I love to cook so, naturally, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It’s not a tradition I grew up with, which makes it even better because each year I learn something new. Whether it’s a new way to brine a turkey, or falling in love with green bean casserole, it is exciting to learn a new trick every year. This time, I visited Lily’s Fine Flowers on Main Street in Cornish, ME and learned about wines that are versatile, delicious and would pair wonderfully with many great things at the Thanksgiving table.
I’ve always heard: “The lighter the meat, the lighter the wine!” I, however, prefer red wines and picking something to go with turkey was always a little intimidating. Not anymore! At Lily’s, we tasted 3 different reds and 3 different whites, and I was surprised to learn that two of my picks were white wines!
Here are three American wines that I’m bringing to Thanksgiving.
Tangent Sauvignon Blanc, Paragon Vineyard, Edna Valley 2016 ($16.00)
Tangent Sauvignon Blanc is full of brightness and citrus, but is not overpowering and will compliment many dishes at the table. It is crisp and will cut through some full fat dishes like mashed potatoes, liven up the brussels sprouts, and be a subtle accompaniment to the turkey itself.
Ravines, Finger Lakes Dry Reilsling 2015 ($20.00)
Ravines Reisling was surprisingly not sweet! It still had subtle aromas of pears and orange blossom, but none of the sweetness. It was silky, not overly acidic, and I can’t wait to try it with sweet and spicy things like sweet potatoes and pie, any pie.
Baileyana Pinot Noir, Fire Peak, Edna Valley 2017 ($24.00)
This was the red wine that was difficult to walk away from. The pinot noir is a light red wine, balanced, bright without being sour, and is delightful to drink. This is the wine for the red wine lover that will work well through the meal, especially with that sausage stuffing!
I was glad to find these wines at a local store here in Cornish, Maine, and to expand my horizon into white wines this year. Lily’s Fine Flowers will be open Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving from 10am to 5pm.
By Dasha Smirnova
