Let's talk Turkey.

With Christmas just around the corner, many of you are getting ready for the big holiday feast. And for some this may include a traditional turkey dinner with all the fixins. You may even be wondering, what wine to serve. Lucky for you, Winesnob, much like Mightly Mouse, is here to save the day.

I've made a few turkey dinners here in Italy (pictured above was my latest) and I've experimented with some different wine pairings and I've found that reds work best. But not a heavy, tannic Cabernet Sauvignon because the turkey doesn't have the fat needed to work with those tannins. I'm talking about a lighter bodied red.

Everything I'm going to recommend can be found through the BC Liquor Store. I checked their website and I've found these wines listed. It's up to you to figure out which store carries them. Or you can just hit one of the specialty wine shops that I've mentioned in previous postings.

Let's start in Italy. I have a few recommendations which you may be unfamiliar with but it's a good opportunity to try something other than Brunello and Chianti. Brunello di Montalcino is too heavy for the turkey but if you want to stay in that area, try his little brother Rosso di Montalcino. This is a DOC rated wine which comes from the same area, made with the same grapes but not aged as long as Brunello thus making it much more affordable. Not too far from Montalcino is the town of Montepulciano. The wine from this area is called Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. It's made with a type of Sangiovese grape called Prugnolo Gentile. It's a gentler Sangiovese than Brunello but just as good. It's a DOCG rated wine (like Brunello) but more affordable. Avignonesi is a good producer. My last Tuscan recommendation is a wine called Morellino di Scansano. This wine is also DOC rated and shouldn't hurt the wallet if you need to buy multiple bottles. From the Umbria region you could try a Sagrantino di Montefalco (a DOCG) or if you prefer something from the Veneto a Valpolicella (DOC) should work nicely as well.

Just a quick note about Italy's wine ratings. DOCG means Denomination of Guaranteed Controlled Origin which is the countries highest standard. DOC is Denomination of Controlled Origin and it comes in second. For a wine to receive a DOCG rating it has to follow very strict guidelines which includes how many vines can be planted per hectare as well as how much wine can be produced. There are also specific ageing guidelines that need to be followed. DOC wines have many of the same guidelines but are usually aged less and production is sometimes higher.

If you'd prefer a Spanish wine, I would try a Rioja. The wine ratings there are Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva. Gran Reserva being the oldest. I wouldn't go for a Gran Reserva as it may be too intense for the turkey but a Reserva should work just fine. Marques de Riscal and Marques de Caceres are two producers to look for.

Last but not least is my buddy Pinot Noir. I think this could be a perfect choice for your turkey feast. Your options here are endless. You can stay local and grab a good BC wine or venture a bit further south into Oregon or California. If you wanted to stay in BC, try to find a Burrowing Owl or Nk'mip. I like both of those. I also enjoy the Gray Monk Pinot Noir. In Oregon, Domaine Drouhin is a producer of note and the price reflects that. In California, look for something from the Russian River Valley or Santa Barbara County.

There are some reasonably priced French Pinot Noirs as well from producers Lous LaTour, Jadot and Drouhin. But if you're feeling like splurging, try to find a Pinot Noir from one of Burgundies top villages like Gevrey-Chambertin, Vougeot, Vosne-Romanèe, Flagey-Echèzeaux or Nuits-St-Georges. At my last turkey dinner, one of my guests brought a Pinot Noir from Vosne-Romanèe. It was spectacular. I highly recommend trying Pinot Noir from those villages. It's an unforgettable tasting experience.

So with that, I wish you all Happy Holidays and Buon Appetito!

Cheers!