Because Nothing Says Thanksgiving Like Champagne

I wonder what the Pilgrims drank on the first Thanksgiving.  Mead?  Cider?  Or maybe they abstained from alcohol altogether? A quick online search yielded few answers but I'm fairly certain they didn't put nearly as much thought into it as we do in modern society.  For the last few weeks, food columns, e-newsletters and the like were consumed with pairing the perfect wine with The Big Feast. I understand wanting to creating the optimal experience at the table, but when the meal is as complex as Thanksgiving dinner,  there's no straightforward answer.  To this, I abide by the cardinal rule of wine:  drink whatever you enjoy.  There's no better formula than: delicious food + delicious wine = amazing dinner.

For my family, that meant rose champagne.  My mother, always excited to be introduced to something new, bought a bottle of champagne that would supposedly appeal to my Ruinart Rose-loving palate.  For weeks, she had been talking about this bottle; a salesperson at her favorite wine shop touted it as being very close to a Ruinart but at a more affordable price point. I was anxious to compare and she was looking forward to getting a (close) taste of my favorite sparkler. Needless to say, there were a lot of expectations riding on its cork.  So, what did we think?

Champagne Montaudon Brut Grande Rose
This sparkler was very dry, more than expected.  On the nose, white pepper and yeasty notes added savory tones to subtle peach and strawberry essences.  On the tongue, light mousse-y bubbles gave way to a long finish and the same characters on the nose announced themselves on the tongue as well.    It was  deliciously complex and robust and made great friends with Turkey & Co.  I still have a slight preference for the Ruinart , with its the rich round mouthfeel of its bubbles and the berry tones, but this Montaudon was the perfect accompaniment to the meal and is a noteworthy sparkler for my list.

Now, what to drink with leftovers....