RKS Wine: The Great Turkey Compromise?

A good many of you out there will be having turkey over the holidays and that begs the question what wine to pour. That query could lead to a PHD thesis. Given the trusty or rusty if you prefer match the colour of wine with food then turkey is almost entirely white meat so white wine of course? Ooops but what about the dark meat? And what about those loving their cranberry sauce where white wine will be a sour experience!

Given the white meat and accompanying vegetables with my beloved gravy I say a white like a Chardonnay or Encruzado might do the trick. Lest you be muttering what is this turkey (pun intended) talking about I can suggest a compromise of a rosé!

One top choice for Ontario residents if they can find it would be a Featherstone Rosé from Niagara. Readers with good access to French wines why not a Mas des Bressades from the Costières de Nîmes? It is not quite red nor white but a bit of both. On the nose the fruit is “light” with watermelon, strawberries, raspberries and yes a smidge of cranberries. On the palate the fruit is light as well with some bing cherry, pepper and raspberry. If I can be so bold I would say this rosé is 70% white and 30% red.

Being an obstinate type my choice for a roast turkey with bread stuffing, Brussel sprouts, green beans, mashed potatoes and butternut squash in ankle deep pools of my gravy would be a lightly oaked Chardonnay or a Portuguese Encruzado from the Dão region. I have travelled to Portugal many times but not over Christmas but turkey there is in the shadows. I think the big festive Christmas dish is Bachalau a cod casserole if I can bastardize such a wonderful dish by calling it a casserole where a light red would be a spectacular match based on my consumption of that dish.

Stay tuned for “Turkey Meets a Wild Red” soon which is by the way not a flog for cheap American bourbon!

Mas des Bressades Cuvée Tradition, 2021 AOP Costières de Nîmes, France. A blend of Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault.