Corkscrew Chronicles: Wine selections for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is truly an American holiday. The unique pandemic requirement will challenge, but plan on intimate gatherings with social distancing and enjoy the time with family and friends. Below are several wine choices for each of the typical Thanksgiving main entrées. If the recommended brand is not available, look for another of the same style, region or grape varietal. Purchase based on the number of attendees, figuring half a bottle per person. Remember open bottles should be good to enjoy for about three to five days. Appetizers — Acidity makes for sharpened appetites and enhanced food flavors. Sparklers offer excellent acidity and also help provide a festive mood. Mionetto Proseco, Italy, $14 is spritzy and pleasant. The Domaine Chandon Brut, Carneros, $18 offers clean, crisp, lingering flavors. The Schramsberg Blanc de Blanc, California, $41 is always rich and creamy with steely acidity. The Lanson Brut, Champagne, $50 offers acidity, textured mouthfeel and hint of toasty richness. For those with sweeter tastes, the Elio Perone Moscato, Italy, $20 is fresh and flavorful. Ham — White wines with acidity and/or sweetness are perfect pairings with the meat's smoke and salt curing. Try a Riesling such as the Dr. Hermann "H", Mosel, $15, a wine balanced between sweetness and acidity with rich flavors. For a value with a soft hint of sweetness, the Trullo Riesling, Rheinhessen, $11 is perfect. For soft reds celebrate with the newest wine of the season with Georges Duboeuf beaujolais nouveau, France, $14 a pleasant red for heavy eating and pleasurable gulping. From the Rhone the Bastide de Beauverts Cotes du Rhone, $11 is ripe and supple. From California try the Rodney Strong pinot noir, Russian River Valley, $20 an excellent value at the price for its elegance and complexity. Northern Ohio retailers suggest Gewurztraminer to complement the Thanksgiving fare spices. I recommend the Firelands, Ohio, $14 for its floral, delicate aromatics. If you would like a delicious blend of five noble grapes that includes Gewurztraminer, try the Hugel "Gentile," Alsace, $17. Turkey — is extremely wine-flexible. Any of the wines previously mentioned work as will the following suggestions: Crisp whites — Alverdi pinot grigio, Friuli, $10 is textured and well-balanced with minerality. The Nisia Verdejo, Rueda, $16 is full of bright fruit. Chauvet Freres Beaujolais blanc, Beaujolais, $20 is crisp, unoaked and fresh. The Louis Latour Montagny Premier Cru, Burgundy, $31 is a richer style of Chardonnay perfect for classic Thanksgiving fare. Dry rose — Txomin Etxaniz Txakoli Rose, Spain, $27 is crackling, lovely and delightful. One relatively new release is the Rodney Strong rose of Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, $18 with fresh aromas and crisply defined flavors of strawberry. Full red — Grayson offers a very pleasant cabernet sauvignon, California, $12 that won't break your budget. The Daou cabernet sauvignon, Paso Robles, $28 is well-structured and full of ripe fruit. The La Posta Paulucci Vineyard malbec, Argentina, $15 offers dark and mineral-tinged fruit. For a classic American red with dark raspberry notes try the Pozzan zinfandel, Oakville, $20. Ohio — It is most appropriate to grace your holiday table with some of the fine Ohio winery products. Look for the following: Debonne Vineyards, Ferrante Winery, Firelands Winery, Klingshirn Winery, Kosicek Vineyards, Laurello Vinyards, M Cellars, Markko Vineyard, Matus Winery, Paper Moon Vineyards, St. Joseph Vineyard and Vermillion Valley Vineyards. Dessert — Enjoy a late-harvest white with pumpkin pie. The Nicolas Sauternes, Bordeaux 375ml — $20 is a sweet yet complex dessert white. A classic pairing with pumpkin pie is a Boal or Malmsey Madeira. Check with your retailer for available brands. Don't forget the Ohio and Niagara Peninsula ice wines for dessert. Happy Thanksgiving!