The Art Of Wine
/One of history's greatest pairings? Wine and art. They go together like Cabernet and steak. In fact, not just wine but drinking culture as a whole has been a prominent feature of some of the greatest artworks of our time. In the Art of Wine, we look at some of these artworks and their significance to us, the drinking class.
This week as part of our Thanksgiving celebration, we are taking a historical look at the first Thanksgiving meal, the attendees, and what wine, if any was present.
The First Thanksgiving - Jean Louis Gerome Ferris
Very little is actually known about the first Thanksgiving, as only two accounts of the celebration were ever written. The most recognized account being Mayflower pilgrim William Bradford's journal "Of Plymouth Plantation" which chronicled the experiences of the Pilgrims between 1630 and 1651. What is known is that the Pilgrims held the first Thanksgiving to celebrate their first successful harvest in the new world. Celebrating the harvest had long been a tradition in England, and they carried it through to their new home. In this painting, Jean Louis Gerome Ferris gives us a glimpse of what the first Thanksgiving may have looked like in 1621.
Attendees
We know from Bradford's journal that the Pilgrims would not have survived in the new world if not for the Wampanoag Indians. They provided food and instruction for growing crops to the new arrivals. We don't know how many of the Wampanoag were invited to the celebration, but we do know that 90 were in attendance including Massasoit, who was their leader. There was one member of the Wampanoag tribe named Squanto, who was the translator between the groups. Squanto was captured and enslaved by the English on a previous expedition and brought to England where he learned English.
While not called the first Thanksgiving, the Pilgrims in attendance had much to be thankful for. In addition to their first successful cultivation of crops, the attendees were the remaining 53 survivors from the original 102 Pilgrims, having lost many to disease and starvation. Of the 53 Pilgrims in attendance, 22 were men, 4 were women, and the remaining 27 were children.
The Meal
Unfortunately, much about the food at the first Thanksgiving is left up to speculation. Neither of the written accounts of the first Thanksgiving gives any indication of what the meal consisted of aside from fowl and deer. Because the group was celebrating their first successful harvest, there are assumptions that the meal also consisted of corn, herbs, nuts, onions, and fruit. Many feel that cranberries were present, although there is no evidence in the written account. The Pilgrims did not have any flour available for baking nor is there any evidence of potatoes or turkey being consumed. Given the proximity to the ocean, it is likely that shellfish and crab would have rounded out the meal.
Thanksgiving Wine
Our choice for Thanksgiving wine? Brooks note Marin Pinot Noir. $36. The wind through the vineyard causes the grape clusters to rub together, producing a thicker skinned grape and a more full bodied wine. Looking for a wine to stand up to dark meat turkey while highlighting that cranberry flavor? This is it.
The First Thanksgiving Wine
There are accounts of the Pilgrims bringing wine with them to the new world and planting and harvesting grapes. It is unknown how much of the wine survived to be consumed at the first Thanksgiving, but it is generally assumed that the Pilgrims either drank wine or water during the meal. The Pilgrims planted apples and used them to ferment and produce cider during the 1600s, but there is no account of apples being ready for harvest or cider being consumed during the first Thanksgiving.
