Wine

Wine plays a very important part at Thanksgiving dinner, especially when it consists of so many different flavors. Our General Manager and Wine Director Jim from Spuntino Clifton shares his top wine pairings for a complete Thanksgiving dinner!

A Perfect Start

Sparkling wines are the perfect way to start your meal. Breezzette Rosé comes to mind with bold aromas of tropical peach, apricot and crispy acidity which compliments spicy aromatic dishes and grilled seafood appetizers. If sparkling is not your thing, then Riesling would be the white wine you should start your dinner with. Riesling wine can either be really dry or fairly sweet and will pair well with spicy, salty or sweet dishes. There are a few that would be recommended, Joh. Jos. Prum Auslese from Germany being one of them. This Riesling starts with full and fruity flavors and ends with fine and crisp acidity asking you to get one more bite of that sweet potato dish, turkey or stuffing. Gewurtztraminer and Albarino present a good alternative to Reisling or you can stick to your favorite Sauvignon Blanc, Arkenstone from Napa Valley being my favorite. All of them are crisp with citrus based flavors & will partner well with anything on the table.

The Classic Pairings

There are many people who just want to stay with red wine from start to finish, and for those diners I would recommend a fuller bodied red Syrah/Shiraz, be that Saint Joseph from Rhone Valley, Standish Shiraz from Australia, Zinfandel, and if you like to try something new, Beaujolais Nouveau might be a thing for you. Lastly, Pinot Noir with earthly undertones for sure is an easy go-to for a traditional wine pairing for Thanksgiving dinner with lots of selections from Oregon and Bergstrom. ‘Cumberland Reserve’ from Willamette Valley will definitely fulfil that role.

Things to Note

Any of the white wines mentioned would pair well with mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce as well as pinot noir from the red wines. You can also use any bubbles for the desserts, in this case Brezzette Rose should do it.

From our family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving!

One of the great things about wine is that you are always finding new wines that you may have never heard of. The not so great thing about wine you have never heard of is not knowing what they will taste like. That’s why we’re here to help… here is a cheat sheet to great wines you’ve never heard of that Spuntino is loving right now!

Sparkling

Try Cava if you love Prosecco

Cava is Spain’s answer to Italy’s Prosecco or France’s Champagne. Cava offers light, refreshing and zesty bubbles that will remind you of Prosecco and will be a fraction of the cost of champagne.
Find it on Spuntino’s Wine List: L’Atzar Cava & Pere Ventura Tresor Cava Rosé

White Wines

Try Kerner if you love Riesling

Kerner was once usually found in Germany, but has now been a popular grape in Northern Italy. You will enjoy the fresh and fruity flavors you usually find in Rieslings but with less acidity.
Find it on Spuntino’s Wine List: Castelfeder Kerner

Try Ribolla Gialla if you love Pinot Grigio

If you are wanting to switch up your usual go to Pinot Grigio, give Ribolla Gialla a chance. Ribolla Gialla will give you flavors of baked apple and tangerine in this fresh tasting wine.
Find it on Spuntino’s Wine List: Le Monde Ribolla Gialla

Try Xarel Lo if you love Unoaked Chardonnay

Xarel Lo grapes and wine are produced in Spain. You will find this grape in Cava but try it on its own to experience this unique and unknown wine. You will enjoy the similar flavors that you find in an unoaked chardonnay like green apple, lemon and sometimes pineapple with a long finish.
Find it on Spuntino’s Wine List: Albet I Noya Xarel Lo

Red Wines

Try Ruche if you love Zinfandel

Ruche is a unique wine that often has flavors of pepper, black cherries and cinnamon, with moderately high tannins which you usually are able to find in a traditional Zinfandel.
Find it on Spuntino’s Wine List: Montalbera Ruche

Try Corvina if you love California Cabernet Sauvignon

If your usual go-to wine is a traditional California Cabernet, you will enjoy the flavors of Corvina. Corvina wines have a tart, red cherry fruit flavor and sometimes a hint of chocolate. Order this wine with a hearty pizza and you will not regret your decision!
Find it on Spuntino’s Wine List: Scaia Corvina

Try Meritage if you love Syrah

A Red Meritage is a blend of two of more of red Bordeaux varieties – Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, or Merlot to name a few. These big flavored grapes make for a big flavored red wine that may include flavors of sweet tobacco, cedar, wood smoke, and brown sugar.
Find it on Spuntino’s Wine List: Newton ‘Claret’ Meritage

Life’s too short to miss out on great wine, so make sure to try these great wines you’ve never heard of!

What is double decanting?

Double decanting allows us to both properly decant a wine and still serve it in the original bottle. This process doubles the wine’s exposure to air when compared to a single decanting process.

How does it work?

We are able to add more air to the wine using the double decanting wine method because the wine is exposed to oxygen twice, on its way out of the bottle and on its way back in. This process takes about 1 minute to go out of the bottle, and about 30 seconds to go back into the bottle. The wine is able to breathe 10x more than it would in the actual bottle, and makes the wine much smoother and tastier.

What wine goes through the double decanter?

The double decanter is used most effectively for full-bodied red wines. A few nice choices on our menu that would be complemented by the double decanting process are our Mossback Cabernet Sauvignon and Franco Francesco Barolo.

Watch the video below to see how the double decanter works!

