By Gina Trippi
It’s time to update Thanksgiving wine traditions and acknowledge what consumers want today. Critics have long said, for example, that Cabernet Sauvignon does not work for Thanksgiving. Despite years of suggesting Pinot Noir or Beaujolais, according to Instacart, Cabernet Sauvignon remains the most popular wine for Thanksgiving. What works is what you enjoy.
Start anew by avoiding buying your wine where you buy dinner. Shop at an independent wine merchant. Someone at Metro Wines has tasted every wine on the shelf or it would not be there. This is not necessarily—in fact, probably is not—the case at Big Box. And we took notes. For the multitude of flavors and palates at Thanksgiving, we want to offer you versatile wines with low tannins. We check our notes. Big Box doesn’t take notes.
Dinner wines must have a cork. No way. Screw tops do not indicate a lesser wine. But the screw top, in that it prevents air from drifting into the bottle, is both good and bad. While it keeps your wine airtight and fresh which, for most of us is the primary concern, only a cork will allow a wine to age. That said, unless you are trying to turn Nebbiolo into Barolo, you don’t need a cork.
Wine must be in glass bottles. Nonsense! Do not avoid boxed wines. Glass bottles, much like corks, may be a tradition you just don’t need. Producers are boxing wine to avoid the weight and shipping costs passed on to the consumer when glass is used. The packaging does not affect the quality, only your budget. A 5-liter box has almost seven bottles of wine inside. You don’t need to be a mathematician to recognize a bargain.
Buy only the well-known, expensive wines. The difference in wine is often not the quality but the marketing budget and, frankly, who knows whom. Price is not always a reflection of quality. At Metro Wines, we taste, we know. With all that said, we recommend a bottle each of red, white and rosé for Thanksgiving.
Ring Bolt Cabernet Sauvignon from Australia received 92 Points from Wine Spectator. Its review says the wine delivers spicy cardamom, clove and chai tea accents with a core of blueberry, huckleberry and black currant flavors. You will detect rosemary, sage and laurel bay leaf, with velvety tannins and a touch of cigar box that lingers. Sealed with a screw top for under $20.
Raats Original Chenin Blanc from South Africa is under $20—and under a screw top. Awarding 91 Points, Decanter say Raats offers a nose of lemon curd, apricot and a touch of almond. The palate is balanced with a hint of lemon sherbet, a keen line of acidity and a dry, lemongrass finish.
Centorame Cerasuolo Organic Rosato in a box is 100-percent Montepulciano. This wine has aromas of candied orange peel, ripe red apple, mulberry, hyacinth and rose hip.
Start new Thanksgiving traditions in your wine glass!
Gina Trippi is the co-owner of Metro Wines, 169 Charlotte Street in Asheville. Committed to the community, Metro Wines offers big-shop selection with small-shop service. Gina can be reached at gina@metrowinesasheville.com or 828.575.9525.
