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By The Glass Rock Tang |
Leftover turkey
and wine work
well together
Turkey is the mainstay not just of Thanksgiving, but also of the day after. Leftover turkey and a bottle of wine are capable of creating a memorable meal to rival the Thanksgiving Day main event.
Wine and Turkey
Learn to pair wine with turkey at these events:
3660 on the Rise: Rotary Club of Honolulu benefit, 6 to 9 p.m. Friday. Cost is $50; call 847-0141.
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I am already imagining a beautiful breast of turkey sandwich made with fresh country bread. Whether you add lettuce, tomato, onion and cheese or just some homemade cranberry sauce, this sandwich calls out for a dry rosˇ.
I would reach for one from one of the great rosˇ-producing regions of the world, such as Provence in the south of France. Wines such as Chateau Routas Rouviere 2003 ($10) are made with traditional grapes of the region: grenache, syrah and cinsault. The wine has a delicate aroma and flavors of wild strawberries and hints of sage, spice and summer fruits. Because it is made in stainless steel tanks without aging in oak, the wine is fresh and clean -- a weight in balance with turkey.
If you have stuffing and gravy left over, a hot turkey sandwich might be in order and the Morgan Twelve Clones Pinot Noir 2002 ($19) would be an excellent match. Bright, ripe berry flavors complement the turkey like a well-made cranberry sauce, and this pinot has a smooth mouthfeel and medium tannins that work well.
For as long as I can remember, my family has made turkey rice porridge from the turkey bones. We normally have pickled cucumbers and other traditional accompaniments, but while I was growing up we did not think to match this dish with wine.
Now I am making the porridge, and I am also in the happy position of being able to select a wine. I prefer a white with little or no oak, such as albarino, which is the name of a grape and a Spanish wine. A young albarino such as Nora 2003 ($16) has a mild nuttiness, subtle white fruit and floral aromas, a round mouthfeel and a clean finish that will complement the sweet and salty flavors of anything from roasted almonds to pickled cucumber.
Roast turkey can also become a key ingredient in a pasta dish. I might prepare turkey with penne and shiitake mushrooms. Leftover acorn or butternut squash could be sliced into the dish as well.
With these earthy flavors and eclectic ingredients, I would choose a white such as the Zenato Valpolicella Classico Ripassa 2001 ($22). Valpolicella is one of the great table wines of Italy and in this version the flavors of Italian cherries, dried fruits and spice work particularly well.
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