Italian Thanksgiving with Coppo Wines

In case you don't want to cook a whole turkey for Thanksgiving, this Italian inspired turkey menu is a much easier alternative. Paired with northern Italian wines from Coppo, you have a complete meal to celebrate the season of thanks.

Disclosure: The wines featured in this post were provided as media samples. All opinions are my own.

An Italian Festival of Thanks

While American expats might celebrate Thanksgiving in Italy, the Italians have their own holiday to give thanks known as La Festa del Ringraziamento (Festival of Thanks).

The tradition started with the Romans who celebrated a harvest festival called Cerelia to honor the goddess of corn. The celebration occurred on October 4 where fruit and pigs were offered to Ceres. Eventually, the Catholic Church added a religious aspect to the festival. During a 16th century famine in Lucca, Tuscany, the town prayed to the patron saint San Frediano for rain and celebrated with Thanksgiving when it came.

Quick Turkey Menu

Since American Thanksgiving is traditionally celebrated with turkey, I made a quick Italian inspired Thanksgiving menu with turkey and favorite fall produce to pair with Coppo wines.

• Organic Turkey Bolognese Sauce with Spaghetti Squash
• Organic Butternut Squash Ravioli with Pecans and Parmesan
• Organic Brussel Sprouts glazed with Balsamic Vinegar and Honey
• Laura Chenel Truffled Goat Cheese Crostiini
• Venchi Gianduja Milk chocolate bar with hazelnuts

Coppo Wines

Located in the Piedmont region of Italy since 1892, Coppo is a fourth generation family owned winery. They were one of the first wineries to create estate bottled wines. 

Every label has an image of a cherub with the words “Robur et Salus,” Latin for Strength and Health. This motto speaks to their effort to make robust and wholesome wines. 

If you have a chance to visit the winery in the city of Caneli, their underground cellars are a UNESCO world heritage site. Carved beneath the soft turfa rock on the surface lies an intricate network of tunnels and galleries. Originally built in the 16th century, the cool, dark spaces were made to store the region’s sparkling wine made in the metodo classico. 

The winery utilizes organic, biodynamic, and regenerative farming practices. Their philosophy is ‘maximum respect for the vineyard, the soil and the surrounding environment.’

Costebianche Chardonnay

100% Chardonnay; Piemonte DOC; Vineyards planted in white soils of clay and calcareous marl; partly fermented and aged on fine lees in barriques and partly in stainless steel vats

Suggested Pairings from the winery: vegetable aspic, gazpacho, stuffed zucchini flowers, sole meuniere

Filippo Asinari, Count of San Marzano and Costigliole introduced Chardonnay to the Piedmont region. After working with Napolean as a political-military figure, he returned ot Italy with Chardonay vines from Montrachet, France.

Tasting Notes

Visual: Vibrant, pale yellow, crystal clear

Aroma: Lots of ripe Bartlett pear, kiwi, gooseberries, tropical notes of guava and sharp pineapple. A very distinct nose with tropical fruit acid, like fruit punch.

Taste: Crisp, lemon tart, light bodied with a strong finish. Nice refresher on the tongue.

Pairing: I found this paired especially well with the balsamic brussel sprouts. It turned sweet, peachy, and lemonade-y with the truffled goat cheese and made a surprising and refreshing pairing with the chocolate.

Also worked well with the sweet butternut squash ravioli. It cleansed the sweetness on the palette without turning sour. It did not work as well with the turkey bolognese sauce. The tomato made the wine a bit too sharp.

I would definitely try this with seafood and oysters next time.

Pomorosso Barbera

100% Barbera; Nizza DOCG; calcareous clay marl soil; aged 14 months in oak barrels; malolactic fermentation

Barbera is the winery’s priority grape varietal. According to the winery, “Asti area has long been the home of Barbera, producing wines with subtle tannin and flavors of fresh herbs and red fruit. Nizza, the hilly area south of Asti is responsible for producing Barbera with intense fruit and even more complexity due to the appellation's stricter aging requirements. “

Suggested Pairings from the winery: lamb rib in pastry, Bettelmatt cheese from Ossola valley in Norther Italy, pumpkin tortello

Tasting Notes

Visual: Deep, dark, plush, and garnet purple. Viscous, almost inky.

Aroma: Smoke, cocoa, juicy fruit of blueberry, boysenberry. Little bit of forest fir and sweetness of a toasted campfire marshmallow.

Taste: This Barbera really opened up after an hour and popped with freshness, softness, and not too much acid. Its taste matched its aroma with deep richness, woody herbs, blueberry, and cocoa. Light mouthfeel with a strong finish.

Pairing: Quite pleasing with the balsamic brussel sprouts. The balsamic really brings out a long, juicy black fruit flavor. It also matches the richness of the chocolate and nutty hazelnuts.

The black fruit flavors really came out with the goat cheese and as expected, it mad an apt pairing with the hearty turkey tomato sauce.

Also as expected, it overwhelmed the delicate and sweet butternut squash ravioli.

The Last Drop

Whether you celebrate the season with turkey, wine, or Italian favorites, I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and much to be thankful for.

Learn more about Italian wine pairings for Thanksgiving with these posts from the Italian Food, Wine & Travel writers:

• • Wine Predator... Gwendolyn Alley serves up 4 Italian Wines for Thanksgiving: Prosecco, Chardonnay, Barolo, Passito with a coursed meal 
  • A Day in the Life on the Farm is Celebrating an American Thanksgiving with an Italian Antipasti Platter and a Sparkling Wine from Italy that is not Prosecco 
  • Culinary CamNAME says Grazie Mille: Veg-Forward Sides and Villa Dora's 'Vigna del Vulcano' Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio Bianco 
  • Our Good Life shares Wine pairings and Pumpkin Pie
  • Vino Travels is having a Thanksgiving Feast with Umbrian Madrevite Gamay del Trasimeno