We love our food at Thanksgiving and we should love our wine also! I hope you are planning on enjoying a great bottle of wine with your Thanksgiving meal this year! I usually enjoy a glass while I cook and a glass with dinner. Just like people share recipes that have been in their family for years, I’m sharing my Fab Five Thanksgiving wines that I have enjoyed with my friends and family. Just like eating my Dad’s turkey brings back memories, so does enjoying a bottle of the J Pinot Gris. The wines below are my favorites for this holiday because they pair well with a lot of the traditional dishes served. I hope you are able to find some wines that will become a part of your Thanksgiving tradition and bring you and your family a lot of fun, happiness, and good memories! These are my favorites, but ultimately, drink what you like! That will always be the best pairing!
MY FAB FIVE THANKSGIVING WINES
- J Vineyards Pinot Gris, California- This is my Thanksgiving go to. If I could only drink one wine on Thanksgiving, this would be it. I usually enjoy a glass as I cook and most of the time, I will continue to enjoy it throughout the entire meal. This wine’s bright acidity allows it to pair well with pretty much everything you’ll be serving. It has tropical and citrus notes up front with some minerality on the finish. This is always a great one to start with and then transition to something a little heavier if you prefer with dinner.
- J Vineyards Brut Cuvee 20, Russian River- Bubbles are always a great pairing because they also pair well with almost everything because of their high acidity. This has some meyer lemon and green apple up front with a slight toasted note on the finish. Bubbles are always fun and a great way to start off a holiday meal
- Macmurray Estate Pinot Noir, Russian River– Pinot Noir is always a top recommendation of mine for Thanksgiving when people are looking for red. It’s lighter bodied and will not overpower the turkey. You’ll get dark cherry, dried strawberry, and some earthy notes on this one. This wine pairs exceptionally well with any dishes including mushrooms because of its earthy notes. My dad makes a stuffing with mushrooms every year and this wine with it is out of this world! I recommend the Russian River Pinot Noir, but Macmurray Estate also makes a Central Coast Pinot Noir that is less expensive.
- Frei Brothers Merlot, Alexander Valley- If you typically enjoy full-bodied reds, this one will do the trick without over powering the meal. Dark fruit, black cherry, currant, and vanilla are all found in this wine along with a velvety smooth finish. This is another crowd pleaser that wine drinkers of all types will enjoy!
- Louis Martini Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley– If you are a Napa Valley Cabernet drinker and you are going to drink a bold, red wine no matter what because it’s your style, try Louis Martini from Napa Valley. It’s one of the oldest wineries in the country and is one of the few wineries to survive prohibition. This will give you all of the things you love about a bold cabernet, but is elegant and not overly tannic so it will pair well with the meal. Hints of blackberry, blueberry, currant, and a hint of vanilla and toasted cedar on the finish.
MY TOP 5 WINE STYLES FOR YOUR THANKSGIVING FEAST
My number one advice when selecting wine for a meal is to drink what you like! Yes, there are some guidelines when it comes to pairing wine and food together, but drinking what you like is the golden rule to follow! Below are a few varietals I suggest and why for your Thanksgiving meal.
- Pinot Gris- Great acidity which allows it to pair well with several foods. Depending on the style, you can typically find citrus notes of lemon and lime along with some mineral notes and other fruit notes. I like Pinot Gris with Thanksgiving because it is light and refreshing, but typically has some body to it as well. It is light enough to consume without any food, but can also stand up to any item at the table.
- Sauvignon Blanc– Again, the high acid on these wines gives them the flexibility to pair well with several different types of foods. Try a New Zealand style if you prefer bold grapefruit, grassy, and citrus notes. Try a California style for more citrus and tree fruit flavors. Sauvignon Blancs are clean and crisp and can lend themselves to some fun pairings because of their complexity.
- Chardonnay- Because a Thanksgiving meal can have some richer dishes, a Chardonnay can be a good wine to stand up to these dishes. For example, turkey is light on its own, but if you’re adding gravy to it, a California Chardonnay might be a great pairing. Any rich dish that has cream or butter would do well with a chardonnay. For a lighter style, stick to a Chablis. If you prefer a bolder style chardonnay with some oak and butter, try something from Napa or the Russian River Valley.
- Pinot Noir- This lighter bodied red wine will always pair well with everything on Thanksgiving day! Because it is a lighter style, it will not over power the turkey which is the star of the show! A lot of pinot noirs have notes of earth with mushroom-inspired flavors that will pair well with several traditional dishes such as the turkey, stuffing, and gravy. Try a California style Pinot Noir for brighter cherry and raspberry notes. For something with a little more earth and mushroom, try something from Burgundy or Oregon.
- Syrah/ Shiraz- Syrah always brings some peppery, meaty, and smoky flavors to the table. This allows it to complement several Thanksgiving dishes well. The darker fruit notes will also pair well with all of the traditional Thanksgiving day fixings.
Wishing you and your loved ones a very happy and healthy Thanksgiving filled with good food, good wine and a lot of love!
XOXO,
Kathleen Jane Fit
The Fit Sommelier
Recent Comments