Riesling or Bordeaux? Thanksgiving wine pairings and recommendations
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Thanksgiving traditions from Charlotte chefs
Dive into the traditions, wine recommendations and recipes from the kitchens of Charlotte’s culinary all-stars
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Charlotte’s culinary all stars share Thanksgiving traditions — and we’ve got recipes
From oxtail to pear tarts, Thanksgiving traditions from Charlotte’s culinary experts
Riesling or Bordeaux? Thanksgiving wine pairings and recommendations
Just get to the recipes, Lisa: How to cook Thanksgiving like a Charlotte chef.
Wondering which wines to have on hand for your Thanksgiving meal? Check out recommendations from Charlotte wine experts Jaffer Kovic, owner of Dilworth Tasting Room, and Natalie Stewart, sommelier at Fin & Fino:
(1) Jaffer Kovic, owner of Dilworth Tasting Room
Jaffer Kovic, owner of Dilworth Tasting Room, has wine recommendations for Thanksgiving that are guaranteed to make everyone from mom to Uncle Jimmy happy.
When selecting wines for family events keep the selections mainstream with a few unknown, hard to find wines, which add great conversation topics during and after dinner. Kovic said his personal favorites that he serves or bring to the holiday table include:
A spicy, racy Zinfandel pairs amazingly with turkey and the Thanksgiving accouterments.
A bold Bordeaux, preferably a selection from Margaux or St. Estephe. Lovely tones of minerals, spice, cassis, rose, blackberries and currents will dominate in this Merlot and Cabernet based wine.
A big, stunning California Cabernet from Oakville or Spring Mountain District will be a crowd-pleaser, guaranteed.
A 10-year Tawney from Niepoort, one of the oldest family-owned houses in Porto, is Kovic’s ultimate favorite, he said.
(2) Natalie Stewart, sommelier at Fin & Fino
Make sure you have a Riesling on hand for Thanksgiving, said Natalie Stewart, sommelier at Fin & Fino.
“Riesling is a grape that fights palate-fatigue, which can occur on Thanksgiving due to the variety of dishes being consumed,” she said.
“I love Empire Estate Dry Riesling, specifically. On the nose, there are hints of golden apple, peach, and tons of minerals. The palate has great acidity followed up citrus and apricot with a lovely weighty mouthfeel,” she said. “These bright flavors pair well with a range of fall foods from turkey and sweet potatoes to sausage stuffing.”
This story was originally published November 23, 2019 at 1:28 PM.