Judith Henderson’s Wine & Country Living

Unanimously, I'll be making this year's Thanksgiving Day turkey gravy, again. The honor inspires me to change things up introducing a little taste of France to the traditional American table.

Holding the credential of "Grand Saucier" from Cordon Bleu, France does help a bit in the gravy department. I adore making sauces, chutney and smears of all kinds. For those of you who want to know, I'll be in a Nouville state of mind us- ing a red wine to extend a deeply reduced Cordon Bleu-style turkey gravy.

If you want to change things up at your table, you might start with a rosy pink bubbly or regional red wine rather than a traditional white wine. A regional paring suggestion might be Dumas Station's 2010 Estate Syrah, 18 months in French oak. Nose deep in the glass, a profusion of ripe black berries opens the senses. With first swirl, sassafras rims the glass, swooshing the cheeks in crushed peppercorns, wafting along the tongue in cloven spice. Believe it or not, this wine pairs beautifully with pickled beets and Grandma's German cole- slaw tossed in a warm bacon dressing.

Dumas Station Winery, 36229 Highway 12, Dayton, has just completed its new tasting room. Owners, Doug Harvey and Jay DeWitt, invite you to taste their recently released har- vest red wines. Red drinkers across the region love this win- ery's hospitality and country friendliness expressed to each guest. On the eastern side of Washington state, Winemaker Jay DeWitt is considered a valuable agronomist tending vine- yards for others as well as his own Dumas vines.

Jay DeWitt, because you've dedicated your life to tam- ing the terroir, food and wine specialist Judith Henderson of Wine & Country Living, honors you with 98 Points of wine perfection for the Dumas Station 2010 Estate Syrah. Congratulations Doug and Jay!

Readers until next week, "Eat Art, Drink Imagination!"

Warm Bacon Dressing

1 pound diced crispy bacon (reserve all pan fat)

2 cloves garlic minced

¾ cup local honey or ¼ cup agaves nectar

¼ cup apple vinegar

Whisk ingredients until emulsified. Pour over finely shredded cabbage and diced green onions; toss well until shiny. Serve immediately with a bottle of Dumas Station.

Hear Judith's food and wine commentary at www.chefju- dithhenderson.com