Though tasty budget wines for Thanksgiving occupy a huge niche in the wine market, there is strong demand for luxury wines as well. Thanksgiving is, after all, a special occasion, so if not then, when exactly would be the right time to uncork the best wines in the cellar?
If you're thinking about putting on the Ritz this Thanksgiving, a high-end wine from the growing ranks of California pinot noir specialists would no doubt please even the most discriminating guests.
The combination of ripe fruit, spice and relatively soft tannins make pinot noir a superb red wine option for the Thanksgiving table. Now that the pinot noir boom is in full swing in California's coastal wine regions, there are a plethora of excellent options.
The following three pinots are among my favorites from recent vintages. Though pricey, they are well worth it if the objective is to pair a dazzling wine with a dazzling Thanksgiving dinner.
Black Kite 2013 Pinot Noir, Gap's Crown, Sonoma Coast ($60) -- Black Kite's best Pinots typically come from the winery's phenomenal Anderson Valley vineyard, but winemaker Jeff Gaffner can ring the bell even when Black Kite sources grapes from other vineyard sites. This Gap's Crown from the Sonoma Coast is a sensational pinot that offers impressive dimension. It is beautifully structured and suave on the palate, with deep aromas of raspberry and blueberry, as well as an intriguing spice note on the finish. Rating: 95.
Goldeneye 2012 Pinot Noir, The Narrows, Anderson Valley ($82) -- This vintage from Goldeneye's cool The Narrows Vineyard is a stunning example of Anderson Valley pinot at its finest. Showing earthy minerals and complex red fruit aromas, along with back notes of spice and violets and firm tannins, the balance between the fruit, oak and acid is exquisite. This is a pinot with tremendous tension now, and extraordinary potential for the longer term. Rating: 95.
J Vineyards 2013 Pinot Noir, Nicole's Vineyard, Russian River Valley ($65) -- J's 2013 Nicole's Vineyard strikes an exquisite balance between Old World sensibilities and New World realities. It is made in a Burgundian style that delivers structure and subtlety, but with enough flash that's it is unmistakably California. With notes of raspberry, black cherry and plum, it exhibits nuanced complexity. It's fresh and appealing on the palate but with plenty of backbone and stuffing to carry it another five to seven years in a temperature-controlled cellar. Rating: 92.
Best Value
Wines are rated on a 100-point scale. Wines are chosen for review because they represent outstanding quality or value, and the scores are simply a measure of this reviewer's enthusiasm for the recommended wine.
Criterion 2010 Rioja Reserva, Spain ($17) -- Criterion's 2010 Reserva is a good example of a modern Rioja. With excellent concentration of black cherry fruit and firm tannins, it has the heft and dimensions that impress, as well as a splash of spicy new oak that lingers. Made in a style that is meant to be consumed young, at $17 a bottle it's a good bet that's exactly what will happen. Drink up! Rating: 88.
Tasting Notes
Poggio al Tesoro 2011 Sondraia, Bolgheri DOC Superiore, Italy ($55) -- Bolgheri is the hot spot for the so-called 'Super Tuscans' and this one from the Allegrini family, renowned for its success in the Veneto region of northern Italy, is a shining example of what can be accomplished with Cabernet Sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc in this corner of Tuscany. A suave red packed with ripe cassis, blackberry and plum fruit, Sondraia is a magnificent expression of these classic Bordeaux grape varieties. They've thrived in Italy for years, but only over the past couple of decades have they come to be accepted alongside the traditional money grape of Tuscany, Sangiovese. Sondraia 2011 is beautifully balanced, exquisitely structured, and destined for a long life. Rating: 96.
Keenan 2012 Cabernet Franc, Spring Mountain District ($68) -- Keenan's Cabernet Franc makes a bold statement, as most wines made by Nils Venge do. It's something of a rarity to come across a varietal cabernet franc in the land of expensive cabernet sauvignon. This refreshing change of pace shows the classic herbal nose of cabernet franc, yet many of the dark-fruit characteristics of cabernet sauvignon. On the palate the wine is firmly structured, with heft and depth that isn't typical of this grape variety, which can be thin and weedy when planted in the wrong place. The rarity factor plays into the price a bit, but for those who would dare to try something different from the Napa Valley, well worth it. Rating: 92.
Follow Robert on Twitter at @wineguru.
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