About.com Wine

2009 Thanksgiving Wine Picks

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:27:50 +0000

Thanksgiving can be a high pressure event with all of the food prep, guest preferences, wine selections and seating arrangements, but it doesn't have to be!

We'll try to pare down the preparations by offering up a starting point for wine picks and pairings. You will also find that most of the wines fall right under the $20 price point, as a houseful of guests can clip the wine budget fairly quickly. Check out the 2009 Thanksgiving Wine Picks here.

2009 Thanksgiving Wine Picks originally appeared on About.com Wine on Thursday, November 19th, 2009 at 19:27:50.

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Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrive!

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:01:55 +0000

Yes, it's here again - the third Thursday of November and the "Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrive!' signs (The New Beaujolais has arrived) are out in full force at local wine shops. Beaujolais Nouveau is always the first vintage released, a mere six weeks post harvest, and just in time to be a festive partner at the Thanksgiving table (be sure to serve it slightly chilled). Beaujolais Nouveau is made from the thin-skinned Gamay grape and typically offers little to no tannins, a light-body and red fruit flavor along with a bit of banana in the profile (thanks to carbonic maceration). It is an easy-going, fun wine that doesn't take itself or it's role to seriously - and that is something to celebrate!

Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrive! originally appeared on About.com Wine on Thursday, November 19th, 2009 at 00:01:55.

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What to Drink on Thanksgiving: From Beer and Cocktails to Coffee and Wine

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:55:52 +0000

Being dubbed the most food-focused day of the year, doesn't stop Thanksgiving from taking a bit of work to match limitless beverage preferences from friends and family members gathered around the table.

About.com Drinks Guides

Thanksgiving beverage pairings

here

What to Drink on Thanksgiving: From Beer and Cocktails to Coffee and Wine originally appeared on About.com Wine on Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 at 15:55:52.

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Wine of the Week: Souverain Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 (CA) $20

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:31:39 +0000

At a recent winemaker's dinner with Souverain's Ed Killian, I tried the '06 Cabernet Sauvignon from Sonoma County's acclaimed Alexander Valley. This is a fantastic Cab with rich, ripe red fruit debuting on the nose and black cherry, plum and a generous dusting of cocoa making its way across the palate. A dense, chewy Cab with stunning structure and well-placed tannin integration, the Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon offers up a concentrated red wine brimming with dark, layered fruit, depth and intriguing complexity.

Cab

Wine of the Week: Souverain Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 (CA) $20 originally appeared on About.com Wine on Monday, November 16th, 2009 at 00:31:39.

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Wine Labels - Decoded

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 18:02:05 +0000

Reading a wine label can be as easy as reading the alphabet or as difficult as trying to decode a foreign language, it all depends on whose label it is and where it is from. New World labels tend to vere towards the straight-forward, "here's what it is" approach, with the varietal or blend clearly labeled, the producer, where the grapes were grown and the alcohol content right there in plain view. Old World wines have a reputation for "masking" key info., but this is not the case at all. If you know what to be looking for, you can easily decipher the pertinent label information with very little effort. Instead of the varietal being the primary piece of information on the Old World label, it is the location - where the wine is from. Old World wines are heavily invested in their individual terroir, not necessarily the specific grape, though if you know the region, then you will also have a pretty good handle on the possible grapes that made their way into the bottle.

Wine Labels - Decoded originally appeared on About.com Wine on Saturday, November 14th, 2009 at 18:02:05.

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Thanksgiving Wines

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:26:45 +0000

With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, there is no better time to start planning your Thanksgiving dinner menu and selecting wines to complement the feast. Historically, the week before Thanksgiving is also a great time to buy wine as many wine merchants run specials on preferred holiday wines.

While the turkey may claim center stage on most Thanksgiving Day tables, if you limit the scope of your Thanksgiving wine pairing to the bird you'll have missed ample opportunity to showcase exciting varietals against the flavor backdrop of an interesting array of tastes and textures, as presented by your favorite family side dishes.

Interested in learning which wines are most likely to bring out the best in your Thanksgiving day menu? Check out key varietals that promise easy Thanksgiving pairing potential with minimum risk and maximum flavor here.

Image Courtesy of Getty Images / Flying Colours Ltd

Thanksgiving Wines originally appeared on About.com Wine on Monday, November 9th, 2009 at 22:26:45.

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Wine of the Week: ForeFront Sauvignon Blanc 2008 (CA) $16

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 20:21:54 +0000

ForeFront is a new project by Pine Ridge Winery that offers consumers a wine experience that lives up to the Pine Ridge reputation for stellar quality buoyed by the economy's call for lower prices. To that end ForeFront wines are offered at a suggested retail price range of $16-24, with many merchants staying at $20 and below. Intended to be approachable, everyday wines high on pairing versatility and light on the wallet, the three wines that I've sampled from this project are offering all that and more.

ForeFront Sauvignon Blanc

acidity

Sauvignon Blanc

Thanksgiving

Disclosure: A sample was provided for review. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.

Wine of the Week: ForeFront Sauvignon Blanc 2008 (CA) $16 originally appeared on About.com Wine on Sunday, November 8th, 2009 at 20:21:54.

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Wines of Chile: Carmenere Online Tasting

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 03:05:22 +0000

Yesterday I had the chance to run through a series of eight Chilean wines via an online wine tasting hosted by Wines of Chile. All of the wines were either 100% Carmenere or a blend with Cab or Carignan. The tasting featured eight Carmenere wines each introduced by eight young, dynamic winemakers, who took turns speaking to their spotlighted wine.

Cabernet Sauvignon

Carmenere

here

Wines of Chile: Carmenere Online Tasting originally appeared on About.com Wine on Friday, November 6th, 2009 at 03:05:22.

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Wine of the Week: Cambria Julia's Vineyard Pinot Noir 2006 (CA) $17

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 01:39:20 +0000

The 2006 Cambria Julia's Vineyard Pinot Noir is a wine to keep in mind as you start your search for Thanksgiving day wines. This is a ripe, supple Pinot Noir with solid cherry, cranberry and strawberry flavors. A food-friendly red wine that would certainly support the herb-based flavors of the traditional Thanksgiving meal, due in large part to the wine's earthy character, elegant balance and fine finish wrapped in vanilla and warm cinnamon spice.

If you are interested in picking this wine up online, Wine.com has it at a decent price here.

Wine of the Week: Cambria Julia's Vineyard Pinot Noir 2006 (CA) $17 originally appeared on About.com Wine on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 01:39:20.

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No Go for Amazon's Wine Retailing Aspirations... at Least for Now

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 02:47:57 +0000

Internet retailing giant, Amazon.com, is bagging its quest for selling wines online through the recently created AmazonWine outlet. The three tiered wine distribution is tricky to navigate on many levels, however, when you throw in the state specific legalities for wine shipping and distribution in all 50 states, the picture gets pretty bleak. For now, Amazon looks like they are going to let this deal fade, but you never know with ongoing grass roots efforts from organizations like Free the Grapes, legislative changes, while painstakingly slow, are taking place. Catch the details here. Have thoughts on wine distribution law or online wine buying? Pipe up at the Wine Forum.

No Go for Amazon's Wine Retailing Aspirations... at Least for Now originally appeared on About.com Wine on Friday, October 30th, 2009 at 02:47:57.

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