> I don't know much, but as long as you're in the know ... I usually > try to use Thanksgiving as an excuse to try new things, and usually > cheap things.
Trying new things, especially in wine can be a lot of fun :-) i too like to try new things around the holidays which is how I came to love Don PX (http://www.pedroximenez.com/vinos_ing.htm), a wine from Spain made from Pedro Ximenez raisins. > This year I was going to do Malbecs and was thinking of a 2002 > Trapiche as my "good" wine. I haven't explored much Malbec outside of France (and not much French Malbec for that matter), but i hear they're doing them well in Chile and Argentina (so you're probably good to go with your choice :-). i understand it's usually pared with heavier meats than turkey though, so be careful that it doesn't overpower your meal. > brought a Clos Du Val Cab yummy! > reception. No difference this time, but the host had a Yellow Tail > Shiraz and it was great! the current Yellow Tail release (I think it is 2002) is much better than their average. The problem is that they are not consistant. They do however produce a drinkable wine at a good price, and there does seem to be a massive quantity of it, so it is easy to find. > The next day I stopped at the wine store and they had a > buy-one-get-the-next-half-off sale on the Yellow Tails so I panicked > and bought 2 cases, including some Chard, of their "special reserve". > (that's so special it's on sale) heh...I've done this myself... > I've yet to taste any of them however and now I'm wondering if it'll > be any good - especially the Chard. Australian Chardys are a bit of an acquired taste. They tend to be more fruit forward than buttery like California, but they also tend to start a little more sharp a little more acidic. If you get a chance, you should try to find some "virgin" chardonnay. Trevor Jones makes a good one ~$25 a bottle, well worth it. The virgin part comes from the grapes being fermented in Stainless Steel instead of wooden barrels. > So do you think messed up, and, if so, how about the Malbec idea? > What're you doing? I do not think you have messed up, provided you do not try to cellar the Yellow Tail. It is definately a wine for drinking _not_ for laying down and avoiding (to paraphrase Monty Python). This year I have 8, possibly 10 diners for Thanksgiving. For starters I'll probably serve a couple bottles of Beaujolais Nouveau, just to get everybody a little festive :-) I may also open a bottle of white, probably a sauvignon blanc, or perhaps a viognier (probably French, but maybe Washington) For my "good" wine this year I will be serving a number of Pinot Noirs, one whose name escapes me at the moment from Oregon and then two from Artesa (one Russian River and one Santa Barbara) in California, I may add a Burgundy, if the others don't hold out (or are corked), I like to showcase the difference in growing regions sometimes and I find that Thanksgiving really allows for that with the wide variety of foods and such to consume with the wine. Oregon Pinot tends to be a little more dry, Santa Barbara tends to have very big fruit on the nose and really rich finish, Russian River is sort of in between. The Burgundian is a whole other animal altogether... I will have to be very careful that I don't get carried away and end up opening the Artesa 1999 Reserve Pinot Noir Carneros (oooooooo so tasty!!!) that I've got cellared in my special section. for afters I've got the old reliable Don PX Thanksgiving will be quite the day! :-) -- -- will "If my life weren't funny, it would just be true; and that would just be unacceptable." - Carrie Fisher ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Special thanks to the CF Community Suite Gold Sponsor - CFHosting.net http://www.cfhosting.net Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:137192 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:5 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
