We love Thanksgiving. It’s our favorite day to gather with family and friends, to celebrate with fabulous food and, and, well, maybe some, uh, wine.
Why so hesitant about committing to the obvious beverage of choice for America’s biggest holiday? Because it seems that most Thanksgiving feasts relegate thoughtful wine selections to the “kid’s table” when it is the perfect opportunity to give it a seat at the “adult table.”
Maybe it’s because there are so many different foods competing for space on your plate and palate; pairing a wine with a typical Thanksgiving meal is just too darn hard. Most people don’t want to take the time to match all of those flavors with a single wine. Quite frankly, we don’t blame you. That’s why we recommend that you consider opening several different bottles of wines to enjoy throughout the evening by adopting a “tasting menu” approach.
In order to help you navigate the wine pairing challenge, we have gathered an assortment of wine recommendations to enjoy, course by course, with this year’s Thanksgiving dinner. But before we begin, we want to share with you our slightly different views on which country of origin to consider serving this Thanksgiving.
He Said
America is built on the foundations of many different countries and cultures coming together to build a nation of unique tastes. If you really want to embrace the heritage of Thanksgiving as an American holiday, I would encourage you to incorporate wines from around the world that can add an international dimension to your table and put a global “thanks” into Thanksgiving. Retail prices are approximate.
Casalnova Non-vintage Prosecco, Vento, Italy ($15)
One sure way to get your evening off to a great start is to begin with this popular Italian sparkler. Made from the prosecco grape, this straw-gold white wine has a bouquet of honeysuckle and acacia and flavors of crisp apples, apricots and hints of honeyed oranges. The tight bubbles refresh and cleanse the palate, sip after sip, getting the tongue properly dressed for the feast to come.
2004 J. Moreau & Fils, demi-sec Chenin Blanc, Vouvray, France ($11)
The French played a pivotal role in the American Revolution, so it’s only fitting to start your first course off with this food-friendly white wine. Chenin Blanc is the wine grape of choice in Vouvray, an appellation located in the Loire Valley. The wines can range from dry to sweet, or as in the case of this wine, somewhere in between (demi-sec literally means “half dry”). The nose of white figs and honeydew melon lead into wonderful flavors of fresh peach, melon and a touch of citrus, all held splendidly together by just a touch of sweetness. The rich but well-balanced finish would make this an excellent candidate to pair with pumpkin soup or bring it back for an encore performance with pumpkin pie at the end of dinner.
2006 Santa Rita Sauvignon Blanc Reserva, Casablanca Valley, Chile ($11; available at Chevy Chase Wine & Spirits)
This wine is fermented at low temperatures and then allowed to settle on its lees (yeast and other natural sediment) before the sediment is removed. This process develops great concentration of fruit flavors and key acidity levels. All this leads to a classic nose of juicy grapefruit, fragrant orange blossoms and honeysuckle. These scents carry over onto the palate where they are beautifully integrated with ripe apricots on a dry, crisp (thanks to the acidity) finish. If you’re having traditional oyster stuffing, this is a match made in … Chile.
2004 Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand ($30; available at Schneider’s of Capitol Hill)
Leave it to the Kiwis to make quality pinot noir that has great fruit and structure at an attractive price. The Cloudy Bay is a perfect example of that style, with rich flavors of red plums, black cherries and just a touch of cinnamon and leather on the fully developed finish. The combination of texture and taste would pair well with traditional sweet potato pie or the more adventurous Thanksgiving duck.
2005 Dr. Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett, Mosel Saar Ruwer, Germany ($20)
This very well could be the perfect “Turkey Wine.” It delivers loads of apple, vanilla pudding, citrus and wet-stone aromas that literally make your mouth water. But it’s the beautifully seductive flavors of apple tart, pears and vanilla that will reward your patience. Hints of minerals sneak in on the delicate but sophisticated finish. It is a skillfully made wine that has the structure and balance to compliment the main attraction. Gobble, gobble, indeed.
