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Wines to Serve with Thanksgiving Dinner
Thanksgiving Wine
Matching a single wine that compliments the multitude of flavors that make up a Thanksgiving
menu can be challenging. A good solution is to offer a red and white wine so that your guests
may choose the one they prefer.
Matching a single wine that compliments the multitude of flavors that make up a Thanksgiving
menu can be challenging. A good solution is to offer a red and white wine so that your guests
may choose the one they prefer.
There really are no rules when it comes to matching wine and food. The best wine to pair
with your meal is whatever wine you like best. But there is such a thing as wine synergy,
which means that when the certain foods and wines are paired, both taste better. Just as we
seem to always combine certain foods that enhance one another and improve the overall
taste. For example, serving shrimp with cocktail sauce or sprinkling Parmesan cheese over
pasta, the combination of flavors actually make the dish complete. Applying this idea to wine
and food pairing, will give you new, more exciting flavors, textures, and aromas.
with your meal is whatever wine you like best. But there is such a thing as wine synergy,
which means that when the certain foods and wines are paired, both taste better. Just as we
seem to always combine certain foods that enhance one another and improve the overall
taste. For example, serving shrimp with cocktail sauce or sprinkling Parmesan cheese over
pasta, the combination of flavors actually make the dish complete. Applying this idea to wine
and food pairing, will give you new, more exciting flavors, textures, and aromas.
Sparkling Wine or Champagne
Sparkling wine makes any event more special. Serve a flute as a starter as guests are arriving.
At the table, sparkling wine is great with food. The acidity and bubbles cut through the richness of
most meals and cleanse the palate. If you are serving a sparkling wine with dinner, be sure it is label
brut, which means it is dry, and not a sweet sparkling wine such as Asti Spumante. Prosecco is a
budget-friendly sparkling wine from Italy. Prosecco is fresh and fruity with peach and toasted hazelnut
aromas and flavors.
Red Wine
Red wine goes very well with a Thanksgiving menu. You may not want to serve Cabernet because it
is generally too tart and high in tannins to match well with turkey, but you can serve a lighter red wine.
In fact, red wine is generally the classic choice for Thanksgiving because its light berry flavors
contrast well with the hardiness of the traditional meal.
Pinot Noir is a favorite because it pairs well with turkey. Pinot Noir has very little tannin so it will not
overwhelm the taste of the meal. Serve Pinot Noir very lightly chilled. Putting the Pinot Noir in the
refrigerator for about 20 minutes before serving it will bring out the fruit and will take away the 'bite'
that alcohol can give when served at room temperature.
Beaujolais Nouveau and turkey an ideal pair for holiday meal. France releases its light, fruity
Beaujolais Nouveau wine on the third Thursday of each November, just a week before Thanksgiving.
Connoisseurs may pooh-pooh the wine's light flavor and texture, but those characteristics
compliment roast turkey and other Thanksgiving favorites without overpowering their flavors.
White Wine
For a dry white wine, many people like Chardonnay with turkey. The oakiness and intensity of some
Chardonnays may not make it the best choice for the Thanksgiving feast. Consider white wines that
are more refreshing, tangy, and fruity. Chenin Blanc is spicy and slightly with a high acidity and
Sauvignon Blanc is light and crisp, also with a high acidity.
If you like white wine with a little sweetness, such as White Zinfandel or many of the German wines,
try a Vouvray. This is a widely available and reasonably priced wine from the Loire River region in
France. Vouvray will have a nice fruit taste with just a whisper of sweetness.
Dessert Wine
With Thanksgiving dessert favorites like pumpkin and apple pies, eating them with wine is easier
than you might think. Well-chilled late harvest Rieslings, Gewürztraminer, and Semillon, as well as
Ice Wine, are great accompaniments to these desserts.
