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Highly Ranked NC Wines Perfect For Thanksgiving Feast
By Barbara Ensrud
The growing excitement about regional wines around the country is heartening, and there is a solid reason for it: the wines are better. The marked improvement in quality and balance — in wines from Texas, New York, Virginia, even such far-flung outposts as Arizona, New Mexico and Missouri — shows up again and again in stylish wines with appealing flavors.
“Wine Country” isn’t just the West Coast anymore, writes Dave McIntyre on the new Web site, www.drinklocalwine.com. “The US wine industry has exploded in growth this decade, with most of it coming outside California.”
Add North Carolina, which has indeed exploded in growth — going from 15 wineries in 1999 to an astonishing 76 today. The best NC wines more than hold their own nationally, as the recent NC State Fair Wine Competition amply demonstrated, with 36 Gold and Double Gold (unanimous among the judges) medals awarded to wines produced from grapes grown here in the Old North State, most from the Yadkin Valley.
As one of the judges, I was delighted by many of the wines I tasted (blind, of course) — but most especially the Best of Show, which turned out to be Childress Vineyards 2006 Cabernet Franc Barrel Select. With its spicy aromas, juicy red currant flavors, fine balance and finish, it was the unanimous choice of the 12 judges for the competition’s best wine.
I also recently judged at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair wine competition in California, where my panel explored Sonoma-grown Cabernet Francs. The Childress 2006 from Yadkin Valley, about $17, would have done itself proud in that company, easily more vibrant and immediately drinkable than many of the more expensive wines. Better snap this one up for Thanksgiving. Our most American holiday, in fact, is the perfect opportunity to pair wines from our own back yard, so to speak, with the upcoming turkey feast on Nov. 27 (see my Suggested Menu pairings below).
The last three years have made a huge difference in style and quality for NC wines. Most of the wines in the State Fair Competition were from the vintages of 2005, 2006 and 2007, all of which were good to outstanding, especially for red wines. We were fortunate in that we didn’t suffer hurricane rains (as in 2003 and 2004) during harvest, which dilute flavors and promote rot. The drought year of 2007, in fact, produced some superb red wines, most not yet on the market. One worth looking for: McRitchie 2007 Ring of Fire, $18. Named for the Johnny Cash hit, it is an intensely fruity blend of Petit Verdot, Cab Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.
2007 would have been great for white wines as well, except for the disastrous Easter freeze in early April, which took out the majority of white varieties. Later budding varieties fared better, such as the beautiful Shelton Vineyards 2007 Yadkin Valley Riesling, $16, which won Best White.
Caveat. Now, I must say, too, that there are still wines made here that are not up to snuff, are not yet what they could be and don’t measure up to the best produced here. And if you get one of those, one that makes you wrinkle your nose and doesn’t taste good, well … be brave and try another one — because good ones are out there.
For starters, let’s look specifically at some of the Double Golds (DG) and Golds (G), as well as a few excellent Silvers. These wines are available at some wine shops, Harris Teeter and other supermarkets and Total Wine. A few restaurants offer NC wines by the glass, such as The Umstead Hotel’s Herons restaurant in Cary. Also, most wineries have Web sites where you can purchase.
The Winners:
Biltmore Estate Chateau Reserve Blanc de Blancs 2006, $29. DG and best of sparkling class. Biltmore entered several wines in the State Fair Competition winning several DGs and other medals, but this is the only one with a North Carolina appellation. Made from Chardonnay, using the traditional Champagne method, it is very Champagne-like, dry and crisp.
Childress Vineyards Barrel Select Chardonnay 2005, $17, DG. A most attractive balanced Chardonnay, proving that well-structured Chard gets better with a little time in bottle. Other Chardonnays you might like: Iron Gate 2006, DG; Shelton Bin 17 2006, G; Silver Coast 2006, G; Laurel Gray and McRitchie 2006, Silvers South Creek Cabernet Franc RSV 2006, DG. We know Cab Franc does well in mid-Atlantic regions if vintage conditions are right — as they obviously were in 2006.
Childress won Best of Show for its ’06 Cab Franc, and South Creek a Double Gold. More Bordeaux-like in style, this wine will improve with a couple of years in bottle.
Others: Shelton 2005, $16; Childress Reserve 2005, $25,
Silvers
Cabernet Sauvignon and Blends: RagApple Lassie 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, $16, DG, smooth and round; Flint Hill Cabernet, Gold; Laurel Gray Estate Reserve 2005, $28, Silver
Blends: Shelton Madison Lee Red, $12; Childress Pinnacle, $12.50; Banner Elk Red (tasty blend of French hybrids such as Foch and Chambourcin), $16; Hanover Park 1897, $30, a complex multi-blend of red grapes, all Silver.
Round Peak 2006 Sangiovese Reserve, $18, DG. Good intensity of black cherry fruit; Round Peak 2007 Sangiovese, $18, won a Gold and also won Best of Show in the 2008 Mid-Atlantic Wine Competition. Proof the Italian sangiovese, used for Chianti, is a viable grape for North Carolina.
Thanksgiving Menu Suggestions
So many wines will suit turkey and all its spicy trimmings, but there are some terrific North Carolina wines that can grace the Thanksgiving table. I like to serve both red and white wines, especially if the gathering is large. If you’d like an all-Carolina lineup, you can’t go wrong with these:
Aperitif: Biltmore Estate Chateau Reserve Blanc de Blanc 2006
Feast Whites: Childress Barrel Select 2006 Chardonnay, Iron Gate 2006 Chardonnay, Silver Coast 2006 Chardonnay, Hanover Park 2006 Viognier, Grove 2007 Viognier, Shelton 2007 Sauvignon Blanc
Feast Reds: Childress Cabernet Franc 2006, Shelton Madison Lee Red, Round Peak 2006 Sangiovese Reserve, Chatham Hill Cabernet Franc, McRitchie 2007 Ring of Fire, Hanover Park 1897
Dessert: Buck Shoals Apple Honey Mead (great for apple or pumpkin pie), Old Stone Sweet Muscadine, Cypress Bend Autumn, Duplin Hatteras Red, Lu Mil Harmony Hall (Muscadine), Rock of Ages Bushy Fork
NC STATE FAIR BEST OF SHOW AND BEST OF CLASS WINNERS
(Note: For full list of all medal winners, go to www.visitnc.com)
Best in Show: Childress Barrel Select Cabernet Franc 2006, DG
Best Muscadine: Old Stone Vineyards Sweet Muscadine, DG
Lovely sweet dessert Muscadine, excellent acidity
Best Red Vinifera: Childress Barrel Select Cabernet Franc 2006
Best White Vinifera: Shelton Vineyards Yadkin Valley Riesling 2007, DG
Best Fruit Wine: Buck Shoals Apple Honey Mead, DG, a unique and luscious sweet wine with flavors of honeyed apples and cinnamon
Best Sparkling Wine: Biltmore Chateau Reserve Blanc de Blancs 2006, DG
Best White Native American: Old Stone Vineyards Sweet Muscadine, DG
Best Red Native American: Cypress Bend Autumn, DG, delicious crimson Muscadine, well-balanced
Best Muscadine Rosé/Blush: Rock of Ages Bushy Fork Red, DG, a sunset-hued nectar
Best Vinifera/Rosé/Blush: Iron Gate Dixie Dawn, DG, rosé of Nebbiolo
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