The Thanksgiving banquet might well be the Thanksgiving snack this year. Turkey will rule the table, but side dishes may be more modest and sparse.
And the wines likely will come from the middle and lower shelves rather than the top. Here are wines offering high interest and high value:
• Archeo 2006 Ruggero di Tasso Sicilia Nero d'Avola (13 percent alcohol, $4, Trader Joe's): The black Sicilian grape nero d'avola, recognized for wines rustic and hot, has been tamed here to yield a bright and refreshingly light release with delicate cherries and a whiff of smoke. It's got enough spine to hold up to the lighter foods of the Thanksgiving table, as well as leftover turkey sandwiches with a touch of cranberry sauce.
• Shenandoah Vineyards 2007 Special Reserve Amador County Zinfandel (14.4 percent alcohol, $9, Corti Brothers): It comes in a screw-cap bottle, but vintage after vintage, the Special Reserve delivers the expected berry flavors and spicy highlights of Amador County zins.
• Peter Lehmann 2004 Eden Valley Riesling (12 percent alcohol, $12, Corti Brothers): Rieslings with this much age aren't often still on the market, which is a shame, seeing how more time in the bottle can add breadth and depth. The wine's ripe apricot fruit, ticklish spiciness and bracing acidity will allow guests to forget about the sweet potatoes you left off the menu.
• Jacob's Creek 2006 South Eastern Australia Reserve Pinot Noir (13.5 percent alcohol, $15, Safeway): Fine-boned in structure and fresh with sweet fruit, it could be mistaken for a pinot noir selling for $10 more.
• Cameron Hughes 2004 Sonoma County Alexander Valley Lot 71 Cabernet Sauvignon (14.5 percent alcohol, $13, Costco): Cabernet sauvignon isn't my first choice for the Thanksgiving table, but guests expect it, and this modestly priced take, from an appellation where the grape performs as well as anyplace, is bright, juicy, supple and blessed with the suggestions of eucalyptus and mint that distinguish cabernets.
Call The Bee's Mike Dunne, (916) 321-1143. Back columns: www.sacbee.com/dunne.
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