Red, White, Drunk - Holiday Wine
Author Natalie MacLean On Thanksgiving Food, Wine Pairings
Red, White and Drunk All Over: Sounds Like Thanksgiving to Me
Gearing up for the holidays, one question always arises: what to drink? The answer is “Yes.” Natalie MacLean gives us her top 5 tips for choosing holiday wines. Natalie is author of “Red, White and Drunk All Over: A Wine-Soaked Journey from Grape to Glass" and multi-award winning food and wine journalist offers these tips and a terrific tool for matching food and wine.
Pour a glass, put your feet up, away we go.
About Natalie
Four-time winner of the James Beard Foundation Journalism award and one time winner of its MFK Fisher Distinguished Writing Award, holder of many other awards too numerous to mention, Natalie also writes a free and helpful newsletter. Her new book, Red, White and Drunk All Over: A Wine-Soaked Journey from Grape to Glass” already a bestseller is now in paperback just in time for holiday gift giving.
Choosing Wine for Thanksgiving
This time of year, especially the holidays, celebrate harvest and bounty. “No other holiday celebrates the gift of of wine like Thanksgiving,” she said. “Wine is a taste of the harvest along with the all the delicious dishes on the table. But actually choosing a bottle can feel like a thankless task, especially with so many flavors to match.”
Natalie offered her recommendations for holiday meals for those of us who might not have read her book yet.
What to drink with appetizers?
“Start with bubbly, it adds a celebratory note to the meal.” Besides being a festive opener that makes everyone happy, it's a lighter start than cocktails. “It also goes well with starters like soups and salads.”
Any “leftover” champagne (does this really happen?) can be offered with dessert. Try adding a touch of ice wine for a sweet finish.
Consider the Turkey:
Natalie shares the sentiment of other wine gurus in whom we trust: “Good options are crisp whites like riesling and pinot grigio. And yes, you can drink red wine with white meat: pinot noir, beaujolais and zinfandel all have juicy, berry-ripe flavors that go well with turkey.”
Don't be turned off by all the “Beaujolais Nouveau” promotions but do consider Beaujolais as good value and a wonderful choice for many occasions - see Rethinking Beaujolais.
Natalie's Third Tip - Look beyond the Bird.
Feel yourself roasting under the pressure to decide? Natalie gives you a pass. “Since Thanksgiving dinner is often a banquet-style meal, with everyone choosing the trimmings, why not do the same with your wines? Offer both red and white, and possibly more than one depending on the size of your group.” Brilliant!
Complement or contrast - Tip Number Four
Actually, applies to any meal. Wine will enhance a meal by either complementing it or offering a contrast to it. “A big, buttery chardonnay from California or Chile can complement the roasted, smoky flavors of squash, chestnuts and pecan stuffing. But if you’d rather have a contrast to the richness of cream sauces and dressings, try a crisp New Zealand sauvignon blanc.”
En Fin - End on a Sweet Note
Natalie suggests a late harvest wine or icewine for dessert. “if you're a chocolate fan, try serving a liqueur with complementary flavors such as raspberry or blackcurrant.”
Natalie's website Nat Decants offers more than 364,000 food and wine combinations, as well as thousands of recipes for those planning holiday parties and Christmas turkey dinner. What does it say about Bourbon Sweet Potatoes?
Her book and newsletter (it's free!) are both great resources for lovers of wine and food. Her Wine and Food Matcher is a an easy-to-use tool you use to help select the right wine for any holiday meal. Simply enter your food and it gives you wine pairings.
The Matcher pairs Chenin Blanc with the candied sweet potatoes. What would you drink?
Thanks Natalie - what nibbles to pair with a Ruby Sparkler?
Eat Ham
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Natalie MacLean
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Red, White, Drunk All Over
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