Three Libations to Enjoy With Your Thanksgiving Feast

Lauren Cohen — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 20:36:05 +0000

Recommending libations for Thanksgiving every year is a lot like the meal itself. While there are opportunities to riff on a side dish or a dessert, it’s tough to deviate from tradition. Whether it’s beer or a fruity wine you’re craving, enjoy these classics along with your holiday feast.

Seghesio Zinfandel “Sonoma” 2018
($25, Winebow)

Zinfandel checks a lot of the right boxes for Thanksgiving, and this offering from California stalwart Seghesio proves why. Fruity? You bet. Think black raspberry and dark cherry tones, and a juicy finish that stares down cranberry sauce. Structure? Just enough to support the beautiful fruit and stand up to richer meat sauces, but it won’t swamp the turkey. And what better way to toast Thanksgiving than with a grape that was an immigrant, but is now uniquely American?

Distilerias Atxa Pacharan
($35, Free Run)

Spaniards are not known for dinners that are quick, or light. A culture that values a long, slow meal filled with diverse flavors seems the right place to source a digestif for the biggest meal of the year. Pacharan is a centuries-old Basque traditional liqueur made from sloe berries, anise, and other flavoring agents. Berry flavors, anise, and bitter orange tones abound with a hint of dark cocoa on the finish.

Fun fact: The Basque culture is an ancient one that straddles the border between Spain and France at the western end of the Pyrenees. Basques identify as neither Spanish nor French and are protective of their culture. It’s a region with a fascinating history and some fascinating things to drink, too. Txakoli, the white wine of the region, and a dry cider called sidra are popular exports.

Manor Hill “Grisette” Farmhouse Ale
($13 six-pack cans, Legends)

Maryland’s largest family-owned brewery, Manor Hill, models its Grisette after a French-style saison wheat beer, but with German hops. This ale is slightly frothy and brimming with citrus and tropical notes. The finish cleans up nicely as the hops step in with just enough bitterness to cleanse the palette and prepare your taste buds for another helping of stuffing.

Source

Sip Tips: May 2017

Jess Mayhugh — Thu, 25 May 2017 08:30:00 +0000

Thatcher’s Cucumber Liqueur
($21, Prestige Beverage Group)

The cool cucumber and light melon notes of this refreshing, faintly sweet concoction are the epitome of spring. While it is delightful on the rocks, it really shines as a cocktail enhancer. It’s the sort of beverage you didn’t know you needed until you check out the cocktail recipes and find yourself muttering, “Oh, I want to try that. And that! And that. . . .” Don’t deny yourself! Plop a bottle in the fridge and look for reasons to indulge.

Frog’s Leap
Chardonnay 2014
($33, Bacchus Importers)

Founder John Williams has long championed organic grape-growing in California, but that isn’t the point of the wines; they’re simply delicious. (The fact that they are also certified organically grown is a mere bonus.) The 2014 Chardonnay is a well-balanced beauty offering notes of pear and peach, lemon, and toasted nuts, but without overt sweetness and unfettered by heavy oak influence. It’s perfect for the patio but also a serious wine that will elevate any meal.

Le Brun Brut Cidre
($11, The
Country Vintner)

The artisan producers
of apple cider in Northern France are serious about their craft. This Brittany cider snaps with apple
flavors nestled in a pillow
of brioche undertones.
It’s sweet enough to balance its acidity; beer and wine fans rejoice, but devotees of sweet American cider and scrumpy
should move along. Word to the wise: Even if you love apples, you wouldn’t want to snack on the ones used in hard-cider production. These heirloom varieties have elevated acidity and tannins.

Source

liqueur – Baltimore Magazine

Three Libations to Enjoy With Your Thanksgiving Feast

Sip Tips: May 2017