Norman Rockwell

Miss our Thanksgiving Pairing class and still clueless about what to imbibe on Turkey Day? Well, we can forgive the whole “skipping class” thing (but don’t let it happen again!) and have recap to boot.

Now, we couldn’t just taste wine and try to imagine how great it would be with Thanksgiving fare–we at Just Grapes had to prove it! We served up a traditional Thanksgiving meal that included stuffing, mashed potatoes, yams with candied walnuts, grilled squash, adorable tiny pies and, of course, turkey with a selection of 8 delectable wines to sample along as we ate.

First up was the light-bodied, agile 2008 Banyan Gewurztraminer. This guy is our favorite go-to for sushi and Asian cuisines, but like some kind of dynamic ninja wine, he also is a welcome addition to the Thanksgiving table. With white peach, rose petal and lychee, this delicate, aromatic and crisp wine matches the texture of turkey as well as the smoky, savory citrus of the meat. Banyan would also go great with:

-Butternut Squash Risotto with Bacon and Sage

-Seared Pork Tenderloin with Dried Fig and Mushroom Sauce

-Fast-Track Baby Back Ribs

-Pan-Seared Pork Chops

Next was the coy 2007 Diva Riesling. This off-dry, peachy Riesling has racy acidity and matched the turkey in a very similar way to Banyan: both the turkey and the Riesling are delicate in texture. However, the sweetness in the Riesling contrasts the savory of the turkey, highlighting the best in each other. Also try Diva with:

-Cumin-crusted Lamb

-Plank-Cooked Salmon

-Sirloin Steak with Beurre-Naise sauce

Our 2008 Donausonne was third, and is one of only two sweet reds we carry at the store. Action-packed with fresh strawberries, cherries and allspice, this Blaufrankisch went fantastically with the savory turkey, much in the same way we love sweet cranberry sauce with turkey. Give him a go with:

-Oven-Charred Asparagus with Cheese and Balsamic Vinegar

-Lemon-Herb-Prosciutto Shrimp

-Spice-Pained Salmon

-BBQ Chicken

Thanksgiving is the perfect time to whip out Black Chook, our sparkling Shiraz. This medium-bodied, creamy-yet-acidity red is deceptively light (hint: it’s because of the bubbles!) and when eaten with food, turns into a whole new beast. The turkey brings out the peppery spiciness of the Shiraz, while the fruits of the wine compliment the turkey. Try Black Chook with:

-Roasted Chicken

-Seared Shrimp and Chorizo

-BBQ Chicken (again.)

Next up were two of our very limited quantity Beaujolais: 2007 Louis Jadot Chateau Lumieres Morgon, and 2007 Louis Jadot Cheateau des Jacques Moulin-A-Vent. It never ceases to surprise me how these villages can be so near each other and produce such different wines! Chateau Lumieres has bright cherries, raspberries and strawberries, a little violet, with supple tannins and nice acidity. Chateau des Jacques still has those detectable fruits (though a little less ripe and crisper) with smoky meatiness to it.  The Morgon contrasted the turkey with its fresh fruit, while the Moulin-A-Vent underscored the smoky gaminess. Try both of these Gamays with:

-Bean and Black Olive Bruschetta

-Seared Tuna and Lemon

-Flank Steak with Spicy Herb Oil

-Sherry-Glazed Pork Chop with Mushrooms

Finally, we came across our two big, bad Pinots: 2007 Lucia and 2006 Alma Rosa. The more subtle, nuanced Lucia–with its floral notes, sweet spice and earth–brought out the savory aspects of the turkey while bold Alma Rosa’s medium body contrasted the turkey’s delicate texture. Pair these up with:

-Grilled Pork Loin

-Salmon Fillets

-Crispy Chicken and Shallot Hash

-Rosemary and Sweet Garlic Roast Chicken

Just because the holidays are upon us doesn’t mean that pairing delicious food with delicious wine is just a special occasion kind of deal; the fact is that most wine works with most food, so go on and pick up a bottle of wine for a middle-of-the-week dinner–it’ll make it that much more enjoyable. Be adventurous with your food/wine pairings and throw convention out the window.

Don’t forget to check out our complimentary Thanksgiving Tasting on November 25 from 4-8pm, and our exciting upcoming classes, like our December 10th Holiday Sweets and Dessert Wine class and the Bubbly and Champagne Seminar on the 17th.

Are you one of the many confused wine drinkers that doesn’t understand why some wines are labeled Shiraz yet some are labeled Syrah? Lets do some myth busting and work this out!

Syrah and Shiraz are the same grape, just different styles. Syrah has been around for…let’s just say forever; and then comes this Shiraz character, first appearing in the early Nineties. It was a new, exciting and cool-sounding grape type that burst onto the scene, and people have been talking about it ever since.

