Please, not another boring Thanksgiving wine…
Lately I’ve been hearing alot of talk about what wines go best with Thanksgiving dinner and I gotta say that for most folks Tempranillo is not the first wine that comes to mind, but it should be. I mean, yeah, you could go out and get a Pinot which works most of the time especially if its a fruity style or even a Syrah in some cases. Heck, lots of people think Chardonnay goes great with turkey (though I think they’re insane- lets get real, Chardonnay with stuffing and cranberries… YUK!). Tempranillo on the other hand is a match made in heaven. Roast turkey and Tempranillo were made for each other. Think about it, cranberries were paired with turkies for a reason- they bring out the richness of the meat. Tempranillo has berries, mostly red berries and lots of them. It also has good acidity which is very important to cut through the rich oily textures of roasted meats and gravy. Remember, the wine is supposed to elevate the flavors of each bite and a good pairing also brings out the juiciness of the wine. If all a wine does is wash down the food, well… that’s what water is for, which is cheaper and you should have it at the table anyway.
