As I opened my latest wine sample package from the California Wine Club, I was pleasantly surprised to find a holiday themed sampler containing a bottle of 2009 Tracy Hills Cabepulciano and a bottle of 2009 Mount Oso Reserve Chardonnay, both from the Tulip Hill Winery. As I thought about how I could push my own personal bias aside while sampling the wines, the idea of conducting a wine tasting over Thanksgiving dinner struck me.

Fast forward several days, and I’ve welcomed family and friends into my home for a Thanksgiving dinner feast. Wrapped in festive red and silver foil wrapping, the bottles complimented the colorful array of Thanksgiving dishes I had set out on the table. While I considered leaving the bottles on the table merely for decoration, I knew that would defeat the purpose of the event I’d nicknamed the ‘Tulip Hill Thanksgiving Tasting’.

We began the tasting with Capebulciano, and thanks to its slightly sweet and spicy flavor, it paired wonderfully with the turkey and rich side dishes. Reminiscent of a Cabernet because of its full-bodied taste, the Capebulciano also gave off a hint of sweetness. The smoky cherry and dark chocolate flavors make the wine a complementary drink for heartier meals of turkey, barbequed meat, or burgers.

We then moved on to the Mount Oso Reserve Chardonnay, which proved flavorful although slightly unsuited to the meal. Considerably lighter and more citrusy than the Capebulciano, this Chardonnay pairs best with pastas and fish.

While we couldn’t reach a consensus as to which was the ‘best’ wine, the wine tasting added an enjoyable and surprising twist to the meal. Next time you have a few bottles of wine to spare, host your own impromptu tasting and put your wines to the test with family and friends.

You can purchase your own bottles of Tulip Hill Mount Oso Reserve Chardonnay and Capebulciano from the California Wine Club. Enter the promo code momcentral at checkout and receive four bottles of wine for the price of two.

Disclosure: Mom Central received wine samples courtesy of the California Wine Club to facilitate this review.

Mom Central