Moscato d' Asti, a semi-sparkling (frizzante) wine from the Piedmont region if Italy, is an exceptional
dessert wine and versatile enough to also have as an aperitif. Moscato d'Asti is sweet, low in alcohol,
and very aromatic. It is a nice accompaniment to a cheese course as well as chocolate desserts,
cannoli, and gelato. Don't confuse this wine with Asti Spumante which has a more pronounced
texture and flavor.
Vin Santo also goes very well with the pumpkin spice flavors and its acidity balances the richness
and creamy texture of the pie. Vin Santo has a nutty character and is not overly sweet, so the flavor
doesn't compete with the pie.
The Correct Temperature to Serve Wine
Serve sparkling wines well chilled , about 42 – 45 degrees F (6 -7 degrees C) as an aperitif, with the
first course or throughout the meal. Chill white wine to 45 -50 degrees F (7 -10 degrees C) and serve
red and dessert wines at a cool room temperature.
Sparkling wine makes any event more special. Serve a flute as a starter as guests are arriving.
At the table, sparkling wine is great with food. The acidity and bubbles cut through the richness of
most meals and cleanse the palate. If you are serving a sparkling wine with dinner, be sure it is label
brut, which means it is dry, and not a sweet sparkling wine such as Asti Spumante. Prosecco is a
budget-friendly sparkling wine from Italy. Prosecco is fresh and fruity with peach and toasted hazelnut
aromas and flavors.
Red Wine
Red wine goes very well with a Thanksgiving menu. You may not want to serve Cabernet because it
is generally too tart and high in tannins to match well with turkey, but you can serve a lighter red wine.
In fact, red wine is generally the classic choice for Thanksgiving because its light berry flavors
contrast well with the hardiness of the traditional meal.
Pinot Noir is a favorite because it pairs well with turkey. Pinot Noir has very little tannin so it will not
overwhelm the taste of the meal. Serve Pinot Noir very lightly chilled. Putting the Pinot Noir in the
refrigerator for about 20 minutes before serving it will bring out the fruit and will take away the 'bite'
that alcohol can give when served at room temperature.
Beaujolais Nouveau and turkey an ideal pair for holiday meal. France releases its light, fruity
Beaujolais Nouveau wine on the third Thursday of each November, just a week before Thanksgiving.
Connoisseurs may pooh-pooh the wine's light flavor and texture, but those characteristics
compliment roast turkey and other Thanksgiving favorites without overpowering their flavors.
White Wine
For a dry white wine, many people like Chardonnay with turkey. The oakiness and intensity of some
Chardonnays may not make it the best choice for the Thanksgiving feast. Consider white wines that
are more refreshing, tangy, and fruity. Chenin Blanc is spicy and slightly with a high acidity and
Sauvignon Blanc is light and crisp, also with a high acidity.
If you like white wine with a little sweetness, such as White Zinfandel or many of the German wines,
try a Vouvray. This is a widely available and reasonably priced wine from the Loire River region in
France. Vouvray will have a nice fruit taste with just a whisper of sweetness.
Dessert Wine
With Thanksgiving dessert favorites like pumpkin and apple pies, eating them with wine is easier
than you might think. Well-chilled late harvest Rieslings, Gewürztraminer, and Semillon, as well as
Ice Wine, are great accompaniments to these desserts.
Moscato d' Asti, a semi-sparkling (frizzante) wine from the Piedmont region if Italy, is an exceptional
dessert wine and versatile enough to also have as an aperitif. Moscato d'Asti is sweet, low in alcohol,
and very aromatic. It is a nice accompaniment to a cheese course as well as chocolate desserts,
cannoli, and gelato. Don't confuse this wine with Asti Spumante which has a more pronounced
texture and flavor.
Vin Santo also goes very well with the pumpkin spice flavors and its acidity balances the richness
and creamy texture of the pie. Vin Santo has a nutty character and is not overly sweet, so the flavor
doesn't compete with the pie.
