With Thanksgiving a couple days away, it’s time to start the brine and select the wines for your Thanksgiving table. If you love to host and cook, the planning and anticipation of preparing a grand meal, and sharing your table with friend and family is all part of the experience. Whether you plan to smoke, spatchcock or stay true to the classic oven roasted bird, your Thanksgiving meal with shine with some pregame planning. Having tried it all, one of our favorite preparation remains the ‘No-Fail Smoked Bird’. This is a riff off of James Bird award-winning Chef John Currence’s recipe with a few tweaks of our own. It will not dissappoint!

WINE SELECTION

With so many go-to Thanksgiving side dishes it can be hard to select the right wines. The Turkey is the star, if you are having trouble narrowing down which wines to serve (there is not rule that says you can’t take the shotgun approach and simply cover your bets!) focus on wines that highlight the flavors of the main course. We like fresh, full flavored white wines, and light to moderate bodied reds, like Grenache Blanc, Chardonnay, even Rosé certainly, along with Grenache, lighter Syrahs and Pinot Noirs. Dessert is another great opportunity to get creative if you have a wine you really want to share that may not slot right into with dinner. A little sweetness is a great way to offset the tannins and structure of full bodied reds.

Whats going to be on your table this Thanksgiving? We’d love to see how everyone is celebrating. Tag us in your posts and share your favorites.

A New York City Somm’s Journey Through the 2020 Harvest

Original posted by ‘alcoholprofessor.com’, Jan. 29, 2021

Preface: We first met Andrew at Corkbuzz in New York City two years ago. In 2020 he signed up to join us on our harvest crew. Below is his first had account of that experience - a season that held a few “firsts” for us all.

Smoky skies. Photo credits to Andrew McFetridge

Masked-up punch-downs, small-town life, and commuting through smoke were not part of my initial 2020 vision. However, each of these ingredients made up the interesting stew that was my first harvest, and getting comfortable with being uncomfortable was one of the many lessons. 

Walla Walla. Photo credits to Andrew McFetridge

Located in southeastern Washington State, Walla Walla is a town of roughly 60,000 people with viticulture being one of the main industries. Here, a glass of wine is served side-by-side with classic American charm. In fact, in 2011 it was named “Friendliest Small Town in America” by Rand McNally. Also, in 2020 Walla Walla Valley was recognized as the “Best Wine Region” by USA Today Readers’ Choice. Grosgrain Vineyards’ winemaker Matt Austin and his wife Kelly moved to Walla Walla after living in Los Angeles and Seattle and fell in love with it immediately.  “Walla Walla is pretty isolated from any major cities, which has allowed it to maintain an unspoiled and laid back character that is refreshing and hard to find these days,” says Austin.  

Grosgrain is known for approachable wines that use grapes such as the Italian darlings aglianico and nebbiolo, which are rare in the valley. 

Italian immigrants settled the valley in the mid-19th century and began grape growing on its distinctive loess and basalt soils. The Walla Walla Valley American Viticultural Area was established in 1984 and today has over 100 wineries that each add their own allure to the region. Cabernet sauvignon is king here with chardonnay, malbec, and merlot also holding court. Tempranillo and grenache also sprout up in the semi-arid region, which receives only 20 inches on average of rain per year.

REROUTED

In New York (before my journey out west came about) my plate was full yet I was hungry. While busy working and studying full-time, there was still one experience I craved: to make wine. A harvest job at Vina Vik Winery in Chile was scheduled for April, but the COVID-19 pandemic sunk its fangs into the world and rerouted my final destination to my couch. At least there was wine to drink.  After months of contemplating life, redecorating, and baking (yes, I tried sourdough, too) I desperately needed to escape New York City and be inspired again. An opportunity in Walla Walla as a harvest intern arose and since I had nothing else to do (except bake for Instagram) I quickly accepted. 

Jared and Kristina Burns Revelry

Jared Burns, winemaker, and owner at Revelry Vintners began his winery in 2005 with the goal to showcase that Walla Walla could compete on the world stage of fine wine.  At Revelry, wines are crafted with precision and are sourced from iconic vineyards including Dionysius Vineyard, which has some of the oldest vines in Washington State.  “...Recently our AERIALS Series ‘D11’ Cabernet Sauvignon set a record at auction with the highest price ever paid for a Washington State wine when a case sold for $105,000.  It’s a record that rivals any record set prior in the US. That is a testament to everyone making wine here in our state.  As much as we work to put our name near the top of the list, we equally so are still doing everything we are able to bring the attention to our region that it very much deserves,” Burns says.  The pressure was on. I wasn’t 100% sure if I’d be successful at harvest, live miles away from home (2,724 to be exact), but I committed to the full 10 weeks.

