There are as many different styles of Thanksgiving dinners as there are wines, so there isn’t one magic wine that will work with every dish. One basic rule in picking the right wine is to pick something with good acidity. The acids help to cut through richness and keep your palate refreshed.

At my house we usually start with a dry, fruity white, maybe a Sauvignon blanc or a Pinot Blanc. We then move on to a Cru Beaujolais or a Pinot Noir followed up with a Cotes Du Rhone. If we can still move after all the food and drink we might have some Madiera with the pie. The idea is to not overthink or stress about the wines. Pour what you enjoy and give thanks for the many wonderful wines we have to choose from and our friends and family to share them with.

Happy Thanksgiving from Mary Anne

You won’t find tricks, only treats with these new wines offered at your Willakenzie market. From the High Valley Appellation in California, here are two winners from the Brassfield Winery. Their Sauvignon Blanc has a good balance of citrus, minerality, and acid. It was recognized as a “best buy” in Wine and Spirits June 11^th issue, and was one of their 100 top value wines.

The second wine from Brassfield Winery named Serenity is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Gewurztraminer, and Semillon. You’ll enjoy tastes of soft fruit with nice acidity, and a long elegant finish. Brassfield practices environmentally friendly, and sustainable farming. Both wines are $10.99.

Another great new addition I was able to get is from Washington, it’s the 2006 Apex Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine received a score of 92 points in the wine Spectator. It offers good balance and depth and is mouthfilling without being over the top (as so many Washington reds tend to be). It has a nice long finish and is $29.49 a bottle.

Next we head to the Loire Valley in France, and the Touraine area with Domaine Baron 08’ Cot. This 100% malbec is juicy, with spicy black cherry notes. It’s fresh and delicious and a real bargain at $10.49.

Back in stock is Royal Chenin Blanc from South Africa. It has fruit forward flavor with good balance and it’s a real crowd pleaser. And the price is scary good at only $7.49. Come on in and pick out some treats to fill your Halloween bag. Why should the kids have all the fun?

Well last month completely got away from me. Between the holiday, inventory, a few vacation days and all that grey weather, where did July go? So, summer and August are officially here and we have some fun-in-the-sun wines to go with them.

First up: a real no-brainer, Bodegas Del Rosario Alto Real Macabeo, from the Bullas region of central Spain. Light straw in color with aromas of pears and lemongrass, fresh and lively on the palate. Perfect with lighter seafood or on its own; and best of all, it's only $6.99.

Next up: Domaine Des Cassagnoles Cotes De Gascogne – blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Ugni Blanc and French Colombard. I floor stack this wine every summer because I can. It just screams deck, pool and babecue! Nice fruit, refreshing acidity, just plain fun to drink. $9.99.

On the red side of things 3 trees Pinot Noir from Austraillia is light and sassy; this is a pleasant wine with hints of raspberries. Very quaffable with burgers and brats. Hurry up it’s going fast at $9.99.

Back in stock, some old favorites: Tres Ojos Garnacha $9.49, Col Des Vents Corbieres $10.99, and Jip Jip Rocks Shiraz $14.49.

So come on in and get your summer on!

Spring has sprung here at the Willakenzie store, and we have some lovely new wines to help celebrate the season. First up: Fuente Milano from Spain is a 50/50 blend of Verdejo and Viura. Fresh, light and lively, this is just the right wine for sitting on the porch and enjoying life. $9.99

In the same vein from France, we have Domaine De Calet Esprit De Blancs from the Costiers De Nimes region; this white is a blend of Rousanne, Vermintino, Bourboulenc and Clairette. Juicy fruit with zippy acidity a real pleasure to drink. $9.99

Rosés are also arriving – hooray! Two of my favorites have already come in, the Italian Chiaretto from Provenza, which is a steal at $13.79, and Chateau Miraval a.k.a. "Pink Floyd" from the Cotes De Provence in southern France. And, yes, there is a story behind the name Pink Floyd. There is a recording studio on the grounds of Chateau Miraval where many famous artists have recorded, including Sting and, you guessed it, Pink Floyd. Stop in, pick it up, and see what else is new at Willakenzie.