What are you giving thanks for this Thanksgiving? Maybe you are thankful for your family or friends, or maybe for a day when calories don’t count. Well, Thanksgiving is one of those days when calories don’t count, and that is just what we want to hear as we prepare our feasts and choose our wines. Those of us at Black Star Farms agree that Thanksgiving dinner wouldn’t be complete without some Michigan wine. With some help from my fellow employees, we put together this selection of wines to pair with classic Thanksgiving dishes.
To start your Thanksgiving celebrations off right, we suggest whipping up the following festive mimosa!
- 1 bottle of Black Star Farms Bedazzled Sparkling Wine (1 bottle will make about 5 mimosas)
- 1 half-gallon of Honeycrisp apple cider
- 1 navel orange
- 1 Honeycrisp apple
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
Directions: Mix the cinnamon, white sugar, and brown sugar together in a small bowl and set aside. Use a citrus peeler to peel the zest of the orange into strips with as little pith as possible. Twist the peels to “express” the fragrant oils and flavor. Rub the orange twist around the rim of a flute or wine glass. Dip the rim of the glass into the cinnamon and sugar to coat. Pour 5 ounces of Black Star Farms Bedazzled and add a splash of apple cider (for sweeter mimosas add more cider). Garnish with an orange twist and slice of apple. Cheers!
Thanksgiving is all about the food. We wait all day for the hot-steaming turkey breast, rich and creamy casseroles, and don’t forget the pie. Following are some of our suggestions for pairing Black Star Farm wines with classic Thanksgiving nibbles.
2017 Arcturos Barrel Aged Chardonnay
- Pair this buttery, oak-aged Chardonnay with charcuterie boards, flaky dinner rolls, or creamy casseroles. The toasty smooth finish of this wine will compliment any rich and savory dish.
2018 Arcturos Gamay Noir (newly released!)
- Spicy and packed with fruit flavors like dark cherry and blackberry, this light-medium bodied red wine compliments the spices of the season and tastes great paired with turkey and cranberry sauce.
2018 Arcturos Late Harvest Riesling
- If cranberry sauce isn’t your thing try pairing this rich, sweet Riesling with turkey and gravy. Late Harvest Riesling is also a solid choice for desserts like apple dumplings, fruit tarts, and pecan pie.
- One of our favorites, the Sirius Maple Dessert wine is made with apple wine, apple brandy (which tastes like whiskey), and Michigan maple syrup. With 18% alcohol and a higher sugar content, this dessert wine pairs wonderfully with pumpkin or apple pie.
Hopefully we inspired your Thanksgiving meal planning and you’ll pay a visit to one of our Grand Traverse area tasting rooms to pick up a few our suggestions and get cooking. Thanksgiving preparations can be a lot of work, but the right glass (or bottle) of wine in hand can give you peace of mind and compliment your Thanksgiving feast.
About the Writer, Olivia Kiel
As a Manager at the Old Mission Peninsula Tasting Room and blogger for Black Star Farms, I get the opportunity to write and learn about wine (two of my favorite things) every day. Over the years I’ve developed a passion for everything Black Star Farms by working alongside the company’s best and pouring its finest wines for guests from all over the world. I have a Bachelor of Science degree from Ferris State University where I studied Writing and Business and have been a Northern Michigan resident for about three years. When I’m not pouring wine, you’ll likely find me with a good book, enjoying the outdoors, or tasting something new and exciting at a local winery. Thank you for reading my posts, and don’t hesitate to say hello next time you visit Black Star Farms Old Mission. Cheers!
