Thanksgiving Wine Recommendations

Thanksgiving is without a doubt my favorite holiday of the year.  I love how it brings everyone together and reminds us to be thankful for the wonderful things in our lives.  Per tradition, I will be celebrating in Columbus with my parents.  This tradition goes back as long as I can remember, and we do our best to make it happen every year – including one year where we celebrated a week late since I had a destination wedding to attend over Thanksgiving.  And the tradition is even better now because my husband and his parents join us as well. 

Of course, the day isn’t complete without a morning workout to get ready for all the delicious calories, a roaring fire in the fireplace, perusing the Thanksgiving ads, and enjoying a few libations.  At our Thanksgiving, we start the afternoon off with sparkling wine, move on to still wine with dinner, and end with a bit of scotch after dessert.  We switch up our dinner wine selection each year because there are so many options that go well with turkey.  If you’re on the hunt for the perfect wine for Thanksgiving this year, here are five suggestions.  (You’ll notice these aren’t necessarily the ‘traditional’ Thanksgiving suggestions, but I promise you won’t be disappointed with any of these options.)

First, if all you think of when you think of Riesling is ‘it’s too sweet’, forget everything you know.  Riesling can be sweet (and deliciously so, especially with aged Riesling from Germany — a topic for another day) but Dry Riesling is beautifully balanced.  I find that it has just the right level of acidity to complement the floral/aromatic side of it.  It is a no fail wine – unless you’re dealing with a white wine hater, more for them later.  It is my go-to wine when I need to bring a bottle somewhere and am not sure what kind of wine my hosts like.  And it will taste delicious with anything you serve at your Thanksgiving dinner.  I’m partial to Dry Riesling from the Finger Lakes region in Upstate New York.  Assuming your local wine store (or grocery store) has a decent wine selection they should have at least one Dry Riesling from the Finger Lakes.  (Do make sure you go for Dry Riesling not Riesling, unless you have a group that likes a sweeter wine.)

My pick: Hermann J. Wiemer Dry Riesling (Current Release: 2018, Winery Price: $19.50)

I love telling people about this white grape.  It’s gaining traction on wine lists in the US for a reason, it’s delicious and versatile.  It’s honestly a bit hard to describe in relation to another white wine because it’s unique.  It’s almost like a cross between the citrus flavors you love from Sauvignon Blanc with the acidity that makes Dry Riesling so wonderful.  Another way to describe it, is to say you will greatly enjoy drinking it.  And, at the end of the day, it only really matters if you like a wine or if you don’t.  Grüner Veltliner will pair fantastically with your Thanksgiving feast and will leave your guests asking if you have a second bottle.

My pick: Hermann J. Wiemer Gruner Veltliner (Current Release: 2017, Winery Price: $27) – Unfortunately, you won’t be able to find this one in stores.  So if you are heading to the store vs. ordering online, look for the Austrian section.  They’re known for Grüner Veltliner, so any bottle you pick should be good.

You probably need more of an adventurous crowd for this option because it’s going to seem a bit out there to a lot of people.  I promise it isn’t.  Sparkling Rose is actually one of the most versatile wines.  It goes with everything from vegetarian to seafood to steak.  (Yes, really, steak.  Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.)  Do make sure you’re buying a brut (aka dry) version vs. a demi sec (aka sweet) version.  You’ll find that Sparkling Rose has a nice roundness with just the right amount of zip that will complement all the heavy Thanksgiving foods.  Plus nothing feels more festive than bubbles.

Splurge pick: Soter Mineral Springs Brut Rose (Current Release: 2015, Winery Price: $65)

Reasonable pick: Gruet Brut Rose (Non-Vintage, Winery Price: $17.  And, yes, it is from New Mexico and it is delicious.  You should easily be able to find this in your local store because it has great distribution across the US.)

If you’re dealing with a red-loving crowd, Pinot Noir is a sure bet.  It is a lighter red that won’t overwhelm the turkey and all the sides.  There’s a wide range of Pinot Noir so find out if your group prefers riper, more fruit-forward wine or earthier, more restrained wine.  Then ask your local wine store pro for a bit of help finding a Pinot Noir that delivers in that area.  A good rule of thumb is that the warmer the growing region is, the more fruit-forward the wine will be.  An example of this is the difference between Napa Valley Pinot Noir (riper) and Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir (more restrained).  Both are delicious; it is simply a question of personal preference.

My pick: Calera Central Coast Pinot Noir (Current Release: 2017, Winery Price: $30) – You’ll find that this Pinot Noir has a nice balance between fruit-forward and earthy because it’s from the central region of California (warm) but near the coast (cooler with good air circulation).

Some of you may be hosting a crowd that really loves big reds and neither white nor Pinot Noir will cut it.  With that crowd it’s time to go to a Grenache Blend.  Grenache is wonderfully fruit-forward with little to no ‘bite’.  (When someone describes a wine as having ‘bite’ they’re reacting to the level of tannin in the wine.  Essentially tannin causes the wine to be astringent or mouth-drying.)  Grenache is the opposite of mouth-drying.  It is round and juicy without being too big for the flavors on the Thanksgiving table.

My pick: Côtes du Rhône (France) or Priorat (Spain) – Ask your friendly wine store clerk for their recommendation.  Really, they love to help!  I can’t recall ever having a bad wine from either of these regions though, which is why they’re such a good bet. 

Other Notes: If you’re a fan of a splurging a little and knowing you’re getting a good value, aim for Gigondas (France).  If you really want to splurge aim for Châteauneuf-du-Pape (France). 

All links are provided for your convenience. I make no money if you use them to purchase the wines.