Perfect wines for Thanksgiving include gewurztraminer

<p>Gewurztraminer is the rock star of Thanksgiving, the celebrity with the biggest personality at the table.</p><p>What gives gewurztraminer its status? It works with everything: the turkey, the dressing, yams and — yes — even pumpkin pie.</p><p>The Thanksgiving appeal of gewurztraminer was a bit of a surprise initially, but after a decade of Press Democrat blind tastings that paired wines with turkey and all the fixings, gewurz was most often the champ. Its versatility gave it the edge.</p><p>For the uninitiated, this varietal makes for a flamboyant, dry white wine with notes of grapefruit, honeysuckle, smoke and spice. Some of the best hail from Alsace, France and Germany, but there are also fetching ones make in California.</p><p>Here are some great gewurztraminers to consider for your holiday table.</p><p>[Gundlach Bundschu,<MC> 2008 Sonoma Valley Gewurztraminer, $23.</p><p><MC>Ventana,<MC> 2008 Arroyo Seco Gewurztraminer, $18.</p><p><MC>Chateau St. Jean,<MC1> 2008 Sonoma County Gewurztraminer, $15.</p><p>Other good turkey day wines (both white and red) include:</p><p><MC0>Domaine Perraud,<MC1> Macon-Villages, 2008 White Burgundy, $17.</p><p><MC0>Nigel,<MC1> 2008 Kremser Freiheit Gruner Veltliner, Austria, $20.</p><p><MC0>Dry Creek Vineyard,<MC1> 2008 Wilson Ranch, Clarksburg Dry Chenin Blanc, $12.</p><p><MC0>Tablas Creek Vineyard,<MC1> 2007 Cotes de Tablas Red Rhone Blend, Paso Robles, $25.</p><p><MC0>Jayson,<MC1> 2006 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, $45.</p><p><MC0>Davis Bynum,<MC1> 2007 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, $35.</p><p>Staff writer Peg Melnik can be reached at peg.melnik@pressdemocrat.com or 521-5310.</p>