Thanksgiving Wine Advice

The ultimate Thanksgiving meal is about more than the menu. If ever there were a food lover's holiday, Thanksgiving would be it. And one of the pleasures of my Thanksgiving is that every family member has a role in the big meal. My role is a peach. I'm the wine gal. It's a fine job for a number of reasons with my favorite being the many tastings I conduct leading up to the final wine choice. It's a tough job, but someone has to do it. I do receive some advice along the way; don't bring anything too expensive and don't bring anything too weird.

To fit the bill, the wine needs to be a crowd-pleaser and match the menu. No problem. This year I think I've got it covered.

I’d like to share a few tips on planning the wine for this delicious yet tricky wine-pairing meal.

Red or White?

Either! Stuffing is a good guide: if you serve a basic bread-and-celery dressing, try a white such as Chenin Blanc or an off-dry Riesling. Add mushrooms or sausage and a red, like Beaujolais, is great. But the best rule is to let guests drink what they like.

Choosing the Right Wine?

Here's an easy answer: No single wine will work perfectly with your meal so serve a few. Regardless of which wine you choose, the style to look for is medium-bodied, fruity, and without a lot of oak.

How Much Wine to Buy?

A bottle is about five glasses, so plan on a bottle for every two people. If you’re serving wine before dinner, add a glass or two more per person to the equation.

With all that's going on in the world, Thanksgiving is a good time for us to count our blessings. Whether you're out at a restaurant or celebrating at home, I hope you'll be enjoying a good bottle of wine with friends and family.

Summer Reading List

If you’re more in the mood for a staycation than vacation this summer, you can at least transport yourself in mind and spirit with a great wine read. Reading wine books will inspire you and help wrap your brain around the immense world of wine, and summer time is a perfect time to dig in. Here’s a list of a few books, both new and old, that will take you to some great wine regions or at least compel you with some fascinating wine tales.

Books on Wine Worth a Read

So, pull up your beach chair, pour a glass of something and crack a book open.

Judgment of Paris by George M. Taber

The Paris Tasting of 1976 was recently put to film in the movie “Bottle Shock.” This is the book that tells the story of the first time the world realized that wine can be great –even from places-other-than-France.

Wine and War by Donald Kladstrup and Petie Kladstrup

The Nazi occupation of France was a flurry of destruction. Wine is the jewel of France and the Nazis had a lust for finery. During the 1940′s, French winemakers came together to resist and protect their fragile world.

Napa: The Story of an American Eden by James Conaway

You don’t have to leave the country to find a great wine tale. This book chronicles Napa Valley, the fortunes made there, and the wine dynasties that have emerged from it.

The Billionaire’s Vinegar by Benjamin Wallace



A novel about one of the largest scams the wine world has ever seen. The story gets interesting when an American billionaire drops over $100,000 on a single bottle supposedly owned by Thomas Jefferson. A page-turner made for a lazy summer day, this mystery is the true story of a 1787 Château Lafite Rothschild (Bordeaux).

Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes

This classic and widely read book (and movie) still holds up as a romantic read if Tuscany, Italy, is on your horizon.

Wine Tasting 101 - Italy Uncorked 4/26

Planning a trip to Italy? If not, want to feel like you are? Come join us for a tasting class of Italian wines at the Lafayette Community Center this Friday, April 26th from 6:30-8:30pm. 

The wines of Italy have something for everyone! Take a tour with us to a few favorite regions of Italy; Tuscany, Piedmont, Southern Italy, Veneto. The sheer diversity of styles, regions, and varieties offered up from Italy is amazing. From the tip of the boot to the northern Alps: tasty and unique wines in a range of prices and styles. Come join us for an informative evening discovering the best Italy has to offer in wine & food. 

Class includes wine and food tasting, two hours of instruction and take home materials.

Please register on-line at www.lafayetterec.org. 

The World's Favorite White Wine

How Popular is Chardonnay? 

Popular enough to have sparked a backlash like the ABC Club – Anything But Chardonnay. Almost without question Chardonnay is the world’s greatest white wine. With characteristics ranging from citrus and green apple in cool growing climates to pear, tropical fruit and fig in warmer areas, this classic white wine grape of Burgundy has become a worldwide favorite. 

Growing Regions: 

Chardonnay grows in nearly every wine producing area in the world but it shines in Burgundy, France. The french versions are often described as being more restrained and higher in acidity. Burgundy produces Chardonnay under many local place names such as Chablis, Pouilly-Fuissé and Meursault as well as wines with Montrachet in the name and in Champagne it turns into Blanc de Blancs.  Among the many other countries that have caught Chardonnay fever America, Australia and Chile are standouts. 

Style Variations:

Chardonnay styles can vary dramatically based on origin and winemaker. When well made, Chardonnay offers bold, ripe, rich and intense fruit flavors of apple, fig, melon, pear, pineapple, lemon and grapefruit, along with spice, honey, butter, butterscotch and hazelnut flavors. Winemakers build more complexity into this easy-to-manipulate wine using common vinification techniques: Look for the following words on Chardonnay labels: barrel fermented (which imparts toasty oak flavors); cold fermented (which preserves fresh, youthful fruit flavors); and lees contact or sur lie (increasing the contact time between the lees, or sediment, and the wine which adds complexity and richness). 

Food Pairings:

Pair Chardonnay in the leaner Burgundian style with roasted chicken or seafood; the more voluptuous New World Chardonnay can match the buttery richness of pasta dishes made with cream or cheese, with lobster or other rich seafood. Caution: Chardonnay can be hard to match with food if it is high in alcohol (13-14%) or has a lot of oak flavor creating a heavier weight and body. Spicy food tends to accentuate the alcohol and oak in the wine and usually are not pleasant together. 

Cabernet Sauvignon is the king of reds and similarly, Chardonnay is considered the king of white wines making consistently excellent, rich and complex whites. This amazingly versatile grape grows well in a variety of locations throughout the world and creates widely varied wines. 

Wine & Chocolate Pairing 101 - 2/7/2013

                 Wine & Chocolate Pairing 101

Just in Time for Valentine's Day

Thursday, February 7th 6:30-8:39pm

Walnut Creek Community Center, Civic Plaza

Some say it can't be done, pairing wine with chocolate, but if you have the right wine to complement the right chocolate it can be a match made in heaven! 

Whether you are pairing a delicate white chocolate or a lovely dark chocolate with wine, there are a few pairing tips to keep in mind so join us for a decadent exploration of Chocolate and Wine. 

Class includes wine & chocolate tasting, take home materials and 2 hours of instruction. 

Please bring 5 wine glasses to class. 

You must pre-register at  www.walnutcreek.org class #21406