Thanksgiving Wine Pairings Made Easy

The key to success with Thanksgiving wines is low alcohol and a fruity complexity. 

The first “Thanksgiving” was reportedly celebrated in the fall of 1621 in Plymouth, Massachusetts. There are conflicting reports of exactly when it occurred, but it lasted three days and was definitely somewhere between September and November! Abe Lincoln was the first President to officially celebrate it, and Franklin Roosevelt was the President who moved it to the third Thursday in November and declared it a national holiday.

The Original T-day dinner included wild turkey, venison, salt pork and corn. In our inimitable new American way the possibilities for wines with Thanksgiving are as diverse as the meal itself. It is without a doubt the most challenging and interesting of all holiday meals for matching the corks and the forks.

Why so? There is neutral, sometimes dry (sorry mom) turkey, herbal and savory stuffing, sweet sides (cranberry and marshmallow-coated sweet potato) and if you are really lucky, some pumpkin pie and Jell-O pudding to finish it all off! 

Since sugar and sweet are the enemy of dry wines, the negotiation of food and wine pairings on Thanksgiving day can be treacherous.  

At the table there are going to be varying degrees of interest or experience with wine so that in itself presents a challenge. Turkey looks like a large chicken but tastes and acts like more of a light meaty meat. The “dark” meat is quite robust in flavor. The fixins range from savory and bold to jammy and sweet. But if it’s a feast made for laughter then wine will make it even merrier, so we need to find a wine that will cover all the bases…while not breaking the holiday piggy bank.

Now down to the wines for the big day. It is nearly impossible to find the right wine and I recommend at least offering two choices that will cover most of these taste preference and pairing challenges. Here is a short list of what I recommend and why.

Sparkling wine is an all-around easy fix to difficult wine pairings. Champagne is pricey so its less expensive counterparts, Prosecco or Cava, make nice with a variety of flavors that don’t break the bank. 

A Moscato d’Asti from Italy works great for Thanksgiving. It’s low in alcohol allowing it to be flexible and better with a wider range of food parings. It has a touch of sweetness to balance the sugary T-day dishes and it has just enough acidy to support it all. The look of it is slightly frizzy and pale yellow. The smell of it is a pleasant sweet dry fruit collage. The taste is sweet and a little tart with a zippy finish. Moscato d’Asti from Michele Chiarlo, Ceretto, and Vietti are all lovely. 

A German Riesling “Kabinett” style. These wines are a step up in seriousness and complexity. It still has the low alcohol, hint of residual sugar and tartness. The color is pale yellow. The aromas are muted but soft lush fruit.

The taste can be a great balance of pear and apple tartness with the hint of sweet that comes with it. There is always a touch of mineral on the finish. Yes, it’s difficult manuvering around the names and labels of these wines. Your local independent wine retailer will help find the right one.

Pinot Noirs from Central Coast, California or Oregon. Pinot is one of the only reds that will cover turkey. The others are Gamays or Beaujolais. A simply made, preferably low-alcohol and, most importantly, slightly chilled Pinot has a flexibility with food that most reds do not. This one has a color that is very light ruby with some purple. The aroma is light and clean with simple tart red berry fruit.