In 2011 my imagination is set not on a particular wine, but on a specific region. This year’s Thanksgiving feast is going to focus on the wines and food of Alsace, which for many of us is France’s most rewarding gastronomic region.
We’ll begin the meal with oysters. Of course this isn’t necessarily an Alsace specialty, but in my opinion all festive meals should begin with an array of oysters shimmering icily in their 
half-shells. We’ll pour Lucien Albrecht Crémant d’Alsace Brut Rosé with the oysters. You might suggest something more acidic, something leaner to go with the bivalves but I like the rosé because it’s pretty, because it has a lovely mousse (and bubbles are the most festive way to begin any holiday), and because its fragrance and fresh flavors will complement the sea-scented, saline-tinged oysters. I also like that this Crémant costs $20, a reasonable indulgence for such high quality tipple.
Next we’ll dig into a tarte flambée, a thin crust typically topped with crème fraiche, finely sliced onions, and lardons baked until it is a crispy, succulent amalgam of textures and tastes. Domaine Weinbach Sylvaner Reserve should be terrific with it since the wine is just delicate enough to complement the dish, and it also has nuances of smoke and apple that will embrace the bacon-like lardons.
We need a blowout but affordable wine to go with the choucroute garni because there will be no holds barred with the dish, whose mélange of sauerkraut, sausages, pork and goose is one of the world’s great culinary triumphs. I think Marc Kreydenweiss Riesling should do the trick here. With impressive fruit flavors and a subtle hint of petrol, it is both dry and expansive, and and lingers long on the palate.
We may have to go for a walk in the park before settling down to the cheese course, but no Alsace-themed meal is complete without an oozy, stinky, runny Munster. Domaines 
Schlumberger Grand Cru Gewurztraminer Kessler will have enough depth and weight to seesaw with the cheese, plus an intense aroma of its own to keep the balance going.
Since all the wines so far are judiciously priced (none, I think are much over $30, and most are closer to $20), maybe we can live it up with dessert and pour Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Vendange Tardive (about $140) to go with a simple apricot tart. The wine’s layered spice, citrus, and dried fruit resonate with the apricots, and its voluptuous texture is fine partner for the rich buttery crust.
Is this really the meal I’ll be indulging in on Thanksgiving Day? Nah. I’ll be forking up turkey and the works, including sweet potatoes with marshmallows (sigh–some traditions defy eradication). Furthermore, sociable glutton that I am, I’ll be wholeheartedly loving every moment of the day–except for that tiny corner of my imagination that will have meandered off to Alsace.
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