How do you feel about double decanting wine? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Have you ever been out to dinner when someone describes the flavors of wine and you are wondering how they may have gotten there? Here are some useful tips to help you understand and describe the wine you are sipping on to impress your friends!

1. Look at the wine

Check out the color of the wine, are you able to see through the wine when looking at it? Look for the viscosity of the wine also. Viscosity is a fancy word for the legs of the wine.

2. Smell the wine

When smelling the wine think in big ideas to small idea. For example, smell the dark, red berries in the Chianti but you do not have to try and pin point the specific cherry or raspberry smell. This helps to not get frustrated. If you are feeling fancy, give the wine a swirl before taking a sniff.

3. Taste the wine

Take a sip of the wine and let it stand in your mouth for a few seconds. What do you taste? Bitterness? Sweetness? Did it change when you swallowed vs when it was in your mouth? What about the texture of the wine – did the wine dry out your tongue? If so, you are detecting tannins.

Now, how long does the flavor of the wine stay in your mouth? If you lose the flavor of the wine almost immediately, it has a short length or finish. If you feel like you are still experiencing the flavor and tannins after a little while, the wine has a long finish. Continue to take sips of the wine since wines can change after the bottle has been opened for a bit.

4. What did you think of the wine?

Wine is all about preference. One may love the tobacco flavors and the tannins in a wine, while someone else may prefer a wine that has sweeter notes. Try to think about the wine – did you feel that the wine had too much acid? Too much alcohol (burning in the throat)? Too tannic?

The more times you go through these steps when tasting wine, the more comfortable you will feel. And as always, if you have any questions on the wine you are drinking – Spuntino is happy to help!

It doesn’t matter what time of year it is – it always is a perfect time to enjoy bubbles! But with New Years Eve around the corner we know that the bubbles will be getting poured. So what should you drink? Champagne or Prosecco? What is the difference between these two refreshing sparkling wines?

Champagne

Champagne is a sparkling wine made only in the Champagne region of France (North East France). You will find flavors of citrus, white peach, white cherry, almond and toast while drinking this bubbly wine. Champagne is aged in bottles under high pressure so the bubbles are fine, persistent and sharp. Enjoy your champagne with shellfish and crispy fried appetizers.

Prosecco

Prosecco is another sparking wine and is produced in the Veneto region of Italy (North East Italy). Green apple, honeydew melon, pear, and honeysuckle will be the primary flavors you taste in your Prosecco. Since this sparkling wine is aged in large tanks vs the bottle, the bubbles are lighter with less persistence. Cured meats such as Prosciutto di Parma is a perfect snack when enjoying a glass of Prosecco.

You will find that Prosecco is going to be more budget friendly than Champagne, but one thing we know for sure is that you will enjoy either of these sparkling wines!

Cheers to health and happiness in the New Year!

When hosting a Thanksgiving dinner, remember that wine can be as important as the turkey and stuffing! It is important to pick & pair wines for Thanksgiving that appeal to the masses so you don’t have to open that bottle of Barolo you have been saving. Having at least one type of white wine and one type of red wine is necessary, but throwing in bubbles is never discouraged to start off a fun dinner with family and friends.

Here are a couple of Spuntino’s favorite wines to pair with a Thanksgiving feast:

White Wine

Pinot Gris

Fresh green apples, pear and citrus flavors with some aromas of almond, clove and honey pair excellent with turkey and is a very food-friendly wine.
Find Pinot Gris on Spuntino’s wine list: Hugel Pinot Gris from Alsace, France

Riesling

You can’t go wrong with serving a Riesling with your Thanksgiving dinner. The fruity flavor is refreshing and the high acidity helps balance the rich flavors that go along with Thanksgiving dinner.
Find Riesling on Spuntino’s wine list: Dr. Hermann Kabinett Riesling from Mosel, Germany

Chenin Blanc

Chenin Blanc, especially from South Africa, has pleasant flavors of baked apples, apricot and tangerines with aromas of honey, caramel, and orange blossom. This wine has great acidity and inherently sweet flavors that can moisten up even the driest turkey.
Find Chenin Blanc on Spuntino’s Wine List: Simonsig Chenin Blanc from Stellenbosch, South Africa

Red Wine

Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir is the perfect varietal for turkey. The medium tannins and cranberry and cherry flavors makes for an easy drinking wine that all of your guests will enjoy. When looking for a pinot noir to pair with your feast try one from Willamette Valley.
Find Pinot Noir on Spuntino’s Wine List: Bergstrom Cumberland Reserve Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley, Oregon

Zinfandel

Even though most tend to select wines without too many tannins, there are several medium bodied reds like zinfandel that work very well. The primary flavors are jam, blackberry, cherry, plum and licorice. It often has a front flavor of candied fruitiness followed by spice and a smoky finish. These flavors will pair well with the turkey along with all the delicious accompaniments.
Find Zinfandel on Spuntino’s Wine List: Valran Zinfandel from Sonoma, California

Amarone

Expect bold aromas of cherry liquor, black fig, cinnamon and plum. This combination of fruit and earth is the perfect wine when wanting a bolder wine to pair with your turkey dinner.
Find Amarone on Spuntino’s Wine List: Zenato Alanera Baby Amarone from Veneto, Italy

What are your favorite wines to pair for Thanksgiving?