Best Thanksgiving Wines

6405 Westgate Road,Raleigh NC 27617

22 November, 2022

Description

Tasting of Thanksgiving Wines Tuesday, November 22: 5 to 7 Tickets are only $15 in advance or $20 the day of. Just click here for a ticket or let us know and we’ll do it for you. Here’s the lineup: all wines that would be terrific with traditional (or even untraditional) Thanksgiving fare: NV Cattin Cremant d’Alsace Brut Rosé reg. $25 / $16.99 sale This one, 100% Pinot Noir, earned 90 points at $25 from the Wine Enthusiast: Rounded, balanced and harmonious flavors get top marks on this softly pink sparkler. Strawberries and cream, with shortbread and lemon, all unite in perfect unison. The dryness of the palate gives the flavors center stage and provides a fitting, structured autolytic background. This sparkler is classy and delicious, with an ultra-clean and lasting finish. Champagne quality and style (in fact, it outscores Veuve Clicquot!) at a much better price. 2021 Esterhazy Gruner Veltliner Klimt The Kiss reg. $28 / $19.99 sale Special Price - $17.99 Just arrived – and from Austria’s “vintage of a generation.” No dry white wine is more versatile with food than Gruner Veltliner, and this competes with Wachau wines three times its price. 2020 Susie Bynum Russian River Chardonnay reg. $32 / $24.99 sale Susie Bynum is the daughter of Russian River legend Davis Bynum, and this exquisite Russian River Chardonnay is like the ones Gary Farrell made for her father. Beautifully balanced, beautifully wrought. Russian River Chardonnay at its most sophisticated. 2021 Robert Foley Hawksbill Rosé reg. $31 / $24.99 sale Robert Foley is best known, as Food & Wine puts it, as “The God of Cabernet.” But his extremely hard to find Hawksbill Rosé is pretty wonderful, too. We could only find one other store (in Nantucket) that still has his current release 2021 – from a vintage California winemakers are describing as the best they’ve ever seen. And they sell it for $31. 2021 Stoller Willamette Pinot Noir reg. $32 / $24.99 sale The 2019 vintage of this was a Suckling 94 and incredible Pinot Noir value. But this 2021 surpasses it! Pinot Noir is the perfect Thanksgiving red, and this is the perfect (reasonably priced) Thanksgiving Pinot Noir. 2020 Funaro “Passo di Luna” reg. $24 / $16.99 sale A really delicious and fascinating Sicilian blend of Nero d’Avola and Syrah. Biodynamically grown and made with the lightest possible touch. Very much in the style of their mentor, the wonderful Ariana Occipinti, but at a fraction the price. 2016 Clos des Menuts L’Excellence reg. $170 / $49.99 sale If you want a fancy wine for Thanksgiving, this incredibly luxurious Saint-Emilion would be perfect. Vinous raved over this at $170: The 2016 L’Excellence Clos des Menuts has developed beautifully since I tasted it from barrel. Sumptuous and racy, with terrific balance, the 2016 has a lot to offer. A rush of sweet red cherry, raspberry, mint, mocha and blood orange runs through this super-expressive, pliant Saint-Emilion. Also a Cellar Selection for the Wine Enthusiast. And Suckling raves: This is very beautiful with dark-berry and chocolate character. Medium body and juicy fruit. This is fantastic. When you think about the fact that this wine’s near neighbor Canon sells for over $200 in this vintage, and Ausone for well over $1000 – and both are much easier to find (and arguably not as special), this $170 rarity for only $49.99 really does come into focus. The best $50 wine in the store? We think so. But then it isn’t supposed to sell for anything near $50!