Lincoln, NE – Thanksgiving is perhaps the most important wine tasting meal of the year. It is one occasion where even non wine drinkers are willing to have a glass with dinner. This year, we can help you convert your friends and family to the world of great wine with some very interesting wine selections.
For food, Leon’s Gourmet Grocer prepared an advance preview of their Thanksgiving offerings. Leon’s is the epitome of local small business, almost a throwback. Their product line is exceptional. The Thanksgiving items I tried included tender juicy white and dark meat turkey, silky smooth mashed potatoes, old fashioned green bean casserole topped with fried onion straws, stuffing that is moist, firm, and flavorful and pumpkin pie that rivals my grandmothers.
The trick is to pair wines that can pair with all those diverse flavors. In this tasting I was able to do that and select wines that can appeal to the true wine lover and the person brand new to tasting wine. It was an enjoyable experience all the way around.
For wine I started with a classic Thanksgiving favorite, Santa Giustina “Anricus” NV, Emilia-Romagna, Italy, $20.00. From Emilia-Romagna in the breadbasket of Italy, this wine is made by Gaia Bucciarelli who is an intriguing young winemaker. Gaia is willing to divert from traditional norms in pursuing her craft and “Anricus” is testament to that. This is an enticing white blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Malvasia, and Ortrugo in equal parts. The wine is pale yellow in the glass and exudes opulent aromas of tropical fruit, citrus, and fresh straw. In the mouth, the wine is clean and crisp with pear, melon, sage, and a hint of green apple. This wine is complex but at the same time very approachable and easy to drink.
89 points
Next, I tried Balthasar Ress, Riesling Trocken, “Von Enserm” 2022, Rheingau, Germany, $23.99. This year one of the greatest surprises has been our experience with German wines. The distinct character and precision of many of these wines is remarkable. This Riesling is pale yellow, on the nose, the wine is expressive sweet honey, elderflower, and clover. The wine enters the palate with a delicate effervescence but becomes round and mouth-filling with flavors of peach, apricot, nectarine, and bosc bear. It finishes crisp and clean.
89 points
The last wine is Perusini Cabernet Franc, 2020, Friuli, Italy, $25.00. Friuli is Italy’s Easternmost region. It has an idea microclimate with the Adriatic Sea to the South and the Alpine Mountains to the north with steep, rocky, vineyards. The region is most famous for white wines, but the reds are stunning. Perusini is owned by the family matriarch and operated by her three charming sons. The family is as kind as they are meticulous in their work. Their Cabernet Franc is garnet in the glass with lovely scents of violets, spice, and green pepper. It has medium body and gentle flavors that arouse the palate. The wine is seductive with red fruit, spice, and distinct green pepper notes. The wine is intriguing and delicious.
90 points
These wines all meet the mark. They are compelling, serious wines yet appealing to people who might not drink wine often. With the spectacular dishes from Leon’s, they are even more of a treat. The primary flavors of a traditional Thanksgiving feast can be subtle, great wine pairings can take this meal to the next level. That happened with these wines.
My favorite wine to pair in this group is the Perusini Cabernet Franc. It is a stunning complimentary flavor with each of the foods I tried. Perhaps the biggest surprise was the way it connected with pumpkin pie. It took me by surprise.
Mark McDonald and his wife, Kim, own The Italian Vine, a Lincoln-based
wine distributorship.
For more information on these wines, including where you can find them
in Lincoln or Omaha, email mark.italianvine@gmail.com
