with berry fruit, a downright pleasure to drink.

 

Cà Viola “Vilot” (Dolcette d’Alba 2017) Regular Price: $19, RED 

Giuseppe “Beppe” Caviola is one of the most important oenologists in Italy. Indeed, in 2002, Beppe was named “Enologist of the Year” by the Italian wine industry’s most important guide, Gambero Rosso. Beppe is focused on showcasing the terroir of the Langhe and employs sustainable vineyard and winemaking practices at all times. A traditional Dolcetto, “Vilot” is produced from 20 year old vines growing on the high, steep slopes of Montelupo in soils rich in calcareous clay marl and sandstone. Fresh blackberries lead into a smooth and balanced finish in this classic food wine.

 

Artuke (Rioja 2019) Regular Price: $17, RED

“Artuke” is made with the carbonic maceration method, a wine-making technique used to enhance aromatics and produce luscious, fresh, fruity wines preferred by Basques in the northern sub-zone of Alavesa. It is a blend of mainly Tempranillo grapes with about 5% of the white grape, Viura, from vineyards in the village of Baños de Ebro. The wine is fermented and aged in concrete for close to six months before bottling. It smells like a four-berry pie. This mouth-watering red wine takes a relatively deep chill which makes it a versatile pairing with pretty much everything on the Thanksgiving table.