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Dear Kelly,
I just returned last week from a wonderful time at the
Great Wine Escape Weekend in California's Monterey
wine region. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir reign there,
and I
tasted lots of great examples, as well as
other tasty bottles of Syrah, Riesling and Zinfandel, to
name a few. If
you
aren't very familiar with wines from Monterey, I
encourage
you to look for a few bottles the next time you are in
your local wine store. The varied climate and
geography in that area leads to diverse viticulture, and
that makes for a lot of
great wines to discover!
The busy holiday season is upon us (how did THAT
happen?) This month's edition of Kelly's Grape Times
offers some wine suggestions just in time for Turkey
Day. I'll also give you some tips about opening and
enjoying sparkling wine (while it's not just for
celebrations,
it
is fun to toast with bubbly..). And I'll also include links
to my latest articles.
I'd like to give a special welcome to my newest
subscribers, and a big thank you to my loyal readers
who
have faithfully subscribed to Kelly's Grape
Times.
Grab a glass of wine, read on, and enjoy the calm
before the storm that is the holiday season. I wish you
a
great Thanksgiving, with your friends and family by
your side, enjoying delicious food and
wine.
Cheers--
Kelly
Planning a holiday party? Check out our website for fun
ideas for a unique, memorable private or corporate
holiday event.
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Wines for Thanksgiving
Beyond Gewurztraminer and Red Zinfandel
There are so many dishes served on
Thanksgiving, with many different ingredients. While it
may be impossible to find a wine that goes with
everything on your Thanksgiving table, here are some
bottles to try. Of course, wine tastes are very
subjective, so if you have a favorite bottle, serve it and
enjoy it!
Now, I have absolutely nothing against
Gewurztraminer or red Zinfandel. In fact, they are two
of my favorite varietals. However, so much has been
written about how well they go with Thanksgiving
dinner. If you have enjoyed them in the past, as I have,
but are loooking for other choices for your dinner this
Thursday, try some of these bottles for a change of
pace:
* Vouvray: This white wine made in France's
Loire Valley from the Chenin Blanc grape is fun
because it's often surprising--the wines run the gamut
from
dry to sweet, and some even have a bit of spritz. But
even the sweeter styles have a nice crispness to
them, which keeps them refreshing. Try Sauvion
Vouvray, which is an off-dry
style with hints of melons and minerals.
* Albarino: With some of the lovely peach and
floral notes of a drier style Riesling, as well as some
of the citrus flavors of Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio,
this crisp white from Spain is a great choice to pair
with the
turkey, stuffing and the other fixings. Look for
Burgans Albarino from the Rias Baixas region
of Spain.
* Pinot Noir: With delicate raspberry and
cranberry flavors, as well as Pinot's signature
earthy/mushroom aromas and low tannins, this wine
is a winner with
cranberry sauce, mushroom stuffing, and both
white and dark meat. Good Pinots under $20 are hard
to find, but Martin Ray's Angeline Pinot Noir
from
California's Russian River Valley is a steal at $15 a
bottle. Lightly chill it, or serve it at room tempeature
* Dolcetto: A light, fruity red from Italy's
Piedmont region, Dolcetto can be compared to a
Beaujolais (another nice choice for Turkey Day...). It
has sour cherry flavors and low tannins. Since it's a
lighter style red, it will cut the richness of sweet
potatoes and greasy turkey meat. S Orsola
makes an
easy-drinking Dolcetto that won't break the bank and
will be refreshing throughout the entire meal. Try it
slightly chilled.
* Sparkling Shiraz: For something truly
different, sip this
red bubbly from Down Under. The ruby red colorful is
delightfully festive, and the bubbles will refresh your
palate through a long, filling dinner. Don't let the color
surprise you, though--although it has the typical berry
and spice flavors of Shiraz, it finishes completely dry.
It's certainly not a red "dessert" bubbly. Try Omni
Sparkling
Shiraz.
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Break Open the Bubbly!
Tips for Opening and Serving Sparkling Wine
Recently, I went to a friend's house who always throws
a good soiree, especially food and wine-wise. In his
copper wine chiller, I noticed an unopened, chilled
bottle of Piper Sonoma Blanc de Noirs from California.
Being a huge sparkling wine lover, and not at all shy or
apologetic about it, I asked the host if he minded if I
opened it. He told me to go right ahead, as he was
waiting for someone else to open it so he could have
some, too. When I popped it, heads turned, and
others came over for a flute. Lesson to be had: if you
want the bubbly, don't be shy--open it up! It'll really get
the party started, and chances are, someone else is
really hankering for a glass, too. Read on for some
tips about opening and serving sparkling wine:
*Make sure the sparkling wine is well chilled. Beyond
making it taste refreshing and delicious, serving it at
the properly chilled temperature will mean less of a
chance of the bottle exploding when you open
it.
* As soon as you start removing the foil, point the
bottle away from people. Sparkling wines are under
tremendous pressure--hence the wire basket--and
the cork can start to slip out even before the wire cage
is removed. For safety's sake, I do the entire ritual in
the kitchen sink.
* When removing the cork, put the bottle at a 45
degree angle. And be sure to turn the bottle, not the
cork. If it's stubborn, use a towel or non-slip gripper to
ease it out.
* "Easy does it", by the way, is the goal for removing
the
cork from sparkling wine. Although it's dramatic to pull
it out quickly, you will lose much of the wine and a lot
of the bubbles. And aren't the bubbles why we drink
this style of wine
to begin with?
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If you are planning a special event, whether it is a
wedding shower, birthday party, get-together with
friends, or a business promotional event, consider
Kelly Magyarics Wine Consulting to make your event
complete. Our interactive, educational wine tastings
and classes
are a memorable option for your next gathering. Kelly
holds an Advanced Certificate in Wine and Spirits from
the WSET (Wine and Spirit Education Trust), and she
has been offering wine tastings for private and
corporate events in the DC area for over six years. Just
see what our clients are saying about us.
Check
out www.trywine.net
for more information, email us
at trywine@gmail.com, or call us at
703.203.9463.
Feel free to pass this along to
other wine lovers you know!
And don't forget about Kelly's other services. She is
available for freelance writing, wine list creation and
management, and wine and food pairing consultation.
Cheers, and happy sipping!
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