The Correct Temperature to Serve Wine
Serve sparkling wines well chilled , about 42 – 45 degrees F (6 -7 degrees C) as an aperitif, with the
first course or throughout the meal. Chill white wine to 45 -50 degrees F (7 -10 degrees C) and serve
red and dessert wines at a cool room temperature.
A Gift for the Host…
Whether you're attending a Thanksgiving feast or a dinner party, a small gift is a nice gesture of
gratitude and appreciation for handling all the duties of hosting the affair. For a dinner party,
especially a holiday meal, with all the demands of cooking for a large gathering, a bottle of wine is
a perfect gift. An appropriate price range for a gift is about $15 to $25.
Champagne or sparkling wine is nice for people that you know as well as if you’re going to their
home for the first time. Champagne is a universal gesture of celebration. It doesn’t have to be
expensive and it doesn’t have to pair well with the dinner, as it can be served as an aperitif.
While it always helps if you know your host’s palette, you may not. It's perfectly acceptable to ask
your hosts if they prefer red or white wines. This is a gift for them and it should be something they
like and not simply your favorite wine. Many hosts will not serve the wine that guests bring and will
simply set it aside for another time.
Present the wine ready to serve. If it’s a white wine or sparkling wine, make sure that it’s chilled.
Some hosts prefer not to serve wine gifts with dinner, especially if they are not familiar with the
particular wine. If your hosts don’t take the hint that you would like them to open the bottle right
away, say, “I thought this would be a great wine to start the evening.”
If you’re giving the hosts a special or expensive bottle of wine, tell them about it ahead of time.
Your hosts may already have their wine selections made and may choose not to serve the wine
you bring with the dinner. In such a case, save that special bottle for another occasion.
If you really want to make an impression, bring a magnum. This two-bottle size commands
attention and most hosts would not dare to put away such an impressive gift.
If your hosts are wine geeks and you’re not … bring dessert!
Whether you're attending a Thanksgiving feast or a dinner party, a small gift is a nice gesture of
gratitude and appreciation for handling all the duties of hosting the affair. For a dinner party,
especially a holiday meal, with all the demands of cooking for a large gathering, a bottle of wine is
a perfect gift. An appropriate price range for a gift is about $15 to $25.
Champagne or sparkling wine is nice for people that you know as well as if you’re going to their
home for the first time. Champagne is a universal gesture of celebration. It doesn’t have to be
expensive and it doesn’t have to pair well with the dinner, as it can be served as an aperitif.
While it always helps if you know your host’s palette, you may not. It's perfectly acceptable to ask
your hosts if they prefer red or white wines. This is a gift for them and it should be something they
like and not simply your favorite wine. Many hosts will not serve the wine that guests bring and will
simply set it aside for another time.
Present the wine ready to serve. If it’s a white wine or sparkling wine, make sure that it’s chilled.
Some hosts prefer not to serve wine gifts with dinner, especially if they are not familiar with the
particular wine. If your hosts don’t take the hint that you would like them to open the bottle right
away, say, “I thought this would be a great wine to start the evening.”
If you’re giving the hosts a special or expensive bottle of wine, tell them about it ahead of time.
Your hosts may already have their wine selections made and may choose not to serve the wine
you bring with the dinner. In such a case, save that special bottle for another occasion.
If you really want to make an impression, bring a magnum. This two-bottle size commands
attention and most hosts would not dare to put away such an impressive gift.
If your hosts are wine geeks and you’re not … bring dessert!
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| The wine is off dry in style with honey, earth and apricot notes. Wines from the town of Vouvray have been known to age well for 40 years. This particular bottling should hold for at least 5-7 years. |
| This wine is on the sweet side, with fruit flavors kept alive by the decent acidity. The palate bubbles and tingles and maintains its balance. It is best served with fish, salads, cheeses, chicken and desserts. |
| Gold yellow, with coppery highlights. Scents of peach, apricot, ripe pineapple (tropical fruit). |