Thirst Wine Merchants

	Thanksgiving Wine Picks!	11/23/2009
When choosing wine to pair with food, look at the dish holistically, seasonings, sauces and sides included—not just the prime ingredient. That way you'll know to pick Sauvignon Blanc for plain green beans versus Chardonnay for green beans in a mushroom or cream sauce. For the myriad flavors on the Thanksgiving table, sparkling wines are a no-brainer. Bright acidity, fruit and yeasty undertones make bubbly extremely food-friendly. Especially good are sparkling rosé such as Reginato Sparkling Rosé of Malbec ($24, Argentina) and Brut Cava like Vega Barcelona Brut Reserva ($16, Spain), which can take you from the hors d'oeuvre to the vinaigrette salad right through the turkey and mashed potatoes and onto the pie. The bubbles from natural carbonation, in concert with the wine's acidity, help cleanse the palate for the next course. Whites White wines with lively fruit and acidity and little to no oak are also versatile. With its aromas and flavors of citrus, apple and pear and zippy acidity plus herbal notes, Sauvignon Blanc pairs with everything from butternut-squash soup to green salad to turkey with dressing and herbs. Even notoriously tough-to-pair Brussels sprouts will sing with Sauvignon Blancs such as Joel Gott ($13, California), Angeline ($13, Russian River Valley), Slingshot ($19, Napa Valley), Auntsfield Estate ($21, Marlborough), and for a twist try Torbreck ‘Woodcutter’s’ Semillon ($19, Australia). Here are a few other white varietals and appropriate food matches: -- Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris is a good aperitif and goes well with roasted turkey. Try Rocca Pinot Grigio ($15, Italy), Palmina Pinot Grigio ($19, Santa Barbara), Big Fire Pinot Gris ($18, Oregon) and Raptor Ridge ($19, Willamette Valley). -- Gewurztraminer has a spicy character that sets it up for cranberry or fall fruit chutney and pumpkin or butternut-squash soup flavored with baking spices. Try Angeline ($10, Mendocino County) and Sineann ‘Celilo Vineyard’ ($21, Columbia Valley). -- Riesling, with their tropical fruit, citrus, green-apple, pear and mineral notes, work with almost any Thanksgiving dish except cranberry sauce and desserts. And if you think you don’t like them because they’re too sweet, you haven’t tried the right ones. Look for Kung Fu Girl ($13, Columbia Valley), Sineann ($21, Willamette Valley), Bergstrom ($28, Willamette Valley) and Some Young Punks ‘Monsters Monsters, ATTACK!’ ($26, Australia). -- Chardonnay—the less oak the better—has similar versatility and its full body makes it appropriate for creamed dishes. Look for Joel Gott ($20, Monterey), Foxglove ($16, Central Coast), Cuvee Stephi ($13, France), Eve ($13, Washington State), and Melville ‘Clone 76 – Inox’ ($42, Santa Rita Hills). As a general rule, wines that are fruit-driven or contain some sugar will fit the Thanksgiving flow. Fruitier wines like Muscat (Ca’ del Solo Muscat, $20, Monterey), Torrontes (Crios, $15, Argentina), Verdicchio (Marchetti, $15, Italy), and Viognier (White Knight, $13, California) can bookmark your meal, starting as an aperitif and finishing up with a dessert that is not too ragingly sweet. Reds Pink sparklers have the same kind of versatility as their white cousins. "Serious" dry rosés made from Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Syrah or Malbec grapes or blended proprietary rosés have acidity to balance the citrus, red and stone fruits and usually sport structure and a long finish but light tannins. Look for Elyse ($15, California), Bonny Doon Vin Gris de Cigare ($16, California, Raptor Ridge ($20, Oregon), Crios ($13, Argentina), and Za Za ($11, Spain). Syrah (Shiraz) and Zinfandel have the spice, dark fruit and berries to bring out the best in cranberry sauces as long as the wine has soft tannins and ripe, forward fruit and the sauce is balanced -- moderately tart and not too sweet. For Syrah, try Boxhead Shiraz ($13, Australia), The Formula Shiraz ($19, Australia), The Guilty Shiraz ($26, Australia), Boom Boom! Syrah ($17, Washington State), Luca Syrah ‘Double Select’ ($24, Argentina), Amavi Syrah ($30, Walla Walla), and Lewis Cellars ‘Alec’s Blend’ ($65, Napa Valley). For Zinfandel, look for Rabbit Ridge ($11, Paso Robles), Foxglove ($15, Paso Robles), Joel Gott ($19, California), Dashe ($28, Dry Creek Valley), and Elyse ‘AKA’ ($32, Napa Valley). Dark meat will also benefit from these reds. After dry rosé and sparkling wine, the best single wine to choose for Thanksgiving is Pinot Noir. This versatile varietal has tangy red fruit of strawberry and cherry, with nice acidity to balance and low levels of tannin. With elegance and a touch of earthiness to lend complexity, Pinot Noir will subtly support most things on the Thanksgiving table without overpowering them. Cranberry sauce and dessert are exceptions again, with the sauce too tart and the dessert too sweet. Try these Pinots on for size: Leese-Fitch ($15, California), Angeline ‘Red Label’ ($18, Sonoma/Mendocino), Owen Roe ‘Sharecroppers’ ($28, Willamette Valley), Raptor Ridge ($30, Willamette Valley), Copain ‘Tous Ensemble’ ($35, Anderson Valley), Baker Lane ‘Hurst Vineyard’ ($39, Sonoma Coast), Paul Hobbs ($50, Russian River Valley), 32 Winds ($50, Sonoma Coast), and Brewer-Clifton ‘Clos Pepe’ ($75, Santa Rita Hills). But no matter what is on your Thanksgiving table -- red, white, sparkling or sweet wine; turkey or roasted duck -- everything will taste better in the company of family and friends. As long as you have consumed enough wine, that is. Happy Thanksgiving!

	O V E R V I E W & M I S S I O N	06/21/2009
Thirst Wine Merchants, launched in September 2006, is an Oklahoma-based sales and marketing company specializing in fine wines from around the world. Our portfolio is small and focused and our goal is to provide the highest level of customer service and finest selection of products in the marketplace. The Mission of Thirst Wine Merchants is to build mutually beneficial relationships between wineries and the retail and restaurant trade while becoming a leader in both sales and customer satisfaction in the state of Oklahoma. We strive to function as a competent, reliable channel for a portfolio of high quality yet complementary wine producers from all over the world, and to market and distribute their wines throughout the state of Oklahoma. The company believes in working very closely with its winery partners to amplify their brands’ unique selling position while being an invaluable resource to the local distribution channels. We view each winery we represent as an equal partner in our business, and we hope to nurture close and mutually beneficial long-term relationships.

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