Pass the Pie (and the Dessert Wine!)

Filed in archive Holiday Wine on November 15, 2007

Who is tired of reading about Thanksgiving wine suggestions? Go ahead, raise your hand. Last week I mentioned that today I'd be writing about dessert wines, so hopefully you can bear with one more article. After a huge meal of turkey, stuffing, candied yams, green bean casserole, and whatever else might happen to be the tradition at your table, you might want to hold off on the pies and cakes and cookies until there's some room in your belly. And if that's the case, you might be interested in trying a dessert wine either with or perhaps even instead of a heavy dessert.

A couple weeks ago I wrote about the 2006 Rosa Regale Brachetto d'Acqui, and I think this would be a great dessert wine to serve on Thanksgiving. (You can go back and read the entry if you want more details.) In a nutshell, this is a delightful, fruity sparkling wine that is full of berries and character. It pairs best with chocolate (chocolate covered strawberries, any kind of chocolate cake, or even a mousse), but is great on its own if you want to pass on the sweets.

If you're serving chocolate for dessert, but don't want a sparkling, I would then consider a Banyuls. Banyuls is a red wine from Southwestern France - the Pyranees region which borders on Southern Catalonia in Spain. It is made from the Grenache grape, which must account for at least 50% of the wine (or 75% for Grand Cru). The production process is similar to that of Port, however Banyuls tend to be lower in alcohol than ports. The wine is aged in oak barrels for 8 years. Banyuls has a sweet flavor - vanilla, cinnamon, refreshing and crisp. Here are two of my favorites:

2005 Les Clos de Paulilles Banyuls Rimage - A deep garnet color, basically opaque, this wine is as rich and viscous as a cup of cocoa made from the finest beans. You've got your rich plum and blackberry fruit, dried herbs, tobacco and leather all neatly synthesized together with ribbons of dark chocolate running throughout.

2000 Ey "Vigne d'en Traginer" Banyuls - Owner/winemaker Jean-Francois Deu takes a strictly organic approach to winemaking, loosely combined with the principles of biodynamics to produce a beautifully balanced dessert wine, with flavors of candied red fruit, caramel, and coffee.

What's that? You can't imagine eating chocolate cake on Thanksgiving? I understand. For many people it has to be pumpkin pie or apple pie. In that case, I think you'd enjoy drinking a Moscato d'Asti alongside your pastry. I love the 2005 Cugnexio Moscato d'Asti. The nose is fresh and fruity with aromas of banana and sage. The palate is sweet, fresh, elegant and well balanced of sweetness and acidity, smooth with a delightful long fruity finish.

No matter what you choose to drink, the important thing is spending the day with family and friends. Good company will make any wine more enjoyable!