Wine for smoked turkey?

[rajncajn]

The family is not what you would consider wine connoisseurs by any stretch. If it were up to me I would drink Merlot with just about anything. I need something that will not be overpowering or heavy on the palette. Something with a little :cringe: fruitiness to it that will still satisfy my tastes as well.

[Furd]

A medium body red would do, IMO. A pinot noir is probably most acceptable to those who know only a little about wine. If you're feeling advertuous, try a malbec.

[Bier Meister]

fist thoughts are fruity pinot noir, dry rose, viognier

[untateve]

I know this won't help, but I'll be having Dogfish Head Immort Ale with dinner.

[detlef]

Reisling

Yup Riesling makes the most sense. Ideally a German one with some residual sugar. If you want a red, try a grenache or grenache based blend like a cotes du rhone

 

I know this won't help, but I'll be having Dogfish Head Immort Ale with dinner.

How those holding up?

[Caveman_Nick]

Use oak chips to smoke the turkey and pair it with an oaky chard. It will compliment nicely

[detlef]

Use oak chips to smoke the turkey and pair it with an oaky chard. It will compliment nicely

Sorry, but I'm going to disagree here. There's often an interesting tag along to common flavors that goes over-looked when pairing wines. For instance, people talk about gewurtz and riesling being good with Asian food because it's spicy. In reality, it has less to do with the spice and more to do with the fact that it often has a pretty decent amount of sugar in it. Sweet food makes dry wine taste insipid.

 

In this case, I'm not actually fixating on the smoke as much as I am on the fact that smoked foods are often cured or brined and tend to be pretty salty. Salty food doesn't go well with oaky whites. You want either sweetness (like a riesling), something very supple (like grenache or gamay), or refreshing (like an Italian or Spanish white). At least in my opinion.

 

I like a nice oaky chard as much as the next guy, but I'm not certain I would pair them with smoked and salty food.

[Caveman_Nick]

Sorry, but I'm going to disagree here. There's often an interesting tag along to common flavors that goes over-looked when pairing wines. For instance, people talk about gewurtz and riesling being good with Asian food because it's spicy. In reality, it has less to do with the spice and more to do with the fact that it often has a pretty decent amount of sugar in it. Sweet food makes dry wine taste insipid.

 

In this case, I'm not actually fixating on the smoke as much as I am on the fact that smoked foods are often cured or brined and tend to be pretty salty. Salty food doesn't go well with oaky whites. You want either sweetness (like a riesling), something very supple (like grenache or gamay), or refreshing (like an Italian or Spanish white). At least in my opinion.

 

I like a nice oaky chard as much as the next guy, but I'm not certain I would pair them with smoked and salty food.

 

I can only speak from experience, but the oakiness in the chard and the common oakiness of the smoked bird worked nicely IMO, because the complementing flavors in the bird and the complementing flavors in the chard are so opposite.It's meaty salty versus slightly sweet and mild fruit. The oakiness is a common thread that brings the rest together.

 

Give it a try

[detlef]

I can only speak from experience, but the oakiness in the chard and the common oakiness of the smoked bird worked nicely IMO, because the complementing flavors in the bird and the complementing flavors in the chard are so opposite.It's meaty salty versus slightly sweet and mild fruit. The oakiness is a common thread that brings the rest together.

 

Give it a try

Well, I guess that's why they make more than one wine. We've all got our preferences.

 

Edit to add: Just found out that the guy who's hosting the T-day dinner we're going to is smoking the bird. He's a rep for a distributor that has a lot of Cali wines. I'm sure there'll be some oaked Chard around, so I'll be sure to give it a try.

Edited November 26, 2008 by detlef

[untateve]

How those holding up?

 

I still have about 20 total. I only drink them with special meals or on special occasions.

[gilthorp]

fist thoughts are fruity pinot noir, dry rose, viognier

 

For a red, wouldn't a nice Malbec do the trick? I bought two bottles tonight.

Edited November 27, 2008 by gilthorp

[detlef]

For a red, wouldn't a nice Malbec do the trick? I bought two bottles tonight.

Depends. Some are pretty big and could be better suited for steak and such. A less expensive and fruit forward one would be better but, in general, would not be my first choice.

 

Also, so it turns out, while he brined the birds, the host chickened out and simply roasted them. Thus I was not able to put Nick's theory to the test. However, there was both Chard and Riesling there and both went fine, though I did prefer the Riesling. Again, this was not a smoked bird, so...

[nogohawk]

Had a nice grenache from McClaren Valley - not too heavy, medium with loads of berry