Uncorked: Pinot noir winemakers share Thanksgiving traditions

Tim Malone has a Thanksgiving dish that’s as unique as the wines he makes at Appassionata.

“We have Kashi, a stuffing that comes from my wife’s family,” said the Oregon winemaker who likes to enjoy riesling and aged pinot with his dinner. “It’s a Lithuanian tradition that actually comes from migrant coal miners that went to Pennsylvania. There’s tons of eggs, crushed up crackers, chicken livers and hearts. It’s a really thick dense stuffing and is a tradition in our family. You take a whole box of saltines crushed up in a bowl, a dozen eggs, chicken stock, onions finely chopped and boiled down offal. Lay it out in ceramic or glass pyrex, and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.”

As family and friends gather for Thanksgiving, we take a look at the traditions that winemakers who specialize in pinot noir share with their loved ones.

Right around lunchtime, a football game is kicking off and the cooking is getting serious. This is when Chehalem winemaker Katie Santora goes for the bubbles.

“Wine is an all-day event on Thanksgiving for me,” said Santora, who opens the special wines she’s been holding back for dinner. “Around lunch, when the cooking is really starting to pick up, I usually open a bottle of bubbles or a nice chardonnay to sip on as everything slowly starts coming together.”

For Ben Papapietro, a trailblazer in California’s Russian River Valley pinot noir scene, a big family plays together to stay awake after dinner.

“We always host a portion of the family,” said Papapietro, who counted stuffed mushrooms, a goat cheese roll with pistachios and an old-fashioned cheese ball among the sides served. “We generally have anywhere from 10 to 25 people depending on the year. We have a big family, so we have a blast getting together and sharing some special recipes and wines. After dinner, we play games and have a lot of laughs trying new games or some of our old favorites. We have a creative family so several new games generally pop up each year.”

Regional fare is part of the Thanksgiving table for Gary Farrell’s new winemaker Brent McKoy. He joined the Russian River Valley winery in 2005 and worked directly with the founder. His Southern roots show on Thanksgiving.

“We always have traditional Thanksgiving fare on the table, and look forward to it each year,” said McKoy, noting that the night before Thanksgiving, his family has an oyster roast. “My wife and I are from North Carolina and especially enjoy regional dishes like collard greens and butter beans along with turkey, stuffing, green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy, fresh cranberry sauce and anything else we’re inspired by. Mostly, we like to have a wide variety of food and plenty of it.”

As the senior winemaker and general manager at Etude winery, Jon Priest doesn’t pass up the chance for some fresh air. For some parts of the country, it might be the last chance to get outside before winter arrives.

“When we’re with family or friends, we enjoy the traditional Thanksgiving feast,” Priest said. “If it’s just my wife and I for the holiday, we like to spend time outdoors with a simple picnic by the beach or by the lake.”

• James Nokes has been tasting, touring and collecting in the wine world for several years. Email him at jamesnokes25@yahoo.com.

TASTING NOTES

Alma Rosa “Caracol” Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir 2021 ($90): A big, beautiful pinot that broods over its black cherry core amid waves of loamy earth, cardamom and shaved nutmeg. From an experimental block of various clones and rootstocks planted in 2015, the site sits atop a knoll and resembles a snail shell from an aerial view.

Appassionata “Allegro” Pinot Noir 2019 ($95): Winemaker Tim Malone always nails it when it comes to just a touch of reduction. A wine with fascinating dimensions and few like it on the market. There’s cherry, matchstick and olive salad notes on the nose. The cherry and iron shaving flavors are enhanced by a mouthwatering sea salt note that lingers long after the finish.

Appassionata “Andante” Pinot Noir 2017 ($135): Released five years after bottling, this is a masterpiece. An homage to Beethoven’s “Appasionata” piano sonata, it has a silky, smooth mouthfeel, flavors of strawberry, soy, orange peel and the essence of dried flowers. Finishing with a flaky Maldon sea salt note that is salivating.

