Now that stores are filling their windows with brightly colored lights and menorahs in preparation for the next big seasonal assault, it is easy to forget that there is still another semi-important day before the semester ends.
Yeah, right. Whose mind isn't on the impending week-long vacation from frozen dinners and breakfasts of cold pizza, during which we will finally be able to satisfy our hunger for that one perfect home-cooked meal we've been dreaming about all year long?
Thanksgiving is an occasion for spending time with the people, foods and countless marathons of classic Saturday Night Live we love -- not to mention football. All over Grounds, the leaves are changing to signify the start of a new season, and we find ourselves thankful for several things: new episodes of prime-time television, seasonal lagers and the tiny but lingering hope for a snow day. (Note to first years -- there is no such thing as a snow day at U.Va.)
It is also a time to appreciate the cornucopia of wines that can take that special Thanksgiving meal (and the many subsequent days of leftovers) to the next level. At no other point during the year is it so acceptable, if not expected, to gorge yourself on food. So we say why not go all out and add some vino to the mix?
It's never too early to prepare for a feast of this magnitude, so this week we'd like to suggest a few choice wines to bring home to the folks and show them that U.Va. has a given you a little culture (which will hopefully lessen the blow when they discover that you're getting a D- in Stat 112).
Let's start with the basics -- a light table wine to pass the time while catching up with the family and waiting for the host to finish carving the turkey. For this we suggest the Oakencroft Countryside series as an easy (and cheap) way to add a little flair to the table. Go for either the red or white variety according to your taste; both are easy to sip and remarkably crowd-pleasing for the price -- around nine bucks at your local grocery store.
For the main course, a chardonnay is often the traditional white wine pick for family gatherings; this year try Keswick Vineyard's 2003 Chardonnay. With hints of pear and distinct but not overpowering oak undertones, this two-time gold medal winner in the Virginia Governor's Cup race (a big deal) will compliment most any aspect of a conventional Thanksgiving meal. Reasonably priced at around $17, it is an excellent buy that will surely impress the cook, and more importantly keep you from being banished to the kid's table yet again this year.
For those who may be celebrating for the first time with someone else's family, say a significant other's, we have the perfect wine to guarantee a positive lasting impression on what may turn out to be your future in-laws. Feel confident with one of the region's most famous red wines, the Octagon from Barboursville Vineyards. Currently in its sixth vintage, the Octagon is Barboursville's pride and joy and winner of countless awards and accolades each year. Deep in color and flavor, this dark red bears a myriad of smooth, earthy flavors resulting from the carefully chosen blends of grapes unique to each new vintage. Octagon VI is available for around $30; pricey, but worth it. This wine never fails to astound and is a silent way of letting others know that you are the real deal.
Finally, no dinner is complete without the perfect dessert. Shy away from rosé and blush wines this year and check out the 2001 Late Harvest Vidal Blanc from Jefferson Vineyards. It's a semi-dry white dessert wine with flavors of honey and tropical fruit
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