Pumpkin Pie Must-Try Wine

Halloween got us thinking about pumpkins, which led to enticing visions of pumpkin pie. Which led to the question, what’s the best wine to have with pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving? My vote (you really must try this): Tokaji Aszú. Tokaji (pronounced toe KIGH), as it is simply known, is as savory and refreshing as it is sweet. Indeed, the wine may well be the most truly balanced wine in the world for it registers on every sensory dimension–sweet, salty, tart, spicy, bitter, and savory. That’s why it is so good with pumpkin pie which, ditto, is more than just sweet. Great Tokaji has energy and edginess. It’s long and vivid with an appealing spiciness, hints of dried orange peel and apricot, and a rich sappiness in the middle. Try ROYAL TOKAJI COMPANY’s Tokaji Aszú from the famous “First Class” vineyard called Betsek.

What is Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore?

A. The official name of Prosecco

B. The name for Proseccos that have been aged an additional two years in bottle before release

C. A more highly ranked Prosecco that comes from vineyards in a small special area

D. Prosecco made in two of the most famous villages in the province of Friuli

Ok, this was a tough question, but here’s the scoop: Much of the Prosecco that’s made is simply basic Prosecco DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) that comes from large swaths of flat land in northeastern Italy. Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore is a higher ranked, higher quality Prosecco DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita). It is higher ranked because it comes from an historically special terroir—namely, a small zone of high-elevation hills in and around the towns of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene in the region of the Veneto (not Friuli). Yes, it’s a very long name but Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore is actually easy to pronounce: con-KNEE-lee-anno Val-doe-bee-AH-di-nay Pro-SEC-oh Su-pair-ee-or-AY.

“On one particular occasion, André [Tchelistcheff] and I were visiting Sancerre [in France’s Loire Valley], specifically Didier Dagueneau. But before we arrived at the winery, André told us to stop by the road. He got out and walked over to the vineyard, bent down, grabbed a handful of dirt in his hands, rubbed it and then told me to do the same. Then he said, ‘Smell it because that is what you will smell in the wine.’ And he was right. When we tasted Didier’s ‘Silex,’ I was overwhelmed by the aroma and unique mineral character in the wine.”

—Rob Davis, winemaker at Jordan Winery in Alexander Valley, California, talking about his mentor, the late André Tchelistcheff, who is considered the father of California winemaking

Pumpkin Pie Must-Try Wine

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