Turkey Breast Wine

Posting here instead of the wine section as I think people reading this section pay attention to wine/food matches.

Our plans for a get together with another couple over a prime rib for Christmas dinner fell through when the weather failed to cooperate, so we are going to do a turkey breast (breast only because it would take the two of us forever to eat a whole turkey and for some reason SWMBO demurred when I suggested that we downsize to a chicken - apparently insufficiently 'Christmasy').

Will do the turkey with the addition of many herbs. Wondering what the best wine match might be. Asking because almost all of my turkey experience has been family dinners that have been anything but a wine aficionado's delight.

Lots of light reds and interesting whites, and SWMBO would drink bubbly if she were standing outside in a blizzard, so that is a possibility too. Have quite a few pink wines, and was also wondering about Nero Mascalese based wines.

If I had more people for dinner I would try a comparison of white and red or pink - maybe Passopisciaro Passorosso and Passobianco, or I thought just a Palari Faro (also nero mascalese) that I have in the 2010 vintage would work.

Appreciate any thoughts.....

[Jenise]

First of all, I think you should try turkey Cordon Bleu. Jeff Grossman and I have both had great success stuffing a flattened breast with ham and cheese, then roasting. Pretty spectacular.

That aside, Pinot noir all day long. Most cool climate pinots have an herbaceousneous that reminds of thyme and tomato leaf, and it's a very symbiotic match. Grenache would be my second choice.

I like pinks and light reds for turkey. Gamay is also good. You might look at the accompaniments: if they are sturdy then you can lean a little more red on the wine choice.

Think I came up with a winner we'll see). after going over the cellar list I find that I have some 2010 Palari Faro which is a medium to light weight wine made of around 60 percent Nerello Mascalese, 20 percent Nerello Cappuccio, 15 percent Nocera, and small amounts of the rare Sicilian varieties Cor'e Palumba, Jacche, and Acitana. Bought it some years ago and haven't opened one yet!

Good opportunity to try it out - will be roasting turkey breast with several different herbs, no gravy. Thanks Jeff and Jenise for your suggestions - all good and reliable, but having found this oddball wine and being able to add around 5 new varietals to me life list will be a novelty. Indications are that it comes across as a light Nebbiolo sort of wine - or maybe the way the traditional Dolcettos used to be before they became pumped up Parkerized wines.

Along the way I also found that I had Barberas from Sandri and Cortese that might have served but they are younger and I am not ready to pop them yet.

[Jenise]

That'll work, Bill. You wouldn't want to clobber your gobbler with a big Cabernet, but really most reds in the light-medium category will work well enough. I love it when a wine match amazes, but for the most part I've reached the conclusion that wine matching is overrated, if for no other reason than that it reinforces certain biases instead of discovering new partners that work for unexpected reasons. Since I lean more toward adventure than the sure-thing, I stray off the reservation a LOT. Don't have to, just having fun instead of doing what I'm supposedly supposed to be doing.

Turkey is such a neutral meat that it's a good background for any wine. I prefer a big red and that's what we've had previous years. (this year we are guests and will have what the host opens - and it's sure to be red). But if you prefer white - go for it.

[Jenise]

IIRC, Suz loves turkey and Bill hates it. So the problem's a bit deeper than just the wine!

IIRC, Suz loves turkey and Bill hates it. So the problem's a bit deeper than just the wine!

Well, the only turkey I hate is the typical dried out kind. The bird is neutral enough to be a palette for playing herbs and spices in combination, but as there are just the two of us, having a whole turkey would indeed breed contemptuous familiarity.

We compromised this year by not doing a whole bird but instead bought a breast from a local Persian butcher that I get my oxtails from. We shall see. Their preference is to cook from frozen, which I have never done before..... It is stuffed, rolled and trussed and just went into the oven!

[Jenise]

It is stuffed, rolled and trussed and just went into the oven!

At 9 a.m.??????????????????????????????????

It actually went in at around 10:30 - cooking time from frozen = 3 1/4 hours, then early mid day dinner

[Jenise]

Oh, it was frozen! I know you said the butcher recommended that but I didn't realize you were following his suggestion.

Yeah - never done one from frozen before so thought 'd try it out. Worked pretty well.