It has been a week since Thanksgiving, yet there is still a little turkey lurking, along with some stuffing, in the fridge. Over twenty people, but as usual, there was way too much food. There was a turkey and a ham. The sides included stuffing, mashed potatoes, creamed spinach, roasted squash, and things, probably because of the food coma I suffered, that I can't remember. The desserts, well, there were copious types and amounts. It doesn't matter how many people come to Thanksgiving dinner, there always seems to be leftovers. I think I actually like the turkey sandwiches on day two better than the actual meal.
We did an away dinner and I was in charge of the wine. For the last couple of years I had chosen to drink all American for Thanksgiving. This year I did the same, except for the one request for Prosecco. While I didn't take notes while drinking the wines, (I thought that would be a social faux pas) I do have a pretty good memory and some basic thoughts about what we had. All of these are current vintages and can be found fairly easily.
NV Nino Franco "Rustico" Prosecco - Dryer than most Proseccos out there. Nice fruit, soft bubbles and a touch nutty. Good. $15
2003 Wesport Rivers Brut RJR Sparkling Wine, MA, USA - I have had this two or three times over the last year and a half and I remember it more fondly than it showed on Thanksgiving. Some toasty notes, fruit seemed a bit oxidized, fat bubbles. Fair. $24
2007 Neyers Chardonnay, Carneros District - This was my second favorite of the day. Lemony and slightly understated for a California wine. Bright acidity but balanced. Nice long finish. Very Good. $34
2007 Ramey Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast - Super rich fruit, lemony and slightly tropical. The acidity seemed to be playing in its own band, not well integrated. Big mouth feel. Might just be too young. Very Good-. $40
2007 Ridge Three Valleys Zinfandel, Sonoma County -Beautifully ripe, clean fruit. Red berries, mouth-filling and luscious. A crowd pleaser. Very Good-. $26
2006 Copain Harrison Clarke Syrah, Santa Ynez Valley -This was my favorite. It did start out a bit nervous, a touch of spritz, which blew off. Dark concentrated fruits that stayed light on their feet. No dried fruits. Palate coating richness. A bit of game, great acidity and a super long finish. Very Good+. Except for the initial spritz, I might have given this an Excellent. $42
Still River Winery Apfel Eis, MA - Nice amount of sweetness. Not cloying, yet held up to all the desserts. Apples and honey coat the whole mouth. Good+. $24 (half bottle)
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We at Neyers are glad you liked our Carneros District Chardonnay. Thank you! Interesting note is that our winemaker of five years, Tadeo Borchardt, was at Copain previous to being here. You may want to give one of Neyers Syrahs a try!
ReplyDeletePhoebe,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info regarding the winemaker. I will do some research to learn more.
I haven't had a Neyers Syrah in over 5 or 6 years, but my recollection is that they were made in a style that was too hot for my taste. I haven't seen a Neyers Syrah or any of the Zins around in awhile anyway. I do, however, accept samples. :)
Sounds like you had a great Thanksgiving. Thanks for the wine reviews. I really like that you describe them in an impartial way first, then tell how much you liked it. I've tried some of the wines you have liked, and I really liked them, too. The Copain and the Neyers sound great...I'll try to find some. Thanaks again for a great blog.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, thanks for the comments.
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