FIRES AND SMOKE

Fast-forward to my September arrival in Walla Walla, and after finding a bike capable of the daily 12-mile round trip to work along with my negative COVID test, I was ready. But in true 2020 fashion, the next week brought the possibility that Walla Walla’s harvest could go up in flames, which would send me back to New York. The year and I were no longer in a friendly competition, it had its game face on.

Matt and Kelly Austin Grosgrain

The wildfires and smoke engulfing California and Oregon’s wine regions soon pounced into Washington State and dangerously close to Walla Walla. By mid-September, fire and smoke crawled into every nook and cranny in Eastern Washington upending farming communities, livelihoods, and claiming lives. Thoughts quickly turned to vineyard health and had winemakers readjusting their techniques and doing some extensive testing. “The smoke did impact my decision making this year and I was inclined to press our red grapes earlier and to keep press wine separate, which I don't always do,” says Austin. “I'm really happy with the wines at this early stage and it will be a fascinating vintage to follow.”

Thankfully, Walla Walla was only briefly blanketed by smoke and harvest was able to continue. However, some negative effects down the road are still possible. “The long term impacts are not yet totally known.  We did a pretty exhaustive analysis of each site and variety that we work with prior to harvest, both with sensory and scientific means.  We felt pretty confident after all was said and done that our sites were likely not impacted.  Now that our wines are nearly malolactic fermentation complete we will be submitting another round of samples to the lab for analysis.  That should be pretty interesting data to compare with what we already have.  It certainly was a wild time here during that smoke event.  It was totally uncharted waters, “ Burns said.

IT’S GO TIME

Revelry Harvest

After the smoke cleared we prepared for the arrival of fruit. Harvest is not glamorous, as I was warned. But, I adapted quickly to my new role as a sommelier turned winemaking student. My newly acquired resume skills included rolling and unrolling hoses, identifying friendly critters from the unfriendly ones, and running on adrenaline while constantly sunburned. The cleaning of Macro bins (and learning the power washer) was an art that I mastered, eventually. The city boy was trying. 

Chardonnay grapes. Photo credits to Andrew McFetridge

The arrival of the first fruit was thrilling. It was time to make wine here and now. Chardonnay gyrated down the vibrating sorting table where focus, timeliness, and playing nice with bees were essential. Only the pristine bunches were destined to become wine and the unsavory clusters had to be pulled and discarded.  The grapes were the star of the show and didn’t let us forget. At the start, unexpected days off were common but October saw us switching into full throttle. Syrah, cabernet and some voluptuous grenache each had their turn enchanting us as they made their debut. Their intoxicating charm soon made me forget the aching in my limbs. 

Early mornings melted into long nights. Exhaustion and lingering doubt fueled an urge to give up. Opening high-end bottles and pairing courses were distant memories. I missed New York and wondered how out-of-my-mind my new west coast friends thought I might be. But, daily homemade dinners (The Burns Family also cooks) and refreshing Coors Lights made me more at ease. I can do this. Also, a few beers, laughs, and a full stomach could amplify anyone’s confidence.  

Punch down. Photo credits to Andrew McFetridge

The last fruit eventually arrived and the end was near. The cellar was full of excitement and anticipation. Chatty erments greeted me each morning. The abrasive sounds of pump-overs made sure we were all still awake. The smells of freshly steamed French oak decorated the air as the sun left us. Harvest was dwindling down and soon my last day was here. I did it. I was part of the 2020 vintage. 

On my miles-long journey to and from the winery each day, many thoughts arose that defined my experience. Small towns rejuvenate. Defeat is only inevitable if you let it be. Comfort zones are just that -  comfortable. Cleaning with a power washer is very therapeutic. There’s a lot of hard work (and patience) that’s behind making an excellent bottle of wine. And life has a funny way of giving you what you need.  

Wines to try from Walla Walla

Revelry Vintners Connor Lee Chardonnay 2019- ($42)

Old vine chardonnay and new world elegance combine to make all 750 milliliters of this wine elegant and electric. Stone fruit aromas sing in harmony with roundness from lees contact. Great for sunny days and soft cheeses.

Spring Valley Vineyards Frederick  Red Blend - ($60)

Spring Valley keeps it all in the family with their wines. Each wine is named after a member of the Corkrum family, who settled in Walla Walla in the 1800s. Frederick , named after one of the Corkrum sons, is a blend of cabernet sauvignon, syrah, and malbec finished off with a kiss of French oak. 

