At a loss when deciding on your Thanksgiving wines? No worries, we’ve got you covered with some great insider tips.
The First Rule Of Food and Wine Pairing
The classic rule for food and wine pairing is red wine with meat and white wine with fish. As fusion cooking has taken hold, blending different ingredients and styles of cooking into a single dish, that one rule has morphed into a complicated list of guidelines.
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There is one rule that trumps them all: Drink what you like. If you are in the mood for Chianti or a buttery Chardonnay, by all means go for it no matter what you’re eating.
Right now you’ve got an 18-pound Butterball staring you in the eyes and you need some help picking wine. Fear not. We’re here to help.
A key principle in food and wine selection is to match the intensity of the flavor with the wine. The more flavorful the food the more flavorful the wine should be. For a robust meal, you’ll want a full-bodied wine. For milder food, like turkey, you’ll want a medium- or light-bodied wine.
Something else to consider is that with a Thanksgiving feast, you may be eating and drinking for several hours. You want a lighter wine and you should avoid high-alcohol wines, as those picks might send your guests a-snoozing before the pumpkin pie hits the table.
Super Pick #1 – Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir wines are usually light- to medium-bodied. That’s an important consideration when you are sitting down to a long meal. Powerful, full-bodied wines can easily overpower a turkey-centric meal and tire your guests.
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Its acidity and gentle tannins give Pinot an elegance that pairs nicely with a Thanksgiving meal. The red and black berry flavors are juicy, making your turkey taste even more succulent. The earthy and savory notes mean it pairs nicely with stuffing and your varied side dishes.
Recommended: Left Coast Cali’s Cuvée Pinot Noir, Van Duzer Corridor, Willamette Valley (SRP $24), Leitz Pinot Noir Rosé Brut, Rheingau 2017 (SRP $17.99), Left Coast Latitude 45o Pinot Noir, Van Duzer Corridor, Willamette Valley (SRP $38), Paul Mas Reserve Pinot Noir 2018, Pays d’Oc, France (SRP $13.99).
Super Pick #2 – Gewürztraminer
If you want to be a superstar on Turkey Day, consider Gewürztraminer. This spicy and floral white grape didn’t originate in Germany, but in the Italian town of Tramin in the northeastern region of Alto Adige.
Most Gewürztraminer is off-dry, and that slight sweetness excites the taste buds when paired with the savory flavors of roasted meat and the turkey’s skin. Mashed potatoes and dinner rolls will dial down the wine’s sweetness. The spicy flavor makes it an ideal match for desserts and it pairs especially well with cranberry sauce.
You won’t find much Gewürztraminer in Italy today. Great options can be found in the Alsace region of France, Germany, New Zealand, California, Oregon and Washington State.
Recommended: Pierre Sparr 2016 Gewürztraminer, Alsace (SRP $20). Fetzer Shaly Loam Gewürztraminer, Monterey County (SRP $9). Balletto Gewürztraminer, Russian River Valley (SRP $14.99).
Super Pick #2 – Rosé
For Thanksgiving you need a wine that goes with everything. In addition to the main course, you’ll have casseroles, stuffing and side dishes galore. Rosé wines pair well with the diverse dishes of Thanksgiving because they are low in alcohol and have a fresh fruitiness.
Red wines get their color from the grape skins. For rosé, the skin contact is minimal resulting in lovely shades of pink and copper. Rosé is a good halfway point between red and white wines which allows it to pair with all the wines at your table.
Serve it chilled. It’s refreshing and inexpensive. You can find a nice rosé for $20 or less.
Recommended: MIP Collection Rosé 2018, Provence (SRP $21). Tablas Creek Patelin de Tablas Rosé 2018, Paso Robles (SRP $27.99). STUDIO by Miraval Rosé 2018, France (SRP $ $18.99). Paul Mas Coté Mas Rosé Aurore, Sud De France 2018 (SRP $9).
Super Pick #4 – Gamay
You may best know Gamay as the grape in Beaujolais Nouveau, the wine from France’s earliest harvest of the year. It is released with great fanfare as it signals the first wine of the vintage year.
Don’t judge Gamay on Beaujolais Nouveau alone. Gamay has much more to offer than the young and simple Beaujolais Nouveau.
Gamay is youthful and juicy. It is a red best served with a slight chill. It has great raspberry notes and pairs magnificently with the spectrum of foods on your dinner table. It is light enough to enjoy all day without weighing down your palate.
It also has a reputation as being the perfect wine for Thanksgiving Day leftovers. A recent survey showed that almost 80 percent of Americans preferred the leftovers more than the main meal. Better buy an extra bottle!
Recommended: Premices 2017 Beaujolais (SRP $25.99). 2017 Georges Duboeuf 'Domaine Jean-Ernest Descombes' Morgon SRP $20).
Whatever you choose, enjoy your Thanksgiving. We’re thankful for the opportunity to raise a glass with family and friends. Cheers!
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