5 Wines to Bring to Thanksgiving
'Tis the season for a delicious glass of vino. I'm sharing some of my favorite wines this holiday season. My favorite text to receive is a photo of a wine list at a restaurant, sent over to help pick the bottle for my friends to enjoy with their meal. I'm here for all things wine and love sharing my passion with you. It's more than the wine. When I enjoy a glass there are many memories and laughs shared as well. If you need any other recommendations reach out. Jennifer Carruthers Owner of JC Select Wines (HAND-PICKED WINE SELECTIONS & CONCIERGE SERVICES) can help with any last-minute wine orders, all vino below Jenn carries. Have an amazing Thanksgiving with your loved ones, lots of yummy food, and a heart filled with gratitude!
Big Bold Red Cheers! Jenica
1. ALAIN GRAILLOT 'SYROCCO' SYRAH MOROCCO
Alain Graillot stumbled upon these vineyards and the Thalvin winery while bicycling in the Zenata region of Morocco between Casablanca and Rabat. It is a beautiful area with cool winds blowing off the Atlantic and no polluting industries. The Thalvin winery has been around since the 1920s and after some discussion, a deal was reached and Thalvin provided Graillot with parcels of Syrah vines to produce Syrocco. Fruit is grown primarily around the winery, which is located near the village of Ben Slimane (40 km from the ocean between Casablanca and Rabat in Morocco). The wine is crafted from vines 10-40 years old (average age 25 years) and no herbicide or fungicide treatments are used.
2. Stephanie Cabernet 2015, by Hestan Vineyards Napa Valley
One thing the Hestans do is that they don't release wines too early. This wine is 2014 and current vintage... Perfect to drink now and will continue to age remarkably. It's a beautifully smooth Napa Cabernet, typical for remarkable winemaker Jeff Gaffner. Winemaker Notes: Notes of blackberry, blueberry, and cranberry. After opened for about 15 minutes, notes of dark blossom, violets, rose and brown spices take over. It’s fine-grained tannins lead to a wonderful mid-palate and long, integrated finish.
3. ORR Wines Royal Slope Merlot, Columbia Valley, WA
Powerhouse Woman Winemaker, Erica Orr cut her teeth at places like Rudd, Cain, & Domaine Dujac. Then she moved up to WA, a region you should already be keeping your eye on, to create her own label. The Merlot is a blend, 80% Merlot with 20% Cabernet Sauvignon all from a sustainably farmed Stillwater Creek vineyard in Royal Slope (newest AVA). Hand-picked, and aged neutral French oak barrels. Bottled without fining or filtration under TCA-free DIAM corks in glass bottles made in the USA. Enjoy some savory character, roasted red pepper, and herbs together with crunchy red fruit like pomegranate and plum.
4. Domaine la Bouïssiere Gigondas, Rhone, FR
Tis the season for great wines and this is a FABULOUS Gigondas. If you're a Chateauneuf de Pape fan, it's party-time. Domaine la Boussiere stands out for the great wines produced from their very high elevation vines and their obsession with caring for their land/vines/grapes/wines. Their reputation, especially when it comes to high quality, balanced and agreeable Gigondas, winemaker brothers Thierry and Giles Faravel are in a league of their own.
Brown Estate is the first and only Black-owned estate winery in the Napa Valley. They're famously known for their stunning quality, and the Chaos Theory Red is no exception. It’s a blend of Napa Merlot, Petite Syrah and, of course, zinfandel for which they're notorious. Think Passion fruit, persimmon, guava… Medium-bodied and plush on the palate. It has very well-balanced acid, smooth tannins, and a lingering finish. It's a true star.