Posts Tagged ‘Thanksgiving’
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Region: Oregon – USA
Cost: $16
Light color with crushed fruit flavors and a bit of pepper on the finish. Pair with turkey, ham, cheese.
Recommendations: I’ve had this bottle since Thanksgiving and it finally got opened for Christmas. The light color actually reminded me a bit of a Virginia Cabernet Franc, as did a bit of pepper on the finish.
That being said, the wine was great. Good flavors of crushed fruit on the palate were very enjoyable with a dinner of ham for Christmas dinner, and the slight pepper on the finish was almost refreshing as it didn’t let the fruit overwhelm the palate.
If you like Pinot Noir this is certainly one worth picking up, especially if you’re looking to branch out into the wines of Oregon.
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Region: France
Cost: $15 – $20
Deep garnet in color with spice on the nose that leads into flavors of raspberry and spice with balanced tannins on the finish. Pair with pork, seafood, or Thanksgiving dinner.
Recommendations: Originally bought for Thanksgiving dinner, this bottle didn’t get opened until the day after when the wife and I were unwinding from the whirlwind of family and food that was Turkey Day.
Paired with a dinner of munchy food, this Pinot Noir was more robust than the Kenwood Vineyards Pinot we had enjoyed the night before, with more spice and a bit more tannin on the finish, as well as a touch of effervescence that was quite refreshing.
While I can’t say that it was my favorite Pinot Noir, it was certainly enjoyable, and for the price it’s hard to beat that for a French Pinot. Definitely worth picking up if you’re in the market for a French red wine and enjoy Pinot Noir.
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Region: California – Russian River Valley – USA
Cost: $15 – $20
Aromas of cherry and red currant lead into a light, smooth wine with excellent acid and very subtle tannins. Pair with pork, chicken, lamb, or salmon.
Recommendations: I had picked out several bottles of Pinot Noir for Thanksgiving, but this is the bottle that actually got opened during the feast of Turkey Day. The wine itself was very light, with a good bit of fruit flavor that went very well with the turkey, ham, and various sides we had for dinner.
The best part of the wine was the tannins though. Smooth and subtle, this wine was the perfect pairing for our Thanksgiving meal. Kenwood Vineyards recommends pairing this with pork, and I imagine this wine would go great with a pork tenderloin.
Either way, this is a great wine and certainly one worth picking up again for a Christmas dinner with similar food offerings.
