“Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough.” - Oprah Winfrey

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. As I have grown older, I’ve definitely begun to appreciate it more. While eating some delicious food is always a delight, I love the meaning of the holiday - to give thanks, and to reflect on the wonderful things this year has produced.

My husband and I are hosting Thanksgiving. This will be our second time hosting everyone for this holiday. We are so excited, and have been preparing and testing out new recipes for our loved ones. Once we finalized our menu, I eagerly began researching wines we’d like to pair with our dishes, and what better wines to pair with our food, than Virginia wines? G and I are lovers of Virginia wines, and there are so many wonderful wineries and vineyards in our home state.

Today, I am sharing my current favorite Virginia wines - some are new to the lineup! Also, I’m recommending the perfect Thanksgiving food pairings for each wine.

Sparkling Rosé

Michael Shaps - Maison Shaps Crémant de Bourgogne Rosé

This Pinot Noir based sparkling rosé can be enjoyed throughout the Thanksgiving meal. It pairs perfectly with almost any dish - honey baked ham, cranberry sauce, deviled eggs, and list goes on. It is dry, balanced, crisp, and so delicious. Also, this bubbly has bright acidity, which will hold up to all of the various dishes that are served during Thanksgiving.

This Crémant de Bourgogne Rosé is truly the unsung hero of Thanksgiving Day dinner.

Perfect Pairs:

Mac & Cheese, Turkey, Ham, Green Beans, Deviled Eggs, and Cranberry Sauce

Chardonnay

Williamsburg Winery - 2018 Wessex Hundred Chardonnay

The oak and butter notes of Chardonnay really make it an excellent white wine that can hold up to a variety of dishes. Also, the lemon and apple notes pair perfectly with the heavier dishes, like the yams and mashed potatoes. Chardonnay is a perfect compliment to turkey and really stands up to the herbs and spices on the protein as well.

Perfect Pairs:

Turkey, Yams, Deviled Eggs, Buttered Rolls, Cornbread, and Mashed Potatoes

Tannat

Fabbioli Cellars - 2016 Tannat

Tannat is a bold wine for sure and definitely needs dishes that can stand up to it. If you are serving red meat during Thanksgiving - this is a perfect wine for it. Also, macaroni and cheese is ideal as well, because aged cheeses pair super well with this wine. With this wine you’ll get vanilla bean and mocha, which will be a wonderful compliment to sweet potatoes too!

Perfect Pairs:

Beef, Mac & Cheese, Dressing, and Sweet Potatoes

Cabernet Franc

Stone Tower Winery - 2016 Wild Boar Cabernet Franc

Cabernet Francs are often full-bodied, moderately or highly tannic wine. The aromas boast in spices and notes are heavy with red/black berry fruits. This wine pairs well with hearty dishes - red meat or dark meat proteins are ideal companions for the Cabernet Franc. Also, Cab Franc really compliments the fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme, used on perfect pair proteins as well.

Perfect Pairs:

Dark Meat Turkey, Beef, Collard Greens, and Mac & Cheese

Red Bordeaux

Saude Creek Vineyards - 1791

This Bordeaux-style blend has earthy flavors of blackberry and cherry. The tannins soft, and there are notes of smoke, tobacco, and espresso that come forward on the nose. Just like the Cabernet Franc, this wine goes well with red meats, or dark white meat. This wine is absolutely perfect to end the dinner with!

Perfect Pairs:

Dark Meat Turkey and Smoked Prime Rib

XO, Analise

“We could in the United States make as great a variety of wines as are made in Europe, not exactly of the same kinds, but doubtless as good.” - Thomas Jefferson

Charlottesville is quite possibly, one of my favorite cities I’ve ever lived in. The city has some of the best food, shops, and of course wineries. During my last year living in Charlottesville, I quickly learned what I could about the wineries and vineyards that the city had. Anytime I had the chance to visit my college city post-undergrad, I’d make it my mission to try and revisit local vineyards or wineries.

