Of course next week is Thanksgiving. And with it comes all that great food, great time with family, and football!
But what if you’re kind of new to the family? Just got married? Are you the new boyfriend looking to impress the parents? One of the easiest ways to do this is with a simple bottle of wine. We hit up the owners of a great Central California wine bar that we had a chance to visit a few weeks ago for some suggestions and after we tried them ourselves, we can’t wait to put our stamp of approval on them as well.
Tasting notes compliments of Richard Gilpin who is a manager, wine buyer, & Certified Sommelier at Imbibe Wine Bar.
2009 Thomas Fogerty Gewürztraminer – Gewürztraminer is my personal favorite with holiday turkey, ham and the other classics. Hints of sweet tree fruits, rose petals, and white pepper enrich the slow cooked flavors of the holidays while the clean, crisp acidity keeps the palate fresh. Fogerty has a particularly wonderful Gewürztraminer from the 2009 vintage, with an incredibly floral nose.
2008 Morgan Pinot Noir 12 Clones – Pinot Noir has to be the most versatile red at our disposal, it plays well with poultry, fish, pork and beef. Pinot is a more mild red and as such you do not have to be concerned with it dominating the foods like some Cabernets or Zinfandel might. Morgan 12 Clones has sweet red berries on the front of the palate that will do wonders paired with cranberries, stuffing and turkey.
2007 Baton Pinot Noir Laguna Ridge – Another great Pinot from California, with large and full flavors this Pinot is no push-over. Though the flavors are big it brings an elegance to the table that will impress and satiate your guests. Warm dark fruits with great depth that will enhance your spiral cut ham like no other, while still allowing the softer flavors of your holiday spread to shine.
2006 Schramsberg Cremant – Demi-sec in style, which is classically delicate, and off-dry. Schramsberg Cremant is fruity and floral while sweet spice notes abound with dried mango, glazed pineapple and citrus. A great finisher and one heck of a wingman for your sweet holiday favorites like: Pecan or Pumpkin pie.
We also got a lead on a great after dinner drink from Imbibe. The Pumpkin Tini!
The recipe:
1 Part Vodka
1 Part Pumpkin Spice Liqueur
Combine in a shaker with ice & give a good shake. Rim your Martini glass with cinnamon & sugar, strain the shaken mixture into the glass, and garnish with a cinnamon stick or orange twist.
There you have it folks, some of our recommendations to take your Thanksgiving feast over the top. For our Central California Fans (we know you’re out there!) if you ever have a chance to pop into Imbibe in Bakersfield you should! In addition to its great wine/beer tasting area, they support an extensive selection of spirits as well as an incomparable beer fridge and wine cooler. You can even pick up a cigar to go with that. If you ever find your way to Imbibe you won’t be disappointed in the least. And if you run into our buddy Richard, tell him the WGUB sent you.
