Sea Salt St. Pete’s award-winning sommelier and beverage director Jackie Eash is just back from Napa with dozens of new favorite wines. Since Thanksgiving is one of her favorite holidays (family, friends, food and libations), we asked her to recommend some holiday quaffs for your table!
“For me, it isn’t a holiday without bubbles. They are festive, uplifting and mix beautifully with some really fun juices. Mimosas & Bellinis are the perfect way to kick start a long prep day of turkey basting, potato mashing, pie baking and football watching,” says Eash. “Don’t waste money on expensive French Champagne if you are mixing; go for a Cava, Prosecco, or Cremant de “whatevers” that are $15 or less. You can add a dash of liqueur instead of juice as well.”
For dinner, Eash suggests a nice dry or even medium dry Rose in Grandma’s fancy crystal glass, both pretty in the stemware and on the palate. Beaujolais Nouveau, released on the third Thursday of November is also a good choice; it’s light, brimming with fresh fruity notes, & moderate acidity, which allows for a generous amount of pairing options.
Looking for something more complex?
Eash recommends: Cru Beaujolais: From the the same region with more depth without being heavy.
Pinot Noir: Another darling of the Turkey Day table. Think of it as Beaujolais’s big sister. Darker fruit tones with hints of black pepper & earth. Light enough for turkey but certainly able to stand up to heftier fare.
Garnacha or Grenache: It is grown & bottled all around the globe but its genesis is Spain & that’s where we’ll head. Spanish Garnacha has hints of candied fruit, white pepper, moderate acid, & medium to soft tannin.
Holiday Wine Recommendations By Jackie Eash, Sommelier & Beverage Director at Sea Salt – St Petersburg 183 Second Ave N • St. Pete 33701