Turkey is a very versatile meat that can go well with many different types of wine, but zinfandels may just be the perfect compliment to the bird for Thanksgiving. First, zinfandel is a very American wine, so it fits in well with the traditions of the holiday. They also offer a round and balanced flavor that anyone can enjoy, especially because zins often have a lot of berry flavor, which covers some of the acidity that occasional wine drinkers find slightly off-putting sometimes. This means that zin will be very drinkable for all your guests, no matter how experienced with wines they are. Business Week picked out some of the best zins to serve with any turkey-based holiday dinner, all fruity and most with interesting touches of oak or licorice that really make them unique: Ridge Vineyards Buchignani Ranch (91 pts, $24); Elyse Winery Korte Ranch Vineyard (94 pts, $30); Hartford Court Russian River (93 pts, $30); Robert Biale Black Chicken (93 pts, $34); Carlisle Tom Feeney Ranch (92 pts, $38); and Linne Calodo Problem Child (92 pts, $42).
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-18-2006 @ 9:56PM
Elise said...
Hi Nicole,
Being at the foot of Zinfandel country (Amador County), here in Sacramento, we drink a lot of zins. Of the wines you mentioned, the only one I've had is the Linne Calodo Problem Child which I can highly recommend; it's excellent. Note on zins. I find that they are usually quite bold; it took me a while to develop a taste for them.
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11-18-2006 @ 10:24PM
Nicole Weston said...
Thanks, Elise. I guess I just have a taste for bolder wines, as I have always found them to be easier to drink. Regardless, they still go well with the meal and there is no time like the present to give them a try, right?
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11-18-2006 @ 10:47PM
bdw said...
The best drink with turkey, imho, is a cherry lambic. Raspberry is also good, peach, not so much.
Surprisingly, Dr. Pepper is also very nice.
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11-19-2006 @ 12:56PM
calamari said...
Something as strong as a zin with turkey? Yikes! You're doing the artisanal gamey turkeys, I hope, if your wine is that bold.
Nouveau beaujolais is made for supermarket turkey, so it's handy that the wine released in mid-November.
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11-20-2006 @ 3:02PM
michelle said...
As a lover of zinfandel, I think it would go just fine (and I think that's the key -- if you already like the wine, it'd go great with most meals where a red wine will work). We've had pinot noir with our Thanksgiving dinners for the last few years and that's a tradition we're probably going to stick with.
In fact, I've got two lovely bottles of Argyle pinot at home just waiting to be opened up Thursday!
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