Today, I’m sharing two new wineries that I made it my goal to try earlier this year: Barboursville Vineyards and Michael Shaps Wineworks. Also, I am sharing the wines we brought back home, and how you can buy them!

Barboursville Vineyards

What we brought home from Barboursville Vineyards

Sparkling

Brut & Brut Rosé Cuvée 1814 - Both bottles were fermented with 100% Pinot Noir grapes in Italy. This was collaboration with Tenuta II Bosco and Barboursville Vineyards, and it was an absolute hit.

Reds

Cabernet Sauvignon - Cab Sauv holds a special place in my heart, and this did not disappoint. This wine has the perfect balance of berry, pepper, and currant notes on the palate. If you like to age your wines this is a amazing bottle to do so.
Cabernet Franc - You cannot mention Virginia, without saying Cabernet Franc. This is actually one of my favorite grapes, and Barbousville did right by this wine. The notes on this wine exude berries, plum, cherries, and are aged 12 months in French Oak. This wine is so balanced, and each note is a compliment in this bottle.
Petit Verdot - The notes on this wine resemble licorice and black currant. This wine has bold tannins, rich, and very complex. I absolutely love the dark fruit in this wine and it absolutely well done.
2015 Octagon, 18th Edition - This is one of the best wines I have ever had, hands down. I remember trying this at a local wine festival years ago, but was unable to purchase it. Our visit to this winery was solely off of this wine, and I’m so glad we made the trip. This wine gets better with age, and will be perfect to uncork in a few years. It is 50% Merlot, 30% Petit Verdot, and 20% Cabernet Franc, all of my favorite reds in one bottle.

*Indulging in chocolates from Pod & Vine*

Michael Shaps Wineworks

What we brought home from Michal Shaps Wineworks

Sparkling

Crémant de Bourgogene - This bottle of bubbly is crisp and has the perfect balance of acidity. The grapes are grown in France, and this bottle produced in the classic méthode traditionelle process. Also, it is aged in stainless steel for about a year prior to being bottled, which gives it the crisp and clean notes.
Crémant Rose de Bourgogene - This sparkling has the Pinot Noir grape, and has had minimal contact with the skin, thus giving it a nice color. Also, it has gone under the same bottling and fermentation process as the former wine mentioned as well.

Reds

Petit Verdot - This wonderfully complex Petit Verdot, is high in acidity, but full in flavor of dark berries and concentrated fruit. There are a lot of tannins that embrace the palette, and has earthy as well as floral notes. Also, the Petit Verdot was barrel aged in 40% new French oak for eighteen months, which gives this wine a lot of body and makes it very well-rounded.
Cabernet Franc - The grapes for this wine were grown in Charlottesville, mainly on Carter’s Mountain. Also, similar to the former mentioned wine, it was aged in 40% new French oak, for 16 months. The tannins on this wine are softer, and Michael Shaps uses a unique egg white fining process to help soften the finish. The notes on this wine are berries, spice, tobacco, and smoke finish that really takes this bottle to the next level.

Tannat - This wine merges to worlds, French & American wines. Michael’s story of being one of the first winemakers in Virginia to work with this grape is simply amazing. Similar to the reds mentioned before, this wine was also aged in 40% new French oak for 14 months. The acid, alcohol, and tannin in this wine are high. Also, you can age this wine for up 10 years. This bottle resembles berries, tobacco, and leather on the palate.

Dessert Wine

2013 Raisin d’Etre Red - The story behind this wine is unique. The winemaker utilized a drying technique, in which grapes were dried out in the barn using heat to fry them out. The grapes began to resemble raisins during the process. This method also produced high concentrated fruit, which makes an excellent dessert wine in the outcome. This can be aged for 10-15 years, and is the perfect pairing to anything chocolate. I’ve already made an amazing chocolate wine sauce using this bottle for my homemade brownies!

*Getting started with the amazing wine tasting Michael Shaps had to offer*

*The final selection of wine to bring home from Michael Shaps*

XO, Analise

Uncorked: Virginia Wines + Thanksgiving Day Pairings

Uncorked: Charlottesville Wineries

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