2004 Gibson Grenache Old Vine Collection, McLaren Vale, Australia ($90; available at The Vineyard)
If you really want to step off the curb this Thanksgiving, try this example of a full-throttled old vine Grenache. This deep purple wine exhibits complex scents of black fruit, baked cherry, cassis and spice. Flavors of cola, cherry and sage play out on a graceful, multilayered palate that continues to please with wave after wave of flavor on the spectacularly long finish. If you’re planning on having any kind of chocolate for dessert, this is the wine to end the evening with.
As an aside, you might want to consider the new Beaujolais Nouveau, a fruity red that goes well with turkey and fixings. This young wine (only six weeks old) is released from France on the third Thursday of November. Made from the Gamay grape, it is a very fruity (think strawberries and raspberries), light-bodied wine that is extremely easy to drink.
She Said
I am an American girl with a penchant for domestic wines. That’s not to say that I don’t enjoy wines from farther afield — it’s just that I like to keep my traditional Thanksgiving celebration, well, traditional. And given the superb quality of wines produced in the good old U.S. of A., American never tasted so good. Here are my picks to keep your guests happy and your table red, white and sparkling. Retail prices are approximate.
Mumm Napa Cuvée “M” Non-vintage, Napa Valley, California ($23; available at The Wine Specialist)
I agree that the best way to put a festive spin on the evening is to start with bubbles — and nothing says “bubbles” like Mumm’s Cuvée M, with its beautiful stream of fine bubbles, gently lifting aromas of peaches, honeyed nectarines, raspberries and hints of yeasty notes to the surface. But the party continues on the palate where flavors of baked apples and rich pears mingle with hints of buttered crust. It’s all built on a creamy frame that emphasizes the long, clean finish. A great wine to start and end the evening with particularly if you want to pair it with pumpkin crème brulée.
2004 Source Napa Sauvignon Blanc, Gamble Vineyard, Napa Valley, Calif. ($28)
The grapes for this wine were picked in the early hours of the morning in order to keep them cool and retain as much natural fruit flavor as possible. This attention to detail paid big dividends in the glass, starting of with an intense, forward nose filled with scents of gardenias, honeysuckle and dried mango. Far from a traditional sauvignon blanc, this wine has a viscous mouthfeel with loads of green apple, stone fruits, hints of buttered toast and ever-present citrusy notes on the gorgeous finish. If butternut squash soup is on your menu, this wine better be in your glass.
2005 Franciscan Chardonnay Oakville Estate, Napa Valley ($17; available at Schneider’s of Capitol Hill)
Looking for a more traditional approach? This chardonnay offers generous aromas of pear cobbler with hints of pineapple, lemon and toasty oak. The palate delivers flavors of wines twice the price with pretty notes of green apple, lemon meringue, toasted oak and vanilla on the bright finish. A nice accompaniment with potatoes au gratin.
2004 Cristom Pinot Noir Mount Jefferson Cuvee, Willamette Valley, Oregon (on sale at MacArthur Beveragesfor $26)
This classic Oregon pinot has it all; a nose bursting with aromas of baked raspberries and black fruit. A richly textured mouthfeel offers up plenty of gorgeous red strawberries, ripe raspberry and hints of cinnamon and sage on the weighty finish. If you’re looking for a great wine to enjoy with your cornbread and sausage stuffing (a classic at our household), this is the one.
2004 Ridge Lytton Springs Zinfandel, Sonoma, California ($30; available at Total Wine and More)
The grapes grown in the Lytton Springs vineyard is a throwback to the old field-blend style, where several varietals were planted next to each other and harvested together. This powerful expression of zinfandel is made more mellow by adding petite sirah and carignane, and shows a complex nose of blackberry, baked boysenberry and whispers of underbrush and leather. It’s even more fun to drink, with flavors of black cherries and raspberries, ripe plums and a plush, peppery finish. For something new, try it with a game bird, such as pheasant or quail this Thanksgiving.
