Holiday Wines for the Festive Table
Gathering with family and friends at Thanksgiving is one of the most treasured and time-honored traditions we have in the United States of America. A big part of my Thanksgiving tradition is lots of wonderful food accompanied with good wine. There are a number of excellent holiday wine choices available at 4.0 Cellars – see the list below.
Several of these wines were served at a special Fall Brunch and Learn event in the new 4.0 Cellars Event Center on Saturday, 9-Nov. About 50 guests attended and enjoyed a presentation on the wines while tasting them, followed by a delicious holiday brunch -
Pomegranate Feta Salad, Turkey Fold-over Rolls with Cranberry Sauce, Eggs Benedict Casserole (amazing!), Pan-fried Sweet Potatoes sprinkled with Cinnamon, and Holiday Spiced Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. YUM!
My favorite Thanksgiving dish is Texas-Style Cornbread, Sausage, and Spinach Dressing. My father and I worked several years to perfect this recipe, and our holidays would not be “right” without this dressing. I like to use slices of the dressing to make leftover turkey and cranberry jelly sandwiches for the weekend football games. You can find this recipe on the www.fourpointwine.com website in the November 2018 edition of Carl’s Corner blog.
Happy Holidays, Y’all.
From Brennan Vineyards by winemaker Todd Webster:
Lily 2017 – a blend of Roussanne 52% from Reddy Vyd and Malvasia Bianca 48% from Farmhouse Vyds, both located near Brownfield, TX, in Terry County. Fruit flavors of melon, lychee, and green apple along with notes of honey and lime. This was fermented in SS tanks, aged on the lees with no malolactic transformation. The finish shows crisp, balanced acidity. 13.9% ABV, 0.2% RS (dry) Malvasia Bianca is a grape grown across the Mediterranean region. It originated in Greece and is grown in Italy, France, the Belearic Islands off the coast of Spain, and is important to the production of Madeira wines from that island located in the Atlantic about 1,000 miles west of Portugal. It is making a splash here in the warm climate of Texas.
Buffalo Roam 2017 – this lighter bodied red is a blend of Mourvèdre 50% from Newburg Vyd and Syrah 50% from Comanche Vyd, both Brennan estate vineyards. The wine was fermented in open-top bins. Fruit flavors of sour cherry and red plum are accompanied by notes of vanilla, smoke and suede leather. The cuvées were aged in used oak barrels for 12-24 months. The tannins are moderate and the finished well-balanced. 14.9% ABV, <0.1% RS (dry) This is a lovely wine to pair with turkey, roast beef, or ham.
Prickly Poppy Sparkling White N.V. – a new venture into sparkling wines for Brennan. This is a blend of Pinot Gris 80% and Viognier 20%. The fruit was sourced from Lodi, CA, for this first experimental batch, but Texas fruit sources are planned for the future. This is bright, refreshing, and lightly effervescent – just the thing for those holiday toasts.
From Lost Oak Winery by winemaker Jim Evans.
Holiday Red 2018 – a Texas High Plains blend of Merlot 50% from Diamante Doble Vyd in Tokio, TX, Terry County, and Ruby Cabernet 50% from Krick Hill Vyd in Levelland, TX, Hockley County. This was fermented in SS tanks and aged 10 months in oak barrels (20% new). Fresh cherry and red berry flavors are accompanied by notes of vanilla and smoke. The tannins are mellow and the acidity at finish is balanced and mild. 14.0% ABV, 1.0% RS (just at the edge of dry vs. sweet). This wine is designed specifically for the holiday table to pair with all the wonderful foods we tend to serve at Thanksgiving and Christmas - turkey, ham, and roast beef; tamales for Christmas; classic side dishes such as green bean casserole, Texas cornbread dressing, and sweet potatoes; and even desserts like pumpkin and cherry pie.
4.0 Cellars Label Dawson Red 2018 – also a Texas High Plains blend of Merlot 80% from Diamante Doble Vyd in Tokio, TX, Terry County, and Ruby Cabernet 20% from Krick Hill Vyd in Levelland, TX, Hockley County. This was fermented in SS tanks and aged 10 months in oak barrels (20% new). Fresh cherry and red berry flavors are accompanied by notes of vanilla and smoke. The tannins are mellow and the acidity at finish is balanced and mild. 14.0% ABV, 0.8% RS (drier than Holiday Red). Ruby Cabernet, a hybrid, brings a lot of color as well as Cabernet Sauvignon-type aromas and flavors to the blend. As with most hybrid reds, it offers very little tannin and helps keep this Merlot blend mellow and smooth on the finish.
From McPherson Cellars by winemakers Kim McPherson and Spenser Igo.
Les Copains Red 2016 – an easy-drinking blend of Mourvèdre 30%, Cinsault 30%, Syrah 19%, Carignan 14%, and Grenache 7%, all sourced from Texas High Plains vineyards. The wines were fermented in SS tanks, blended, and aged 13 months in French oak barrels (20% new). Strawberry and red cherry fruit is accompanied by soft green herbal and spice notes. The tannins are mellow and the finish balanced with mild acidity. 13.9% ABV, 0.2% RS (dry) Les Copains means the partners or buddies, and five grapes that originated in France’s southern Rhone Valley were partnered to make this delicious Texas wine.
Roussanne Reserve 2017 – One of my favorite Texas white wines, this Roussanne was treated with a bit of oak to bring creamy, toasty, vanilla, and spice notes to a rich, fuller-bodied mouthfeel. The finish is long and delicious – a perfect white wine for the holiday table.