Three party-friendly wines for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is around the corner (two days, to be exact), and I’m feverishly trying to figure out which wines I want to take to my in-laws for the big dinner. I’m a red drinker, but not everyone likes red, and all the experts say you’re supposed to drink white with poultry. To make everyone happy, I’m taking one of each. 

The red choice was easy. I love Crush, a red blend by Dreaming Tree Wines. This is Dave Matthews’ vin-venture with veteran winemaker Steve Reeder, and they knock it out of the park. (is there anything that man can’t do?) I love Reeder’s philosophy: “I make wines for people to drink. I don’t make wines for people to put into their cellar.” Crush is so drinkable, I know that anyone in my eclectic group coming together this Thanksgiving will enjoy it. I won’t have to worry that it’s too tannic, or too sweet, or too… red. It’s the perfect easy-drinking red.a bottle of each. (for my first review of Crush, read here)

The white choice was a little harder, mostly because I don’t drink much white wine. I’m pretty picky with my whites, but I guess that means that if I bring a white wine that I like, there’s a good chance that everyone will like it. I’m pretty hard to please. 

I recently sampled a rose’ by Sequin Wines and have a bottle of the winery’s pinot grigio at the ready. I opened it tonight and think it will make an excellent choice for Thanksgiving dinner. Sequin wines are “delicately bubbled” and have just a touch of fizz on the pour. The carbonation is so light, it’s just a breath of fizz on the tongue. Don’t worry, you won’t be taking up valuable real estate in your belly before the turkey arrives. Sequin pinot grigio is sweet, but not syrupy or heavy. It would balance nicely with a roasted turkey and green bean casserole (can you tell which dishes are my favorite?).

Party bonus: The Sequin website has some great recipes to turn their wine into festive party drinks. (hello, “Sequini”!)

Because Sequin isn’t readily available in every region, I’m suggesting an alternative for your white wine: 14 Hands Chardonnay.

I know that some chardonnays can be heavy and oaky, and that is NOT what you want for this National Day of Eating. But 14 Hands is wonderfully versatile – a balanced blend of floral and fruity. It has touches of apple and pear with a hint of green grass and fresh flowers. 14 Hands can be found in most grocery stores with a decent wine aisle, and is priced around $15. (I reviewed it here.)

Whatever your plans are this Thanksgiving, may your day be filled with gratitude… and a healthy pour of great wine!

Sequin and self-satisfaction

Oh man, sometimes you need some fizz, sugar, and goodness-gracious-bring-it-on alcohol. Tonight is one of those nights.

It’s not kid-craziness that has driven me to the wine rack. It’s not hubby frustrations (WHY can’t he put his socks in the laundry hamper? WHY???). Nope, tonight is a good old-fashioned pat on the back for a job well done.

I spent the day cleaning the house. Not just an everyday cleaning, but a deep,
once-a-year scouring. A friend and I have decided to try co-op cleaning. We spend a day at each other’s houses, kids in tow so they get a playdate out of it too, and we go to town with the cleaning products. We put on some music (jammed to some Iration, Michael Franti, and Jason Mraz, in no particular order) and each tackled a bathroom before tag-teaming the rest of the house.

We scrubbed toilets and chiseled hard-water lines off the sinks. Yes, we chiseled. As in, I raided the tool chest and used a piece of hardware and Simple Green at the same time. You know you mean business when your cleaning requires a chisel. (so this is where I earned the fizz-factor in tonight’s wine)

Then we moved furniture and Ajaxed the baseboards. We vacuumed vents and Swiffered floors. (this is where I earned the sugar in tonight’s drink)

At one point, my friend balanced a baby on her hip while she dusted the blinds. I found myself making mac ‘n’ cheese for the kids while simultaneously scrubbing the stovetop. We tackled motherhood in tandem and we ROCKED it. And that’s where we earned the goodness-gracious-bring-it-on alcohol that I am so enjoying at this very moment.

I’ve been saving a sample of Sequin Wines Rose’ for a special occasion. I’d say tonight is as special as it gets on a night at home for a busy mama.

Sequin Wines are “delicately bubbled,” which is so perfect for making any night a special occasion. As they put it so eloquently on the website, “You deserve to enjoy something special, sweet and refreshing any day of the week.” Oooh, they’re speaking my language!

The Sequin options are rose’, pinot grigio, and moscato. Those are all wines that can veer to the sweet side, and the rose’ is certainly sweet. It’s like pink grapefruit coated in sugar: sweet with a cleansing sour pucker. It’s like strawberry shortcake with a squeeze of lemon on the top. While I ordinarily shy from sweet wines, there’s something fun about this one. Maybe it’s the hint of carbonation. Or maybe it’s just that the wine is so well balanced, you hardly have time to dwell on any one flavor or sensation.

Sequin Rose’ would be the perfect dessert after a spicy, hearty dinner. Or it would pair nicely with a fish entree in a garlic sauce. I would not pair it with anything too heavy or anything too citrus-y. It needs a hearty companion to mellow the sugar but one that won’t overshadow it.

For me, I’m pairing it with a main dish self-satisfaction and a heaping side of “hell yeah! I earned this!” I recommend this combo, it’s pretty amazing!