The holiday season this year will have a much different feel.  With covid cases on the rise, we felt it irresponsible to offer a multi-bottle pack of wine for one dinner when large gatherings are not encouraged.  Instead, we created what we feel to be a perfect Thanksgiving Day pairing for two, and it goes a little like this:

Thanksgiving Day, 12:00pm

The majority of your prep knife work is done and you can take a breather.  Enjoy a small celebration of a day off work and a morning of hard focus completed. Grab a miniature bottle of Aalborg Taffel Akvavit, and toast “Skoal!”  Of the many aquavits produced, Aalborg Akvavit, named for the town in Denmark where it is the national drink, is arguably the most popular.  The clear Taffel bottling has been produced since 1846, its light and clean with traditional notes of caraway rye, fennel, and citrus.  Aquavit is light and savory, and pairs great with light hors d’oeuvres, meats, cheeses, and especially smoked salmon.  It’s a great palate starter for a day full of different flavors.

4-5pm:

Your house is cleaned despite no one coming over.  Your side dishes are cooked and the turkey is in the oven.  It’s time to set the table and you’re ready to drink something serious.  Enter St. Agrestis Negroni 100ml, a beautiful combination of gin, vermouth, and St. Agrestis Inferno Bitter, that’s herbal, sweet, bitter, rich, and refreshing all in one.  You have one to split and we recommend pouring it over ice.  A negroni is also an excellent aperitivo, a drink meant to be enjoyed before a meal to wake up the stomach juices and make you hungry!

6pm

It’s time for turkey, and the most important question is: what to drink??  You have three options, all excellent pairings.  First, Elk Cove Pinot Noir 375ml: this is a perfect Pinot noir: dark fruit, earthy and floral, a long and spicy finish and leaves your palate refreshed.  This is the textbook Thanksgiving meal pairing.  Next: Tripel Karmeliet from Bosteels Brewery 11.2oz in Belgium: a golden ale made from wheat, oat, and barley.  It’s light and creamy, with a balancing citrus character.  It’s packed with flavors that complement your meal but doesn’t have that heavy feeling.  Finally: Sweetland Orchard Rustic Apple 375ml. A blend of their Minnesota apple standard cider and  fresh-pressed apples.  It’s sharp, a bit sweet, and a little earthy, and most importantly, refreshing.  Fans of off-dry riesling will love this!  So how do you choose between the three options?  You don’t have to! We gave you all three, and we recommend trying them all with your meal.

6:15pm

You ate everything in sight.  Your partner looks at you in a whole new, but not good, light.  You wonder if that extra helping of potatoes and stuffing was worth it (it was).  Through your intermittent hearing, someone says something about pie, and your pants button goes flying off across the room.  The cat chases.  You need something to get back to normalcy.  You reach next to your beer/wine/cider glass for the cure: Underberg! Made in Germany since 1846, this little bottle packs a huge punch of flavor. Underberg uses ingredients sources from 43 different countries and is aged in Slovenian oak casks. It is only sold in tiny, iconic 20mL bottles to combat counterfeiting. Underberg is dark in color, and heavy in christmas spices like clove, chamomile, and licorice. Think jagermeister mixed with whiskey, aged in oak, twice as potent in flavor, and a fraction as sweet. It’s meant to be taken as a straight shot, “after a good meal,” using just your teeth to drink it.  It cannot be explained, it must be experienced.  You can thank us later.  

Optional:

We included options for 3 more items, for an additional cost.  First, Jacques Chaput Champagne Brut Tradition 375ml.  This is an 80% Pinot Noir, 20% Chardonnay non-vintage blend from a tiny grower and producer in the far South of the Champagne region.  The large portion of Pinot noir gives this wine a rich and full character, with elements of apple and raspberry. This can be enjoyed at any time during the day: after shots of aquavit, before the negroni (we do not recommend after), or with the main meal.  Champagne doesn’t get much better than this!  Next, Kilchoman Machir Bay Islay Single Malt Scotch.  Our love for Kilchoman is not new, but these cute little 50mL’s are!  The flagship bottling is aged 80% in ex-Buffalo Trace barrels and 20% in oloroso sherry casks and has a pronounced ye balanced peat smoke character that leans earthy.  This would go great with the main meal, but also with pecan, pumpkin, or apple pie.  Finally: if peated whiskey is not your thing, try Bunnahabhain 12yr Single Malt Scotch.  This is an underrated, and often overlooked, whiskey from Islay’s Northeast shore, aged in sherry, bourbon, and second use whisky casks.  It has a signature rich and full character, with notes of salted honey, nuts, and brioche.  This is best enjoyed with dessert as a compliment to pie and a comfortable chair.  

Click here to order yours today!  All orders must be in by the end of the day Sunday, November 22nd.