It's November, people, so the papers are already starting to talk turkey. It's predictable, maybe even annoying to some, but it's what they have to do. From this day forward, the Thanksgiving menu planning and holiday shopping shenanigans are just going to get more intense.

We know we said it yesterday, but reader, please: Don't give in! Try to keep your free spirit hat on for a few more days at the very least. We're going wine shopping today, and we are not going to think of stuffing, cranberries, London broil or presents of any kind. We are going to ignore what is ahead and live for today.

That said, there might be a couple of interesting items worth knowing about from this week's newspaper wine sections.

The Dallas Morning News decided to plant the worry seed early with its Thanksgiving wines piece. We admit it, it's helpful and smart, and it is good to get ideas for wines that can stand up to fried turkey and other slight twists on tradition. Since lots of Thanksgiving meals are, well, kind of plain, you might as well think creatively about what you'll drink to complement the grub: rich whites, sparkling roses, and bright reds with fruit that's sharp, not too soft.

Dottie and John write in their Wall Street Journal Tastings column about Penfolds Grange, a Shiraz grape from Australia's Barossa Valley with a triple-digit price tag. These writers are, of course, thinking ahead, knowing some people will give the gift of wine in '07 and will want to really think this one over before taking the $200+ leap.

"Each year around this time, we suggest one break-the-bank, you-shouldn't-have bottle for the wine-lover in your life." They are smart to publish this now since by November's end, people's wallets will have already slimmed down quite a bit.

This column is always very lovely to read, and we especially enjoy the writers' ability to issue an elegant smackdown: "Grange also shows what Shiraz can be, and that's too easy to forget these days when so many Australian Shirazes are sweet, alcoholic, simple and unpleasant."

Kim Pierce of the Morning News has an interesting roundup of the bestselling wines in Dallas. We'd like to see one like this for all the major U.S. cities. Hot Plates has enjoyed a few of the cabs on this list, but we surprised ourselves by craving the "creamy" Champagne with the "sexy" bottle, right along with its $60 price tag. Sometimes it feels great to drop cash on something truly worthwhile, which we felt a few weeks back when we splurged on a couple of bottles of Chateauneuf-du-Pape.

This Barbera, written up by the L.A. Times, also sounds worth pursuing: a "bright and lush" Piedmont wine with a nose of "blackberries and dusky foliage" for $21.

The Washington Post talks about Bordeaux this week, a daunting topic for some players in the game of wine. A big-name, big-ticket Bordeaux isn't the only way to go; there are values to be had. Don't be shy; talk to your wine guy. Or gal. As the article advises, "The American market is vintage conscious; there are always bargains to be found in lesser years." Also, the writer believes in ditching your wine merchant if they try to talk you out of trying to buy a reasonably priced Bordeaux, because, darn it, they're out there. Hmm. It's a serious article for a Friday, but read it.

Port without the sweetness: The New York Times talks about Douro (pronounced "DOH-roo," FYI), a dry red from Portugal. Eric Asimov, Florence Fabricant and their panel found their favorite one was made from 41 different grapes and crushed by foot the old-fashioned way. Some of the adjectives used to describe Douro: "exotic, floral, plum, violet, licorice, spicy, smoky, aromatic."

Finally, on the cocktailing front, there's a profile in the N.Y. Times of Jerry Thomas, who is "The Bartender Who Started It All," as the story's title says. The "drink correspondent" (what a job!) for Esquire magazine has written about the fabled Mr. Thomas, who died more than 100  years ago but who "finally gets his due" in this book, titled "Imbibe!" which also doubles as a recipe book.

The guy "laid down the principles for formulating mixed drinks of all categories and established the image of the bartender as a creative professional," so he does seem to deserve this tribute. It's early in our day still, but by lunchtime we might just be ready to mix up a Blue Blazer or a Silver Fizz.