The November Case of the Month includes 12 wines perfect for Thanksgiving!
This selection includes some tasty white wines with a nice oaky flavor and zesty acidity, making them a great match for all those rich holiday dishes. You'll also find a fun rosé, a unique orange wine for something different, and a sparkling bubbly to bring some fizz to your celebration.
On the red wine side, expect fresh, fruity options with a hint of warm, spicy oak, complementing the sweet and savory flavors of classic Thanksgiving meals.
The wines in this case are a fantastic pick for any holiday gathering you've got planned!
Shiba Wichern 2022 Havlin Auxerrois
Rarely does a wine make us stop in our tracks like this Auxerrois from winemaker Akiko Shiba. It is pretty, textural, quaffable and complex, reminding us of all Thanksgiving flavors!
Auxerrois, an Alsatian white grape related to Pinot Blanc, seldom gets the spotlight to showcase its subtle, Chardonnay-like qualities. It is naturally low in acidity and features earthy, ripe orchard fruits with notes of honey and candied citrus.
These delicate flavors are enhanced by allowing skin contact with the must before fermentation and aging the wine for over a year in large Acacia vessels, imparting a more subtle, floral, warm-spice flavor than oak. Shiba has gained recognition as a talented winemaker in the Willamette Valley and Germany, where she first studied wine. In this bottle, sourced from Havlin vineyard fruit, she aimed to give the usually light and gentle Auxerrois added intensity and structure, allowing it to express itself boldly while remaining well-balanced and fresh.
Lang & Reed 2021 Cabernet Franc
In 1993, Land & Reed was founded in Napa Valley by two sommeliers from Kansas City who were intrigued by the potential of Cabernet Franc in the region. Cabernet Franc, a parent varietal of the more renowned Cabernet Sauvignon, has always played an important role as a blending grape in Bordeaux and has also been celebrated in single-varietal expressions from the Loire Valley in France. In Bordeaux, Cabernet Franc can enhance the brighter, more floral, and aromatic qualities of Cabernet Sauvignon. Conversely, in the Loire, this varietal is known for its vegetal and herbaceous flavors, resulting in a medium-bodied red wine that pairs well with a variety of dishes.
In this particular expression of Cabernet Franc, ripe red fruit and floral notes lead into a tart berry acidity and plush tannins, creating the perfect complement for savory meals throughout the autumn season!
Robert Perroud “L'Enfer des Balloquets” 2022 Brouilly, Beaujolais, FR
The November Case of the Month wouldn't be complete without a Beaujolais! Gamays are the perfect November wine! With their spiced-purple-fruit profile and juicy vibrancy, they make a lively pairing for poultry, mushrooms, and herbal side dishes while complimenting cheese and the earthy-sweet flavors of sweet potato and pumpkin.
This Gamay comes from Brouilly, a Cru of Beaujolais-in France that is south of Burgundy and is exclusively known for making wines from Gamay Noir, which are meant to be drunk somewhat young and embody the freshness of recent harvests.
The name "L'Enfer" refers to the steep, rocky soils of the vineyard site for this fruit–a site which is "hell" to harvest! In this region, the best Gamays are grown on steep, rocky slopes to keep yields down and concentrate the fruit's vibrant flavors. This wine from has spiced cherry and juicy red plum notes with sophisticated earthiness and tannins.
Domaine Castéra 2021 Jurançon Sec
Due to their rich fruit textures and vibrant acidity, the Manseng varietals can be compared to the more familiar French white grape, Chenin Blanc. Gros Manseng and Petit Manseng are two distinct but related varietals grown in the Jurançon region of Southwestern France. Like Chenin Blanc, these Jurançon varietals can be crafted into either sweet or dry ("sec") wines.
This wine is made from early-harvested estate fruit, which is grown using biodynamic practices to address disease pressure, a primary concern in the rain shadow of the Pyrenees Mountains. The viticulturists and enologists do not add sulfur during pressing, allowing for slight oxidation. This process imparts a character reminiscent of slightly bruised fruit and praline, balancing the wine's high acidity and salty minerality. The wine is then aged in a combination of stainless steel, neutral oak, and sandstone vessels, highlighting the diverse textures on the palate.
Johan 2021 Pinot Gris “Drueskall”
The name "Drueskall" translates to "grape skin" in Norwegian, paying homage to the heritage of Johan's Founder, Dag Johan Sundby, and the intention and technique behind this wine. Drueskall is a skin-fermented white wine, known as "orange" wine, made using white or gris grapes in a style similar to red wines.
Typically, when producing white wine, the juice, or "must," is gently pressed and separated from the grape solids, and only the juice is fermented. In contrast, with this wine—and red wines in general—the fruit is crushed (or "macerated") and fermented together with the must and solids. The grape skins, seeds, and sometimes stems contribute tannins and pigments, which enhance the wine's structure and generally promote better aging potential.
The 2021 Drueskall features some stem inclusion and has spent considerable time fermenting on its skins before aging in a wooden vessel. This process gives it a fuller structure reminiscent of red wine while maintaining the characteristics of a white wine varietal. The aging in oak also allows for some oxidation, intensifying the fruit flavors and resulting in a delightful profile of dried fruits and spices—ideal for Thanksgiving dinner!
