Booze for the Bird

Wine is always a conundrum come holiday time. Does it need to complement the turkey, or the stuffing, or the cranberry sauce? Or what if a ham gets added into the mix, or a really thick gravy, or the green bean casserole, won't that clash? Or, well, you get the idea.

The truth is, with that many flavors getting tossed at the guests, the wine should just be another one. It's impossible to exactly pair it with everything, so it only needs to be able to stand on its own, and of course, not be too discordant with anything. To that end, the powers that be in the wine world have decreed Chardonnay and Pinot Noir the best picks for their comfortable middle of power and strength. But there are other options to be explored, worlds of wine with that same M.O. to be enjoyed. Here's just a small sampling.

All wines are available at Martin Brothers Wines, 2781 Broadway at 107th St.

B Weingt Heribert Boch Riesling Kabinett 2002, Mosel, Germany $14 A decent Riesling, but it seems faded. The crisp acidity is present, but none of the robustness typical in a kabinett.

B+ D'Arenberg The Stump Jump Riesling/Sauvignon Blanc 2004, McLaren Valley, Australia $10 A good quaffing wine, round, without much oak, and very even on the palate.

A- Columbia Crest Semillon/Chardonnay 2004, Columbia Valley, Washington $8 An elegant, balanced wine, offsetting the oaky vanilla flavors of an American Chardonnay with a bright, crisp Semillon in the Bordeaux style.

B- Olim Bauda Barbera d'Asti 2003, Piedmont, Italy $14 Although it smells wonderful, this Barbera tastes rather like mud. It pairs fine with most foods, but there are better options out there.

B+ Queen of Hearts Pinot Noir 2003, Santa Barbara, California $12 A good simple Pinot, easy and smooth with bright berry flavors and a decent tannin structure. Very enjoyable with turkey.

A Evel Douro Pintas 2002, Douro, Portugal $10 A wondrous wine for the price, with a great acidity and backdrop of cherries, mint, and spice. This is superb with turkey or ham, but is robust enough to handle steak as well.