Let’s look at Syrah first. Syrah traditionally comes from the Rhone Valley in France (due south of Burgundy). The Northern Rhone Valley in France is where Syrah has it’s spiritual home. You may not know it, but when you pick up a bottle of Cotes-du-Rhone, Cotes-du-Rhone Villages or up the dollar amount and get a Saint-Joseph or Hermitage, these wines are made from of the Syrah grape (not traditionally 100%, but most wines aren’t–they just don’t say it on most labels). These names are all regions in the Northern Rhone in France. Just like most places in the old world (France, Italy, Germany, Spain), the Rhone Valley names their wines after the area it comes from; the grape type is not as important as the wine’s origin.

If you pick up a bottle of Cotes-du-Rhone or Villages (typically ranges from $15-$25), you can most likely expect a medium-bodied Syrah with mainly red fruit characteristics with a smoky, black peppery spice. It’s a great every day drinking wine and goes great with lamb dishes. If you decide to pick up a bottle of the more expensive and rare Hermitage or Cote-Rotie, then you will experience something completely different. These regions are known for the best Syrahs in the world–and have the price to match. The Hermitage region produces Syrah that is probably the most “manly” wine of France. These are a much deeper, darker, leathery, gamey, earthy, tannic Syrah with a spice box in between all that goodness. These wines should be aged to get the most out of your purchase, or decant them for a couple of hours before you drink them to calm them down. Think teenager with a brand new Corvette–all over the place and pretty wild. Decanting will turn this teenager into a more refined adult that knows how to express themselves with much more direction. Syrah also is wonderful when grown in the Central Coast, California region and in Washington State. A different expression, of course, but Paso Robles or Santa Barbara are probably the closest you can get to those earthy meaty Syrahs of the Northern Rhone.

Now, the Aussies! Sure they have been growing “Shiraz” since the early 1800’s, but we never really saw any of their wine in the U.S. till the late Eighties. There are a couple myths on how the name Shiraz came about; one is from the ancient city of Shiraz in Persia, where the famous Shirazi wine was produced; but Shiraz as we know it today cannot actually be traced to this. There are documents of other countries calling the grape “Shiraz,” but it was the Aussies that made it famous. Australia, being a much hotter climate then the Northern Rhone and even the Californian Central Coast, creates a much different style of this grape type. It is commonplace now to call your wine Syrah or Shiraz, to let the consumer know what style of wine you are getting. Australian Shiraz is a very diferent animal then what is described above. It’s a much more jammy, rounder, plumper, blackberry-filled, plummy, chocolatey–but still peppery–style of wine. So when you are shopping around town, pay attention to what the winery labels the Syrah/Shiraz you are about to purchase; they are giving you hints to what style of Syrah/Shiraz is in the bottle.

Wine scores and ranks have their place, and right now Wine Spectator’s Top Wines of 2008 is front-and-center.

In ninth place is a gem found at your favorite wine store, Just Grapes. You have to love Mollydooker Shiraz McLaren Vale Carnival of Love 2007 for the name alone. Say it out loud: It just sounds fun and sexy, doesn’t it? Check out the bottle. There is a whole carnival going on there.

Beyond that, it’s a party for your senses. The nose will offer you a lovely bouquet of violets and lilacs, warm you through with hints of leather and game, and seduce you with promises of blueberries and chocolate. This full-bodied wine is strong and yet sophisticated to the taste, too. Tannins are held close to the vest so as not to offend. And the finish? This Carnival of Love just keeps going and going. It’s a relationship that can last as long as 25 years … but who is that patient when it comes to love? Buy a case so you can have some now, then enjoy the festivities again and again, until it hits its peak.

In fact, put that at the top of your to-do list. Surely Shiraz outranks laundry.

Wine and dogs are the perfect high-low combo. Wines can lend a little class to any meal, and hot dogs bring the fun. Here in Chicago, we’re rather particular about our dogs. You’d never dare add ketchup to a Chicago dog; instead, we like celery salt, relish and other sundry condiments. What wine, you might ask, would pair with a mix like that?

“A traditional Chicago hot dog has a lot of moving parts that make it a bit tricky to pair,” says Don Sritong, corporate sommelier and owner of Just Grapes wine shop. His pick for a white is a Rhone blend, the 2007 Perrin Cote du Rhone Blanc with 50 percent Grenache blanc, 20 percent Viognier, and the rest Marsanne and Roussanne. “The Grenache blanc provides a great savory, mineral, slate core that matches well with the savory aspect of the hot dog,” Sritong says. “Tropical fruit from the Viognier counters the spice of the mustard and matches the sweetness of the relish. Brisk acidity from the Roussanne balances the celery salt. It’s also a great value that drinks fine on its own!”

More of a red fan? Sritong has something for you, too: the 2008 Bon Bon Rose, made with Shiraz. “It has a big burst of ripe strawberry fruit to match the intense savory core of the dog and hold up the sweet neon-green relish. Its balanced acidity handles the celery salt and MSG,” he says.

Whatever hits your grill this weekend, there’s a wine to match. Stop by with your menu and talk to your friendly wine shop expert. Pick up a bottle for dessert, too. Because there’s nothing better than a little vino and Jell-O.