Credit: Gil Kulers
Credit: Gil Kulers
If this Thanksgiving wine buying guide is still relevant to you, you are already in a world of trouble. You should have taken care of this last week, if not weeks before now. You've got three days to get the wine, the turkey, the fixings and that spiral-sliced ham is not going to walk home by itself.
Here are my Top-10 rules for last-minute wine shopping:
- Remain Calm. You've created this panicked-buying situation, don't make it worse for others. So whether you're in the parking lot of your wine shop, in the aisles or in a long checkout line, chill out.
- Go Early. It may seem odd to be in a wine shop while you're sipping your morning coffee, but that is the most serene time of the day. If you're in there at 10 a.m. (or earlier for some stores), you'll likely get all the service you could ever want and avoid endless checkout lines. Some of the better shops in town stay open until midnight. Think about getting your wines after dinner. Just don't go when every other procrastinator is there.
- Go Now. Don't wait until Wednesday. If you look up pandemonium in the dictionary, you'll see "a wine shop on the day before Thanksgiving" as a definition.
- Have Mercy. Take it from a former wine shop salesperson: along with the days leading up to New Year's, these are the busiest three days of the year. Your usually friendly wine consultant has not sat down all day and just does not have the time he normally would to spend with you. Do not think he is rude for dispensing with idle banter or detailed advice on which wine to purchase.
- Buy By The Case. If you think you have the time to buy one of these and two of those until you have filled your cart, you clearly are not the one cooking the dinner and are blissfully unaware that someone has a house to clean before guests come over. Pick a reputable red and a white and be done with it.
- Have A Backup Selection. Get your mind around the idea that your favorite chardonnay may be in short supply. Don't go hunting all around town for it. Take a deep breath and let the nice wine consultant find something as good or better. Now, exhale. All will be just fine.
- Stick To The Middle Of The Road. Sure, you've read all the articles in the past few weeks about ideal choices for the annual food fest. Let's be honest, though, do you really know which cru Beaujolais to buy or which red zinfandel tastes like kerosene and which one doesn't? You'll need help and you've got no time for that. Find a pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc that you know is safe and get out of there. The Honey Baked Ham store closes in 30 minutes!
- Don't Break The Bank. Dropping $600-$700 on a case of wine is easy, but completely unnecessary on Turkey Day. There are too many distractions for you to really appreciate what's in your glass. With all the cooking, serving, catching up with friends, football and all the manifold flavors on the table, the wine just won't matter. If you spend more than $20 a bottle, you're spending too much.
- Buy Enough. OK, the wine will matter if you run out or if you're desperately digging into the back of the kitchen cabinet for that bottle you stashed during the first Reagan administration. Count on at least a half bottle for every adult guest, then round up to the next multiple of six bottles. Unlike turkey, unopened wine keeps longer than three or four days. Those extra bottles will be gone in the ensuing festive weeks.
- Have A Decent Toast Ready. The art of toasting is just about dead. Skip reading these inane top-10 lists for a couple minutes and find an eloquent reason to raise your glass. Feel free to use this one, if you run short on time: It is around the table that friends and family best understand the warmth of being together.
Gil Kulers is a sommelier and maitre d’ for an Atlanta country club. You can reach him at gil.kulers@winekulers.com.
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