Like (hopefully) most people, our Thanksgiving was smaller and quieter this year. We couldn’t celebrate with the number of family and friends that we typically have in past years due to the pandemic. So to try something different we went with only French wines with the meal.
Not that drinking French wine is a radical idea of course. But Thanksgiving is the quintessentially American holiday and we had never thought to do it before.
Chateauneuf-du-Pape came to mind because in the past it has proven acceptable to my new-world wine loving wife. We enjoyed a white and a red CNP from the same maker, as well as a very good Bordeaux.
The CNP maker was Domaine du Pere Caboche. The red was the 2018 vintage, retailing for $26. It’s a blend of 80 percent Grenache, 15 percent Syrah and 5 percent Mourvedre. There is some earthiness on the palate that does not translate to the wine, which delivers a lot of dark cherry fruit, damp smoke and a little spiciness. It’s smooth on the palate, has well integrated tannins and pairs with a wide range of foods.
We had the 2019 white CNP before the meal. It retailed for the same price as the red. The wine was a blend of four different white varietals – Clairette, Bourboulenc, Grenache Blanc and Roussanne. The nose was very floral with peach and melon tones, but still dry and light bodied. The finish was long and clean. We don’t drink a lot of white but this was a nice change from the usual Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc.
The Bordeaux was 2016 Chateau Haut-Brisson Grand Cru. The wine is from the Saint Emilion region and is made up of 90 percent Merlot and 10 percent Cabernet Franc. I paid $30 for this wine and think it’s a true value find for Bordeaux.
The wine is opaque black in the glass with a relatively neutral nose. It delivers a lot of black cherry and mocha on the palate, with silky mild tannins and a clean finish. It’s very enjoyable now and will probably be even better in a couple of years.
Here’s a review that says it all along with info on how the property has improved over the last 20 years since being purchased by a Hong Kong based billionaire. The piece is obviously selling the wine but I agree with the enthusiasm.
The wine was also a good reminder to not be too doctrinaire about wine. I usually prefer Bordeaux that contains Cabernet Sauvignon, and my favorite appellation is Saint-Julien. I also don’t usually like Cabernet Franc. This wine was very enjoyable and cost a lot less than a comparable Saint-Julien.
Try a different wine this holiday season and spice things up. Who knows, maybe you’ll find a surprising new wine favorite. It’s an enjoyable thing to do while we all wait for a vaccine.