Wines perfect with turkey for holiday dinners

After I wrote about Cabs last week, I remembered another wine chef who made a splash. What do you think of the $43 Napa cabernet, McDonald's score is 93? It's Britt (Nichols) Richards we're talking about. Britt is a university-trained winemaker who has worked at Jordan, Chappellet and Keller Estate in his career, as well as with such notables as Nicolas Morlet at Peter Michael's winery and Philippe Melk. She is currently the primary commander for Recoltant, Altruria and Jack Tar. She has utilized her wealth of experience and connections to become an exceptionally talented vinificator. Her 2021 cabernet from Nichols Napa was made from a blend of juices purchased from renowned Napa Valley producers: Rutherford, Atlas Peak and Yountville, for example. Almost black in color and ruby, the 2021 is loaded with a complex bouquet of cherry, cassis, barrel spice, tobacco and mocha. On the palate the cherry, mocha and cassis continue with a nice vanilla note in the background. Normal acidity and harmonious tannins keep it all going. It finishes with a lingering aftertaste with notes of chocolate and coffee.

Who want to keep up to date with the latest wine producers should check out Scale Wine Group. Let's take a look at a few chicken-friendly wines whose prices made me very happy and which I've kept in my review queue.

Attems Sauvignon Blanc Venezia Giuli IGT 2022

• 89 McD
• $14

Light yellow in color, slightly grassy with a smell of tomato leaf, grapefruit and that peculiarly unpleasant fox-scented note that some find unpleasant in the Sauvignon Blanc variety. But if you pour it in and let it breathe, the odor will self-cleanse. The fresh acidity supports and complements the fruit through a lingering, clean aftertaste that has lime notes.

Attems Friuli Pinot Grigio 2021

• 90 McD
• For less than $16

Bright yellow in color, with an acacia, lemon and grapefruit aroma with notes of apple. I liked the orange and almond flavors that showed up in the aftertaste.

Attems Trebes Trebes Ribolla Gialla Collio 2021

• Ribolla Gialla is a rare grape from Northeastern Italy, growing in Venice Giulia, High Adige and Veneto near the Dolomite mountains

Floral-peach, orange and vanilla aromas. The fresh flavor repeats peach and orange with a hint of white pepper. Great clean aftertaste with notes of oyster and white pepper. This region produces 15% of all Italian wines, and 30% of Italy's DOC wines.

Fellow readers know that I favor huge California Chardonnays. However, like most fashions, it failed when revenue-generating companies decided that if pattern change is good, more is better. Remember the frenzy over white zinfandels? Thankfully, Friulian producers have stayed true to their location and provided a wonderful alternative. Gianni Masciarelli, who died in 2008, was one of Italy's top winemakers, winning the 1994 Italian Winemaker of the Year award. His 2001 Villa Gemma was rated in the mid-90s in 2001. He married Marina Cvetich, a colorful personality whose fault I recently reviewed. Both were successful winemakers before their happy coupling. Cvetich continues to produce Masciarelli Trebbiano d'Abruzzo.

Treybiano d'Abruzzo DOC 2022

• 90 McD

A great introduction to your wine collection. It is a late-developing white variety that is characterized by the flavor and aroma of citrus and orchard fruit. The 2022 wine shows a pale lemon color and opens with aromas of grapefruit, green apple and Bartlett pear against a backdrop of bright minerality. Try it with bay or cod with grapefruit butter and capers. The wine will provide sufficient acidity and flavor if grapefruit juice is substituted.

Masciarelli Rosato Rosato Teatine Colline IGT 2022

• 89 McD
• For less than $15

will also be a pleasure. Look for rose and cherry flavors. The taste echoes the flavors in the palate. Cultivation at low temperature makes it fresh and clean. Another reviewer claimed the Bastianich Refosco Rosato 2021 was better with a score of 4.4 out of 5; I rated it McD 85.