Give Michigan wines a second look on Thanksgiving by Sylvia Rector in the Detroit Free Press features some Leelanau wines. Sylvia talked with Matt Morgan, co-owner of Ann Arbor’s Morgan & York Fine Wines & Specialty Food who says:
“Before dinner, I would recommend Larry Mawby’s (sparkling) wines…. One we like is the L. Mawby Blanc de Blancs, a Leelanau Peninsula wine. We like that partly because it’s bottle-conditioned, produced by the same method as traditional champagne, not tank-fermented.” (About $20)
“For a nice aromatic white that’s softer, we really like Chateau Fontaine’s Woodland White,” one of the few wines made with the Auxerrois grape, in the same family as pinot gris, pinot blanc and chardonnay and widely grown in the Alsace region of France. “It produces a soft, aromatic white with good freshness, a lot like a pinot blanc or pinot gris, but a little more aromatic.” (About $14.)
“On the red side, there are a few good reds (for Thanksgiving), but a nice one is Tony Ciccone’s Dolcetto,” an Italian varietal. (Ciccone is the father of entertainer Madonna.) The Dolcetto “has a nice, primary fruit note of cherry and a nice little smokiness. And the way Tony produces it — it’s not an inherently tannic grape — it’s soft enough to be successful with turkey.” (About $21.)
Michigan Master Sommelier Claudia Tyagi is equally complimentary, saying:
“First, there’s 2010 Bubbly Nouveau from Black Star Farms…. It’s 7% alcohol; it’s sweet but delicious with beautiful balance, good acidity and foamy but not overpowering bubbles. It’s just really charming at a family holiday meal — fun and fruity, and it’s 2010…. Grandma just loves it and can drink it without getting too much of a buzz.” Suitable before, during and after the meal. (Around $12.50.)
…”Another red … It’s so untraditional, but I really think that Shady Lane’s (Leelanau) Bleu Franc is worth a try. The ’07 was glorious; the ’08 is not quite the ’07. We like it because it’s velvety, almost petit syrah-ish.… It’s a he-man wine, but it’s enjoyable for everyone if they like a smooth red wine.” It works at Thanksgiving because “I think of all the weird side dishes, and I think of ham and people who might do a crown roast. It would be a fun thing to try and it’s just a really good wine.” (About $22.)
Last year, Claudia offered some tips on selecting Michigan wines to go with a Thanksgiving dinner:
I always like Riesling with turkey, although with poultry Chardonnay would be beautiful. You have a lot of versatility and a lot of possibility with turkey. You could use a white wine or an aromatic wine. Those tend to go well with turkey, too.
MyNorth.com suggest a few Rieslings on the sweeter side and they also list some great dry Rieslings (which are awesome if you haven’t tried them).
Do you have a favorite wine you’re planning on serving? Post it in the comments!
Photo credit: Barrels of Autumn by mono1980