The perfect wining for holiday dining

James Meier

With the official holiday kickoff arriving Thursday in the form of

Thanksgiving, one question on the minds of feast preparers -- other

than what gift to buy Aunt Bertha -- is which wine to serve?

Newport-Mesa wine sellers have plenty of advice for those trying

to determine what wines best accompany their meals.

For one, says Jesse Paddie -- manager at Overstreet’s Wine

Merchant, which opened in Newport Beach in May -- get something

everyone will enjoy.

“Buy what you love,” he said. “Buy what brings you back home. Buy

what your family would enjoy, because that’s where you’ll more than

likely spend the holidays. And explore.”

There are certain guidelines that wine specialists can call a sure

thing, but that doesn’t guarantee that enjoyment will ensue. That’s

where tastings can help out. Several Newport-Mesa wine stores offer

occasional tastings to ensure consumers are putting their money into

worthwhile vino.

“We are firm believers in people tasting wines,” said Brad Sachs,

a wine buyer at the Taste of Napa, which opened on the Balboa

Peninsula earlier this month. “I used to walk into the store and buy

a $40 wine and then not like it. But if you don’t like it, you can’t

return it. ... That’s why we opened up the tasting bar.”

For those unable to try the wine and in need of advice, pinots and

champagnes go well with turkey, Beaujolais nouveau can accompany beef

or turkey, and Rieslings and gewurztraminers work for ham,

Newport-Mesa experts say.

But, again, to each his or her own. Guidelines don’t guarantee

happiness.

“Tasting’s obviously the best way to choose wine,” said Chris

Olsen, co-owner of the Wine Gallery in Corona del Mar. Olsen said he

can point people in the right direction, but he has his own

philosophy: “There are certain meals that you drink wine with, and

I’ll drink whatever I want.”

Hi-Time Wine Cellars in Costa Mesa has several wines geared toward

Thanksgiving that can be taste-tested at its honor bar this week,

said Michael Brick, the store’s California wine buyer.

There are other considerations, albeit more technical, that can

used in choosing the right wine, Sachs said.

“People get caught up in the right or wrong pairing for wine,” he

said. “What are the vicinity levels? How do they balance?”

Choosy consumers -- err, eaters -- can consider the sauce or glaze

on their roast. That, too, can lend itself to various wines, Sachs

said.

Those who have read and heard enough and have other things on

their mind -- like cooking -- can simply stop by the stores to try

out their palettes or ask for expert recommendations. C’est la vin.