The Joys of Turkey Without a Holiday, Plus Sauvignon Gris

In years past I've cooked a turkey on the weekend after Thanksgiving, for the purpose of having some leftovers. This year, I decided to roast the bird almost two weeks ahead of time. Why? I was impatient and wanted some dark meat, and The Roommate would enjoy the white meat for her lunches.

I'm of the opinion that everyone should roast a turkey at some point during the holidays that's not for an actual holiday feast. Declare a random Saturday in December "Eating Day" and invite some friends over to enjoy some good food and wine without the complications of Thanksgiving or Christmas. Inviting someone over to your house for Christmas dinner is a big commitment, and involves that person missing time with his or her family. But if you just say, "We're gonna eat some turkey on Saturday", then things flow more smoothly.

I roasted the bird in my usual fashion (rubbed with olive oil, stuffed with slices of orange and apple) and made simple side dishes of homemade cranberry sauce, peas and corn, and a little salad. For the big starchy casseroles, I generally wait for the holidays. As delicious as they are, there's no way the two of us can finish one at home. I had the pleasure of serving this with a curious little wine...

2009 Cousiño-Macul Sauvignon Gris
Maipo Valley, Chile
$11, 13.5% abv.

Big and fruity, with a round, musky profile. Dominant flavors of apricot and peach, with low acidity. I was really excited to try this grape for the first time, and it was fascinating. Very unique, yet not completely alien. Don't let the name fool you: this is nothing like a Sauvignon Blanc or a Pinot Gris.

So what is Sauvignon Gris? It's a mutation from Sauvignon Blanc. Since it's darker than a blanc but lighter than a noir, what's the color in between? Gris, or grey. But the grape is actually pink. For that matter, white wine grapes are green or yellow, and red wine grapes range from blue to purple to nearly black. Meanwhile, pink wines come from red grapes, which, as we've said, may be as dark as black. With France it gets so fun. Cheval Blanc is a red wine, Cordon Rouge is a white sparkling wine... Pardon my shouting, but I ABSOLUTELY LOVE EXPLAINING THIS TO NEW WINE DRINKERS. It's a total "Who's on First?" routine.