Thanksgiving Wine Pairings
Thanksgiving is a day to spend time with friends and family and eat, drink, and be merry! Whether you’re hosting Thanksgiving dinner, attending a Friendsgiving, or doing a virtual celebration this year, there’s most likely going to be wine involved! But what should you serve or bring to your host? What’s the perfect pairing for a Zoom Thanksgiving where you just might have the whole bottle to yourself?
Oftentimes people want to get a little fancier or try something new on the holidays. We’re all about branching out and trying new things! But you don’t have to get crazy to find a delicious Turkey Day wine. Check out a few of our favorite wine pairings that are sure to be crowd pleasers!
Bubbles
Nothing says “celebration” like a bottle of bubbles! Bubbles always add a touch of elegance and pair beautifully with turkey day favorites. You don’t have to break the bank on Champagne. Cava and Prosecco are lovely, less-expensive options, especially when buying several bottles for a gathering.
Our pick: Gruet Blanc de Noirs, New Mexico
Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is extremely popular year-round, but its crisp acidity pairs well with Thanksgiving foods, too. Avoid that New Zealand style that you’ve been sipping on the patio all summer, and look for a classic French option, like a white Bordeaux, something from the Loire, or if you’re feeling fancy, a Sancerre.
Our pick: Chateau Haut Rian Bordeaux Blanc, France
Riesling
No, we’re not talking about the sugary stuff that comes in the blue bottle. Riesling can range from dry to sweet, and lots in between. And it is really the ultimate white wine to pair with food. If you have guests that enjoy slightly sweeter wines, but you don’t want to go too sweet, choose an off-dry style that’s got some residual sugar, but not overly cloying. You might be surprised at how well it goes with all your turkey day offerings, especially a cheese or charcuterie board!
Our pick: Boundary Breaks Medium Dry Riesling, Finger Lakes, NY
Rosé
Drinking pink isn’t just for summer. Rosé is actually a great option for Thanksgiving, and it is a good compromise for red and white drinkers. Choose something dry (most rosés on the shelves in wine shops aren’t sweet anyway) and like bubbles-rosé doesn’t have to be expensive to be good.
Our pick: Pico Maccario Lavignone Rosato, Piemonte, Italy
Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir pairs well with a variety of foods, and is a great red wine to drink with poultry. It also tends to be a crowd-pleaser! The expressions will all be different depending on the region they come from. Generally, Burgundy will be a lot lighter and drier, California Pinot Noir will have more fruit and body, and Oregon Pinot can be somewhere in between. Oregon Pinot Noir often has some earthy and even mushroom-y notes that go well with Thanksgiving foods like stuffing.
Our pick: Illahe Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley
Beaujolais
Beaujolais Nouveau is traditional turkey day wine, partly because it’s made from Gamay, which pairs perfectly with turkey, and the timing of the release of the new vintage each year coincides with Thanksgiving. But Beaujolais is so much more than that fresh stuff that comes out every November! If you’re shopping in a wine shop, ask them for their favorite year-round Beaujolais. Its soft, ripe red fruits will pair perfectly with your turkey, and just might become one of your favorite red wines to drink year round!
Our Pick: Domaine Saint Cyr “La Galoche” Beaujolais