November is weird, but it is almost always sunny in Philadelphia, & features a feast day!
November in Philly is a little weird.
Is it cold? Is it warm? It is almost always sunny, and it features a feast day: Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving (or Friendsgiving or Day-in-which-we-watch-tv-and-Eat-a-big-Meal). For many, this day is also a great excuse to drink a lot of good wine.
Growing up, my family’s table did not have alcohol, so no wine. We had a fairly traditional Thanksgiving meal: roast turkey with sausage stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, a weird carrot Ambrosia-y salad, and homemade noodles. I don’t know, maybe the last two weren’t traditional. It was followed up with pumpkin pie, and my mom graciously made me lemon meringue since I really, really do not like pumpkin pie.
My Thanksgiving is much different now. I don’t exactly know how it started, but our dinner consists of Shabu Shabu with beef and shrimp, mashed potatoes (for Geri), mac n’ cheese (for Ali), all kinds of chips (for Adi), and crudité (for health!). It also features wine.
But, the addition of wine does not make it any more traditional – in a historical sense. If we look back to the cultural settings the pilgrims left and the colonial settlements into which they came, they would more likely be drinking genever, rum, and cider.
Nonetheless, traditions evolve and new ones (Shabu Shabu!) get made. And, a lot of wine gets drunk on Thanksgiving.
In honor of that (evolved) wine-drinking tradition, we selected 2 wines that fair well with feasting foods (read more about these wines below):
Negramole, Morgado do Quintao 'Clarete' Algarve, Portugal
Happs Margaret River Pinot Noir, Australia
What do Portuguese and Australian wines have to do with Thanksgiving? Nothing. But they are delicious wines and delicious partners to feasting foods.
While the Portuguese do not have a “Thanksgiving” holiday, Dia de São Martinho occurs every November 11th to honor St. Martin. It is also a celebration of the new wine, and an indispensable food for the day is roasted chestnuts.
Chestnuts (and other shelled nuts) are often featured at Thanksgiving-style feasts in the US – whether simply roasted, sauteed with vegetables, or served in the most important dish of the day – stuffing! The Portuguese drink wine with their chestnuts and this bold wine with fruits and light tannins can hold up to the nutty and fruity chestnuts. So, have chestnuts at your feast and drink your Negra Mole with them. Or, try something new! We have included a recipe for Madeira-Braised Chestnuts and Brussels Sprouts from Aliza Green. Aliza is a noted Philadelphia-based chef, cookbook author, and culinary tour leader; she has one coming up to Portugal next spring. Brussels sprouts are commonly paired with a minerally, zippy, white wine. But, this dish is nutty and creamy, with some spices, and ideal for this complex, flavorful Clarete. Incidentally, the Negra Mole grape is similar to the Tinta Negra grape that goes into Madeira!
Our second wine is from Australia – another country that doesn’t celebrate Thanksgiving. No matter. Australians eat, and they eat well. Roast turkey might be made at Christmas or other feast days, but roast lamb is informally considered Australia’s national dish. Who likes roast lamb? I do! And so does our Happs Margaret River Pinot Noir. Traditionally, Pinot Noir is often paired with roast turkey. This wine, though, has juicier, chewier fruits than many “traditional” Pinot Noir, creating a great pairing with meaty, gamey lamb. Also, the label’s nod to Indigenous Australians is a welcome counterpoint to the colonial centering of the American holiday.
So cheers to (new) traditions!
November Wine Club Wines
Negramole, Morgado do Quintão 'Clarete' Algarve, Portugal
Morgado do Quintão is found in the Algarve region, on Portugal’s southwestern coast. Vines were first planted on this estate in the 1800s, but the modern winery’s first vintage dates to 2016 from revived vines. The estate, through winemaker Joana Maçanita, is interested in reconnecting to historic Algarve winemaking through attention to the land and traditional grapes, and respect to the region’s heritage.
Negramole is a grape that is native to the Algarve, with a possible lineage through Pinot Noir. “Clarete” is a style from the Algarve, using the Negramole grape. These wines have a nice, medium body, offer light tannins, and ample red fruit, and just enough acid to complement a wide range of foods.
This low-intervention wine has grapes that were sustainably grown, hand-harvested, and crushed by foot. Fermentation was in stainless steel, and the wine was aged for 6 months before bottling.
From the winemaker’s notes, the Clarete is:
“… medium bodied with a soft purple hue, on the nose red fruits and berries, in the mouth it is elegant with a touch of spice.”
Happs Margaret River Pinot Noir, Australia
Happs is owned by the Happ family, who founded the estate in 1978. They are located in the Margaret River, in western Australia, south of Perth. Happs, with winemaker Mark Warren are making low-intervention and low-sulfur wines with manual harvest. While utilizing these intensive labor practices, they remain committed to making high-quality and innovative wine that is still accessible to a wide range of people.
Pinot Noir is not a grape that is traditional to the Margaret River but reflects the Happ family’s exploration of new flavors and instinct for innovation. The grapes were hand-harvested, fermentation, and maturation in stainless steel.
Per the winemakers’ notes:
“A pretty aroma where strawberry, cherry, and cranberry fruit characters combine with pretty floral notes and hints of cola, rhubarb, confection, cloves, and all things spicey.
The strawberry and cherry flavours carry on to the palate and combine with cranberry, raspberry coulis, pomegranate, purple Jubes, and amaretto elements to produce a wine that is full of fruit and interest. It’s a light to medium bodied wine that is generous in flavour, with subtle oak, restrained acidity, and attractive soft tannin.”
This wine is part of their iSeries wines. These have labels crafted by Indigenous artists and are meant to reflect a strong connection to the land.
