We have put together a superb selection of wines for your Thanksgiving table! There is something for everyone and they were chosen to pair wonderfully with the traditional turkey dinner. We will have all of these wines open at some point on Thursday, Friday or Saturday (November 17th, 18th and 19th) this week so you can taste and decide for yourself. Of course there are lots of other wines here that will work, but we are very excited about these for your feast. If you’re cooking something else entirely, we are happy to help with that as well. Read on for the list of wines, the notes, and pricing and be sure to follow us on Instagram (@NOLAWineMerchant) to know when we are opening which bottles!THE BUBBLES What better way to begin the celebration?  Moirots Crémant de Bourgogne 100% Chardonnay from Burgundy, more specifically the appellation of Montagny in the Côte Chalonnaise. This is a bright, fresh sparkling wine that will make a lovely aperitif and friendly companion to the meal itself. Jacquesson Cuvée 740 – Despite being older than Krug and helping to create that house (the founder departed Jacquesson to found Krug), Jacquesson remains a bit below the radar. That is starting to change. Beginning with Cuvée 728 they began making champagne that reflected the style of each base vintage rather than the more traditional approach of making a consistent house style. They believe you sacrifice quality for the sake of consistency so they make a different wine each year. They use Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier in varying amounts, which they rarely disclose. The Cuvée 740 has about 20% reserve wine and is based on the 2012 vintage. It is powerful and drinking wonderfully. Think of this as vintage champagne and enjoy the relative bargain price we are sharing. THE ROSÉS  Ioppa Russi Nebbiolo Rosato, Ghemme 2021 – From a satellite region next to Gattinara north of Asti and Alba in Italy’s Piedmont region. This wine is produced from young vine Nebbiolo and is aged in stainless steel to preserve freshness. This wine is all about aroma and texture, exuberant fruit with richness but enough lift to not feel heavy. Charles Audoin Marsannay Rosé 2017 – What a unique opportunity! Pinot Noir rosé at a bargain price with half a decade of age from the only appellation in Burgundy that produces red, white and rosé. This shows less of the bright fruit you might expect from young rosé but it adds complexity and more of a light red feel. We only have 15 bottles of this rarity available but we will pick another winner when this one sells out. THE WHITES  Domaine de Pouy Gascogne Blanc 2021 – This region is very rural and a gastronomic mecca. Their calling cards are duck fat and foie gras and, while their wines are simple, they are absolutely built for food. This is 60% Ugni Blanc (known as Trebbiano in Italy) and 40% Colombard and smells Sauvignon Blanc-ish while it offers a more tactile roundness on the palate. Floral notes abound and it all but screams for oyster dressing but will get along famously with lots of other dishes. G de Guiraud Bordeaux Blanc 2019 – This is entrée Sauvignon Blanc! Fermented in older Sauternes casks, as well as stainless steel, this wine displays a waxy richness but is absolutely dry. Aromatics of Sauvignon Blanc and some oak mingle on the nose while the Semillon gives weight on the palate. Seamlessly matches with turkey, sweet potatoes even green beans. Zind-Humbrecht Zind, Alsace 2017 – An unusual white blend of 70% Chardonnay with 30% Auxerrois. In Alsace, Auxerrois can be bottled and labeled as Pinot Blanc but is usually blended with, and often confused in the vineyards as, Pinot Blanc. The fruit comes from the monopole (single vineyard owned by one family) Clos Windsbuhl and shows the delineation and minerality created by the limestone-heavy soil. There is texture but no new oak and the mineral adds layers of flavor and length that are impressive. If you have people who only drink Chardonnay, tell them the percentage included and pour them a taste, they’ll ask for more. If you have people who deem Chardonnay too pedestrian and dull, pour them a taste and they will ask for more also. A Thanksgiving magic trick! Chapoutier Crozes-Hermitage Les Meysonniers Blanc 2015 – This is a fun find! Northern Rhône whites are rare and relatively expensive and it’s even rarer to find one with some age at a good price. The wine is perfectly mature and we all immediately thought of Thanksgiving when we tasted it. 100% Marsanne, fermented in large, old oak and then aged in stainless steel for about 8 months. This wine is full-bodied, with deep lemon and cream notes plus great texture and length. Come see what an aged Marsanne is all about, we can get more. THE REDS  Domaine de la Bêche Morgon Cuvée Vielles Vignes 2020 – The 8th generation of the Depardon family is now involved in the domaine. This wine comes from all six climats within the Cru of Morgon and the vines are 70+ years-old! This is unheard of at this price point. We were selling this at a good clip at $20 but then a container arrived direct import to Louisiana and the price dropped so we are passing along the savings! Juicy, happy Beaujolais at a great price with enough weight to stand up to all sorts of dishes and even dismissers of Beaujolais. Skip the Nouveau and drink this for the same price, or less. Jean Foillard Beaujolais Villages 2020– Yes, another Beaujolais but this is not just another Beaujolais. This is from one of the famed “Gang of Four” as Kermit Lynch christened them. They moved to organic practices, significantly lowered the use of sulfur and generally revolutionized Beaujolais about 40 years ago. Featuring lots of Morgon fruit in this bottling, Jean has a few other plots of villages fruit in here, this wine is juicy and wild and slurpable. There is a whiff of funk on the nose but there is a whole lot more raspberry dominating it. If this doesn’t bring a smile to your face after tasting it, we’re not sure what will. Domaine la Genestière Les Galets, Pays d’Oc 2017 – From the Languedoc, this blend is Bordeaux meets Rhône – 50% Merlot, 30% Grenache and 20% Marselan (a crossing of Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon). The 2017 has relaxed and is in a very good drinking place now. Plum and lots of stony minerality from the rock-covered vineyard. More boisterous and friendly than Bordeaux at this price and more complex than some Rhônes. We even managed to get the price down by taking the last 50 bottles. Some of you already know the wine, come grab some before it’s gone. Kaapzicht Bush Vine Cinsaut, Stellenbosch 2020 – A few of you were lucky enough to taste and buy the phenomenal 2019 vintage at a slightly lower price. Although we regret the increase we still adore the wine. Cinsault is a darling of red blends but finding it bottled under its own name is rare. Sleek and lifted and pretty, this wine reminds us of good Gamay but with a bit more oomph and a wilder streak – Gamay with a penchant for mischief. The wine seems almost specifically created for the Thanksgiving table. THE BEAUJOLAIS MAGNUMS Last, but certainly not least, are our magnum picks. Supply constraints abound due to the short crops in France lately but we have some options we are very happy to share. Pavillon de Chavannes Côte de Brouilly 2018 1.5LT – What a gem! We bought all that remained a few months ago and a few are still available. Juicy, pure and delightfully drinkable. This is the number one pick but we only have five magnums left. Act fast. Dupeuble Beaujolais 2021 1,5LT – We just received 24 magnums of this old favorite. From 50-100 year-old vines and from a domaine with 500 years of history and imported by Kermit Lynch. Nothing more needs to be said except to explain that this would be the number one selection but for its youth. The wine could use a little time to breathe but is an absolute winner for Thanksgiving. Surely you can open a bottle a bit early and pour a some into a decanter to enhance enjoyment later… Here are the rest of the Beaujolais magnums in stock for your consideration: Château Thivin Côte de Brouilly 2018 1 magnum Chanrion Côte de Brouilly 2019 1 magnum Chignard Fleurie Les Moriers 2019 5 magnums Jean Foillard Morgon Côte du Puy 2020 1 magnum Marcel Lapierre Morgon 2021 2 magnums Guy Breton P’tit Max Morgon 2019 1 magnum |
