It’s the week before Thanksgiving!  Are you hosting Thanksgiving?  Visiting with family and friends?  Having a traditional dinner or non-traditional?  Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. There are so many choices for Thanksgiving wine that we are doing a tasting this Saturday and another next Wednesday – each will highlight a different set of wines.  For this Saturday, we’ve selected a flight of a two bubbly (one dry and one sweet), a white and a red.  And, each of the wines are less than $20!

Bubbly: NV Sommariva, Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Superiore Brut, DOCG, Veneto, Italy – Grape Variety: Glera.  Prosecco is so popular at the moment and the Sommariva Prosecco is at the high end of the quality spectrum.  DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) is the highest quality level for wines in Italy.   Additionally, Sommariva Prosecco is imported to the U.S. from famed importer Kermit Lynch, one of the pioneers of European imports and known for finding family owned, smaller production, high quality wines.

Although Prosecco can often be light in body and a touch off-dry (meaning a touch slightly sweet), this Prosecco is a bit richer in body and dry (meaning without any sweetness on the finish).  It’s a great way to start the evening with appetizers and cheese.  I tasted a line-up of six Kermit Lynch sparkling selections and this was one of two that stood out to me.  It was also the best price of the six.

About Sommariva: The Sommariva family has been involved with wine in Veneto for several generations.  In the 1970s Caterino Sommariva pinpointed the best slopes for vines and began purchasing hillside vineyards with his wife Urbana.  Showing incredible foresight, hey planted only the Glera grape and continued to purchase adjacent parcels of land.  It wasn’t until the late 1980s that the hills of  Conegliano and Valdobbiadene began to gain recognition.  They are now joined by their daughter, Cinzia in the family business.

White: 2014 C. Von Nell-Breuning, Kaseler Dominikanerberg Riesling Kabinett, Mosel, Germany – Grape Variety: Riesling.  German Rieslings are loved by most sommeliers for their wonderful ability to pair with food.  After all, it’s the sommelier’s goal to create perfect pairings and German Rieslings make their job so much easier.

Von Nell-Breuning’s Riesling is a classic example of a German Riesling from the Mosel… peach, nectarine, apricot, honeysuckle, wet stone and petrol – yes, petrol – it’s a good petrol flavor 🙂  Kabinett denotes sugar level when the grapes are picked.  Since Kabinett classifies the lowest sugar level for Germany’s top quality wines, Kabinett Rieslings tend to be dry to just slightly off-dry.  Their flavor profile along with their medium body make this a perfect pairing with a traditional Thanksgiving turkey dinner with all the trimmings.

Red: 2017 Domaine Dupeuble Beaujolais Nouveau, Beaujolais, France – Grape variety: Gamay.  Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivée! (Beaujolais Nouveau has arrived!)  The third Thursday of November is the official release of Beaujolais Nouveau!

Beaujolais Nouveau is made from grapes picked just a couple of months ago.  It goes through a fermentation process (known as carbonic maceration) and then it’s quickly bottled.  Domaine Dupeuble is the only Beaujolais Nouveau that Kermit Lynch imports.  Most Beaujolais Nouveau have banana and juicy fruit flavors due to the carbonic maceration, however, Dupeuble’s Beaujolais Nouveau is much more complex.  Soft and light in body for a red wine, great berry fruit and hardly any tannins.  Just in time for Thanksgiving, this makes a great pairing.

Notes from importer Kermit Lynch: Domaine Dupeuble’s freshly harvested, just-fermented, wholly unfiltered Gamay is here! Ghislaine Dupeuble calls the 2017 a “dream vintage” full of deep purple color, a seductive perfume of wild berries, and rich, smooth flavor. Cheers and buvez du Beaujolais (drink the Beaujolais)!

Bubbly : 2016 Saracco, Moscato d’Asti, Piedmont, Italy – Grape variety: Muscat.  Moscato d’Asti can be enjoyed at Thanksgiving as an aperitif, during the meal or with dessert.  Bubbly, sweet and flavors of peaches, apricots, orange blossoms and even tropical fruits.  A great all-around holiday wine!

92 pts Robert Parker, 92 pts Wine Enthusiast

To learn more about Saturdays at TasteVin and upcoming and past tastings, please click here.