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Story and Photos by Sherrie Petersen

   I was a little girl, I believed that the best holidays involved some sort of gift.
  As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to realize that the gift of the holidays is delicious food and wine.
Every holiday has its own unique menu, even Halloween. I’d never experienced mulled wine until I took my children trick-or-treating in Ballard.
  One of the neighbors was handing out treats not only for the kids, but for the adults as well. I found myself with a steaming cup of spiced yumminess that warmed the body and cheered the soul. We’ve been going back to Ballard every Halloween!
  Because the spices used for mulling wine tend to overwhelm the wine’s original flavor, you don’t want to spend $30 on a bottle of premium Pinot. Just be sure that the wine you choose isn’t too rich or tannic. Good choices would be inexpensive Pinot, Zinfandel or Rosé.
  Thanksgiving is all about the turkey, green bean casserole and pumpkin pie. But figuring out what to pour isn’t always an easy decision. “I always find that things like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, even Syrah or Zinfandel, can work quite well with turkey,” says Kevin Willenborg, winemaker for Firestone Vineyard. “It’s a lighter white meat so you don’t need a heavy wine like a Merlot or a Cab.”
  “Australians don’t celebrate Thanksgiving,” laughs Kalyra winemaker Mike Brown. But since he has lived here for many years, he has taken to the holiday, minus the turkey. “We used to deep fry a turkey long before it was popular,” he says. “The last couple years we’ve done a prime rib with Yorkshire pudding. We start out with Champagne, then serve a Shiraz or Sangiovese with the meal.”
  Tres Hermanas winemaker Luke Lindquist likes to serve Rosé at his Thanksgiving dinner. “A really good, dry Rosé goes well with turkey and all the fixings,” he says. “This year I’m drinking Refosco. It’s a Northern Italian varietal, primarily used as red table wine. There’s very little of it planted in California. We’re one of the few people who focus on it. This year it’s going with the turkey!”

  The Christmas menu varies widely depending on whom you’re asking. If you’re visiting the Willenborg household you’ll likely find a roast with either cabernet or Merlot. The Browns will likely have filet mignon with MC2, a blend of Merlot, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc. The Lindquist family serves up ham and syrah.
  When it comes time for dessert, the choices are limitless. Kalyra is known for their premium dessert wines. Gewurztraminer, Muscat, Port and Eiswein are just a few of the tasty treats you’ll find in this line. Willenborg makes a late harvest Riesling for Firestone that he describes as, “dessert in a glass!” Royal Oaks Winery makes a delicious Olallieberry Royale that complements ice cream or chocolate. And Daniel Gehrs makes a crisp Gewurztraminer and two types of Port that will complement cheese or chocolate beautifully.
  Champagne is synonymous with New Year’s Eve, but for those not bound by tradition, sparkling wines can provide a bubbly alternative. A few local wineries craft small lots of sparkling wine. Mandolina, part of the Lucas & Lewellen family, makes Bianco di Bianco, a blend of Muscat and Chenin Blanc. Over at Flying Goat, Norm Yost uses Pinot Noir in his aptly named sparkler, Goat Bubbles. Mike Brown has been making a sparkling Sangiovese Rosé since 1984, first when he was at Santa Ynez Winery and now under his Kalyra label.

And please remember, no matter what you choose to imbibe this holiday season, always drink responsibly.
Cheers!