Horse-themed wines are a great addition to your Thanksgiving table. (All photos courtesy of Geoff Worden)

Thanksgiving and horse racing in New Orleans go together like corned beef and cabbage - the long shot which often wins at the Fair Grounds over the odds-on favorite, turkey and gravy. While I highly recommend attending live racing on our day of thanks, many horse racing fans canʼt. So I set out to find wines with horse themes, pictures and names that also offered good quality and would pair with a wide variety of food. Who knows, maybe you can even get some racing streaming and family cheering for Thoroughbreds instead of football ... or in addition to it.

CAT BOTTLES

Searching four different wine retailersʼ shelves in the New Orleans area I found the following on labels: goats, cats (even cat shaped bottles), rabbits, wild dogs, an oryx, kangaroos, sharks, lots of bulls, chickens, fish (and a bottle shaped like a fish), toads, ravens, hawks, frogs, sheep, penguins, a badger, stags (standing still and leaping), wild boar and also monkeys (including one making a phone call and wearing a suit). I found fantastical creatures: a phoenix, a bear with wings, a bear breathing fire, a pegasus, a griffin and a unicorn.

There were also plenty of horses. Italy seemed particularly fond of medieval looking horses, complete with knights carrying shields and flags (at least 7 different wines). I also found rodeo horses and even a steeplechase horse on one label. There were also a few that fit the bill pretty accurately and offered reasonable prices, important for large gatherings. 14 Hands is a sponsor of some horse racing (including a Breeders’ Cup race) and the wines offer good value but I wanted to explore further. On to the tasting!

STEEPLECHASE LABEL

White wine options were limited and I found no rosés, unfortunately. A dry, pink wine can work wonders at the table with an incredible array of food choices. Keep reading for one of my favorites, sold out currently in New Orleans, but perfect if you can find some.

Wild Horse Chardonnay, Central Coast 2012 - This California Chardonnay displays richness but remains balanced. Wild Horse is “[n]amed for the wild mustangs that roamed the nearby hills.” The grapes come from Santa Barbara and Monterey, two areas known for producing excellent Chardonnay. The color is light gold with a tinge of green and an aroma of subtle, creamy oak. The acidity does not step up and make itself known but it provides a good foundation, keeping the wine fresh, leaving you wanting more. There is pear and lemon (more creamy than tart) with a hint of vanilla on the palate. It is a crowd-pleasing style that will play well with turkey, sweet potatoes, stuffing and gravy plus many other dishes. ($14-$16)

WILD HORSE CHARDONNAY

There is also an “Unbridled,” think reserve wine, version from Santa Maria Valley for $25 but I did not taste this. I reviewed the Wild Horse Pinot earlier here ($16-$18) but think itʼs too heavy for turkey. If youʼre cooking game or beef instead, it might work.

Firesteed Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2008 - Firesteed also makes a very inexpensive ($12-$14) Pinot Noir from the more generic “Oregon” appellation. It is very different. Feel free to try a bottle but be sure to find the Willamette Valley bottling if youʼre interested for Thanksgiving dinner. You may find the 2009 on the shelf now, no worries, it will be a bit bigger and juicier but will still pair well.

FIRESTEED PINOT NOIR

The name conjures up an image of a horse blazing around the track, leaving flames in its wake, cartoon style. The wine itself is less dramatic than that but no less satisfying. A light ruby color leads to a hint of clay on the nose mingling with subtle cherry notes. The medium-bodied wine has a lush texture and practically screams for poultry. The acidity is subtle with no tannic bite. This is versatile and a pleasure to drink. ($20-$30)

Yalumba Y Series Shiraz Viognier, South Australia 2012 - Yes, red grape (Shiraz) blended with a white grape (Viognier). Shiraz (Syrah) often lacks much of a nose in its youth. Viognier is intensely aromatic and at the right percentage the grape will lift the reticent Shiraz flavors without imparting any of Viognierʼs wild floral character.

YALUMBA Y SERIES SHIRAZ/VIOGNIER

The bottle is sealed with a screwcap and the wine had a slight gassy funk when first opened. It faded in just a few seconds. The color is a deep purple and it smells of violets and pepper. The palate is silky and the wine reaches the entire mouth. I found it a bit short on the finish but so incredible on the palate that I was quite happy. There is good acid, little tannin and the price is fantastic. While the wine may be a bit heavy for turkey, my father grills ours and it would work beautifully with that or if you serve wild game or meat rather than fowl. Corned beef anyone?

Plus, you have to love the explanation of the horse on the label: “The horse is a symbol of our past when they were the transport and tractor of Yalumba. Nowadays, we enjoy a day at the races watching magnificent Thoroughbreds cross the finish line.” Brilliant bargain. ($10-$13)

The last two are tasty wines as well but pretty much demand meat, preferably grilled. They would be unlikely to ruin a traditional turkey feast but would not provide ideal pairings. That said, they are worth sharing in case you donʼt prepare turkey or want to file away some other ʻhorse wine.ʼ

Chateau Lascaux, Coteaux du Languedoc 2012 - Imported by Kermit Lynch, this wine is a blend of 60 percent Syrah, 30 percent Grenache and 10 percent Mourvedre. The horse on the label is based on prehistoric cave drawings of horses found in Lascaux Cave a few hours away from the winery.

CHATEAU LASCAUX COTEAUX DU LANGUEDOC

This offers red fruit with some intense dark berry and violet notes with loads of black pepper on the nose and palate. This rich wine hits the roof of the mouth and the tongue and the latter tingles a bit from the minerality. I used the word sultry in my notes twice, implying a silky quality but with a little earth. Itʼs like sexy but a little dirtier. Some smoke appears on the finish and I tasted plum as well. The wine is very focused: broad when it enters the mouth and coming to a fine point when you swallow, then expanding on the finish. ($10-$14)

Note: The winery makes a delightful rosé perfect for Thanksgiving dinner if your retailer still has some for sale.

Triton Tinta de Toro, Toro 2011 - This Spanish gem is imported by Jorge Ordonez. Toro is an appellation northwest of Madrid. The grape is Tempranillo, called Tinta de Toro locally. The horse label, and name, refer to Roman Mythology where Neptune and his son Triton were “depicted astride gallant stallions.”

TRITON TINTA DE TORO

This was the darkest of the wines, also the biggest and most intense. The aromas leapt out of the glass, sweet oak, vanilla, smoke and blackberry. The palate is long, lush, and smoky with more blackberry and some woody tannin on the finish. The wine explodes into the mouth and then nearly vanishes before returning strongly on the finish. It is not complex but it is boisterous and fun. Stylistically, Cabernet is a good comparison. For those who care about such things, Robert Parker rated the wine 91 points and Jorge proudly advertises that fact right on the label. ($13-$15)

Enjoy your day of thanks and its horse racing accent!