If you want to taste some stellar wines that were made with organic and biodynamic grapes, here is my quick list for Thanksgiving wine choices:
Sparkling Wines:
Domaine Carneros Brut Cuvee 2005 $26 (widely available)
Aroma: Honeysuckle and toasted nuts. Flavors: Pear compote and lemon custard. A perfect match for slightly spicy asian foods or a cheese and fruit platter.Varietal blend:64% pinot noir, 34% chardonnay and 2% pinot blanc. Made from organically grown grapes.
Tarantas Cava 2008 $13.99 (ask for it at Wholefoods)
The Tarantas Cava is full of apple fritter aromas with a touch of cinnamon and has a dry, refreshing finish. Gorgeous bubbles and low alcohol make this a perfect celebratory aperitif at week’s end. Made with organically grown grapes.
White Wine:
Weingut Zahel Riesling 2008 $19.99 (buy it online here or ask your local retailer)
Gorgeous citrus fruits with a touch of honeysuckle aromas. Lovely fruit to match your turkey but dry, minerally finish. Very refreshing acids. NY Times writes about these Austrian wines here. Zahel practices a mix of organic and biodynamic farming, although they do not use copper sulphate as many biodynamic farmers do.
Rose Wine:
Edmunds St John Bone Jolly Gamay Noir Rose 2008 $15 (ask your retailer or call here)
Count yourself among the blessed if you can score a bottle of this delicious California rose wine. I used to sell it as a wine wholesale rep in Texas and we could never get enough. Gorgeous flavors of strawberries and citrus fruits. Crisp, dry finish. A quintessential Thanksgiving wine. Grapes are from practicing organic vineyards and have no commercial yeasts added.
Red Wine:
Cooper Mountain Pinot Noir Reserve 2007 $25
The Cooper Mountain Pinot Noir 2007 Reserve is an excellent, change all your preconceptions about domestic Pinot Noir, wine drinking experience. Delicious cherry aromas with a bit of smoke and earth. Nice touch of mushroom. Gorgeous ruby color. Certifed biodynamic.
