Wines for the Bird

I spend most of my life trying to avoid "turkey" wines but, come December, turkey has a whole new meaning and the question everyone wants answered is, "Which wine should I serve with Christmas dinner?"

If you haven't already torn out this page and are on your way down to your favourite wine store, please read on.

There's only room for six photos each week but I have added a number of back-up picks, just in case the wine is long gone by the time you get to the store.

Keep in mind that, with the exception of its darker hind quarters, turkey is essentially just another white meat and, as such, its flavours are easily manipulated by whatever you put into it.

The No. 1 method of "injecting" flavour into your turkey is through the stuffing, so pay particular attention to the flavours that will emanate from the stuffing.

Today's picks and alternates, both local and imported, are first and foremost quality wines but each has been selected to complement a particular flavour. That said, you could stake a chance on any working with your bird.

First up is a classic -- roasted turkey with bread-and-sage stuffing. This combination calls for chardonnay, particularly those made in the softer, buttery style with hints of green apple and herbs that really pick up on the pungent aromas of the dressing.

The Sandhill Chardonnay 2003 from Burrowing Owl Vineyard is my pick. This is friendly juice with the requisite ripe, round, slightly oily palate and buttery, spicy lees, melon, baked apple and honey flavours. Keep it chilled until you serve it.

Other chardonnay choices: Carmen Reserve 2003, Valle de Casablanca, Chile ($19); Cuvaison 2002, Napa Valley ($37); Chateau St. Jean Chardonnay 2001 ($25) and Sebastiani Chardonnay 2002, Sonoma County ($23); Spires Barossa Valley Estate Chardonnay 2002, South Australia ($14).

If turkey with a meat stuffing is your thing, you'll have to deal with a whack of seasoning, led by fennel, paprika, chili, clove, ginger, garlic, peppercorn and sage.

To counter the fiery flavours, turn to the cool fruity aromatic whites such as viognier, riesling, ehrenfelser and or gewurztraminer.

My pick is the Yalumba Riesling Y Series 2003 from the Eden Valley. You'll love the fresh clover, lime, mineral, green apple aromas and flavours. It is crisp, round and elegant with a bit of sweetness.

It also doubles as the perfect pre-dinner aperitif.

Other aromatic choices: Nk'Mip Cellars Riesling 2003, Okanagan Valley ($14.29); Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Kabinett 2003, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany ($29.50); Blasted Church 2003 ($13.90), Gehringer Brothers Ehrenfelser Dry Classic 2003, ($11.99) and CedarCreek Ehrenfelser 2003 ($14.99), all from the Okanagan Valley.

Turkey with oyster-and-bread-crumb stuffing, sometimes described as oysters Rockefeller in a pouch, calls for a crisper, drier white.

Un-oaked or lightly oaked pinot gris or pinot blanc should do the trick. B.C, Italy and California are the places to look. Don't forget to prowl the shelves of VQA stores.

One of the best traditional local gris is the Gray Monk Pinot Gris 2003. It's fairly rich and soft in '03 with pear, apple, mineral, nutty earthy flavours and just a touch of quince.

Other possibilities: Mission Hill Pinot Grigio Five Vineyards 2003 ($14.99) and Tinhorn Creek Pinot Gris 2003 ($15.50), from B.C.; Danzante Pinot Grigio delle Venezie 2002 $17.49) and Tommasi Pinot Grigio Le Rosse 2003, Veneto ($19.95), from Italy; and McManis Family Vineyards Pinot Grigio 2003 ($22.95) or Talus Collection Pinot Grigio 2003 ($11.99), from California.

An earthy, mushroom and bread stuffing calls for the dried, black cherry and barnyard nuances of pinot noir. The best value in the market is the LinCourt Vineyards Pinot Noir 2001, from Santa Barbara County in California. Look for bright black cherry, mineral, licorice, smoky vanilla, orange rind and celery flavours. This should be great bird wine.

Locally, the label to look for is the CedarCreek Pinot Noir Platinum Reserve 2002. The smoky, resin, vanilla, black cherry, exotic orange peel nose will hold its own against the dinner aromas and the cherry, rhubarb, smoky, compost flavours will slide down effortlessly.

Other perfect pinots: Nk'Mip Cellars Pinot Noir 2002 ($14.49) and Quails' Gate Pinot Noir Limited Release 2002 ($19.99), both from the Okanagan; Cartlidge & Browne Pinot Noir 2002 ($18.95) and Concannon Pinot Noir 2002 ($20.95), from Central Coast, California; and Shingle Peak Pinot Noir 2003 ($21.95), Marlborough, New Zealand.

Finally, turkey with fruit stuffing, be it plums, figs, apples, cranberries, prunes or raisins, screams for big, fruity, peppery wines like Australian shiraz ,in today's case Ferngrove Shiraz 2001 from Western Australia. There was a time when Western Australia red wine in this market was a rare as bargain but not any more.

This is delicious and ripe West Oz shiraz that should have wide appeal. The flavours mix spice, plums and licorice with the typical earthy/mocha notes. Love the rich sweet finish.

Oz substitutes include Deen De Bortoli Vat 8 Shiraz 2002, Riverina ($18.99), Madfish Shiraz 2002, Western Australia ($19.95), Stella Bella Shiraz 2002, Margaret River ($26.99), Jim Barry The Lodge Hill Shiraz 2002, Clare Valley ($28.99), Wolf Blass Shiraz Gold Label 2000, Barossa Valley ($29.99), and McWilliam's of Coonawarra Shiraz 2000 ($74.99).