Biltmore Estate Pinot Noir 2021 ($22): A light crimson color in the glass, medium-bodied delicate strawberry, eucalyptus, juicy Rainier cherry in the mid-palate and a mineral note on the finish. A food-friendly pinot that calls out for salmon, turkey and roasted chicken. An extended, mouth-coating finish.

Chehalem Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2023 ($29): The venerable Willamette winery has a new tasting room opening in 2025 on its estate. A fireplace, tasting bar, full kitchen, indoor and outdoor seating for 160 guests and wines like this gem and its balanced cherry flavors with gravelly tannins on the finish.

David Bruce Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir 2021 ($65): Bountiful red fruit on the nose with river rock and vanilla hints as well. Flavors of cherry, pomegranate, tart cranberry and Asian spices emerge on the finish.

Etude Carneros Pinot Noir 2021 ($47): Fresh and juicy with cherry and cranberry flavors, the touches of caramel and vanilla on the finish add an extra dimension.

Etude Grace Benoist Ranch Carneros Pinot Noir 2022 ($47): Cranberry, pomegranate, fall leaves and Christmas spice.

Hahn California Pinot Noir 2022 ($20): Gun metal, ripe black cherry and sweet strawberry notes with a black tea note on the finish.

Hahn California Pinot Noir 2023 ($20): Dusty, smoked cherry with seared rosemary and sage notes on the finish.

Huia Marlborough New Zealand 2020 ($29): Exotic and feral, blood orange, bacon fat and black tea on the nose; mystical in nature with its flavor profile that glides between cherry and strawberry with savory notes that rise up.

Lifevine Pinot Noir 2021 ($13.99): Plum, dark fruit, chewy tannins on the finish. Made with organic grapes, zero sugar. A serving facts label details calories, carbohydrates, fat and protein.

Pali Wine Co. Sta. Rita Hills “Summit” 2018 ($27): Cranberry, cherry, eucalyptus and spice rack on the nose, cherry, cranberry, blood orange salty, a muddled earthy note.

Papapietro Perry Leras Family Vineyard Russian River Valley 2021($66): Lighter in the glass, fruit-driven and bursting with red cherry and strawberry complemented by a fresh ocean breeze note on the finish.

Planet Oregon Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2022 ($24): Think planet. Drink Oregon. Give back. Support Oregon environmental causes. Earthy notes, turned leaves, with herbs de Provence.

Ram’s Gate Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2021 ($52): There’s a sandalwood and mossy rock note that elevates everything on a pinot with stately red fruit flavors. There’s a smooth texture that belies the presence of well-integrated tannins on the finish.

Soter Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2022 ($66): Dark fruit, earthy with spice rack, cola mystery red and black fruits, rosemary, all tied up into a big yarn ball of flavors that needs to be unwound.

Stoller Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2023 ($28): Spice rack, earth and leaves sitting atop a cherry and strawberry fruit profile.

Ten Sisters Marlborough Pinot Noir 2020 ($29): Dark purple in the glass, evergreen, bacon fat and forest floor on the nose of a wine brimming with acidity, black cherry, plum and earthy notes – a darker pinot with an inflection point after the savory nose.

GIFT GUIDE

Âme Atendre wooden serving board ($350): Beautiful blond wood, an elegant beveled edge with half-inch juice grooves makes it a showcase piece. But what is most impressive is the functionality. When filled with meats, cheeses, vegetables, crackers, fruits and anything else you can think to add, the cut-out handles make it the easiest to carry serving board I’ve ever used. The Indiana-based artisan woodworking company handcrafts each board individually. An all-natural finish of linseed and tung oil forgoes any toxic materials in the final stages of production. Beautiful, functional and big enough for the Thanksgiving appetizers.

Formulary 55 Autumn Equinox Candle ($36): Transport yourself to a log cabin with aromas of cedar, the fall leaves you just kicked around on your hike through the forest and the mist-subtle hints of potpourri slowly simmering. Made from natural soy waxes blended with essential oils and phthalate-free perfume to create heartwarming aromas.