Elephant Seven River Rock Vineyard Syrah 2018 - ($42)

This meaty syrah comes from just over the Oregon border in The Rocks of Milton-Freewater AVA, a sub-region of the larger Walla Walla Valley AVA. The area is known for its ancient basalt soils that give the grapes a distinct minerality. 

Grosgrain French Creek Grenache 2019 - ($36)

Light, fun, and fresh is the name of the game here. Soft tannin, strawberries, and a hint of garrigue make this a perfect warm-weather red. 

Gramercy Cellars Viognier - 2019 ($28)

This vivacious viognier stems from the larger Columbia Valley AVA but made into a delicious representation of the often looked over grape right off Walla Walla’s downtown. 

 Mark Ryan Lonely Heart Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 - ($95)

Mark Ryan’s wines are a must-have. There’s no concern to be lonely with this burly bottle of Red Mountain cabernet, especially when enjoyed in their tasting room right smack dab in downtown Walla Walla. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Andrew McFetridge

Andrew McFetridge is an NYC-based Certified Sommelier, Spanish and French Wine Scholar, and self-described wine nerd. Andrew graduated from The University of North Florida where he received a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism. Andrew is also an ambassador for DO Cava and has had his writing featured in SommJournal Magazine. He enjoys music, world travel, sending postcards, and brand new notebooks.

March 16th, 2020 marked the beginning of the first quarantine, and a stay-home-order here in Washington State due to COVID-19.  I will never forget that date.  It may have been 10 days, maybe a full two weeks later - this date I can’t recall - when it occurred to me that quarantining and literally staying at home, are two very different things.  That day Kristina, our two boys and I loaded up the dogs and headed for the mountains for a hike, fresh air, and surroundings that were not our living room, kitchen or backyard.  As much as those spaces generally offer comfort and good feelings, the walls were beginning to close in.  That day outside changed everything.

There is so much opportunity to get outside, and just as many to enjoy food and wine while you are at it, or Aprés if thats more your speed.  Recently we hit the road, skipping our local mountain, opting instead for one of the best small town ski resorts in the Northwest, Anthony Lakes.  Known for some of the best snow in the west, and great terrain, what really sets the place apart is the incredible local vibe.  We’ve been skiing Anthony Lakes for years, and every time we go the parking lot is loaded with RVs and campers.  Camping out at the mountain is something we have always wanted to do, so we pulled the trigger on a whim.  For three days we “boondocked” it in the parking lot.  We skied, we ate and we drank on rotation.  Never was the tradition of Aprés observed.  Never did we break our “Covid-Bubble”.  When the lift lines were busy, we fired up the grill and cooked, or hit the far less-busy rope tow with the kids.  When lift lines thinned out in the afternoon, we skied as many laps as we could before the resort closed.  

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Modern campers have all of the amenities to make camping even in the coldest weather comfortable.  Even still, we tried to rough it as much as possible and cooked all of our meals outside over charcoal.   The highlights were grilled pizzas for the kids,  fondue of Fontina cheese and Thyme, and the ultimate one skillet brunch - Shakshouka.  

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(Our tip: many good dough recipes work equally well as fresh grilled pita as they do for pizza crust; for the Shakshouka, toss in artichoke hearts and small pimento stuffed green olives to add brightness and boost the wine pairing factor).

We especially like white wines and Rosé in colder temperatures.  Red wines tend to shut down and tighten up when the mercury drops, whereas chilled white wines are perfectly in their element.  They also tend to be lower ABV.  The Columbia Valley Rosé, RANGE Grenache Blanc, and Conner Lee Chardonnay were the most opened bottles of the weekend. 

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Consider skipping the big resort next time you head out to hit the slopes, especially if avoiding crowds is a priority.  There are so many charming small hills throughout the country to checkout, and especially here in the Northwest.  If you don’t have a camper, there are often incredible cabin rental opportunities near ski areas.  It may not be the vacation to Hawaii you were planning, but then again, experiencing something new is sort of the point.  Get out there and break new ground, and enjoy a bottle of wine in a wild place.  Send us a picture!

Writing and photography and wine by Jared Burns. Food by Jesse Kleban.

RESOURCES

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“Six Great Small Ski Resorts” TheClymb.com

“Time For Plan B: 10 Of The Best Small Ski Resorts To Ski During COVID Season” LocalFreshies.com