Pairing Wines with your Thanksgiving Meal

The holidays are soon upon us which means it’s time to start preparing your Thanksgiving menu! This time of year, we often receive a lot of questions about which wines should be served with traditional Thanksgiving meals. The wine or wines you choose can vary greatly depending on what you are serving, however, we have a few selections which should be sure to please your crowd!

 

Zinfandel

 

Zinfandel is a wonderful wine choice for most Thanksgiving meals! This wine is bold and rich, meaning it will complement the spices (such as clove, nutmeg, or cinnamon) which are common in many holiday dishes. Most Zinfandels also offer a slightly smoky flavor which pairs very well with turkey.

 

Sauvignon Blanc

 

This crisp, white wine is perfect for any poultry dish, making it a popular choice for roasted turkey or chicken. However, its citrus flavors and acidity also make it a great choice for foods flavored with herbs, such as potatoes or stuffing!

 

Beaujolais

 

This is an iconic Thanksgiving wine and its popularity is hard to compete with. Beaujolais, which is similar to Pinot Noir, will pair well with almost anything you’ll serve on your Thanksgiving table. It is a balanced wine and can work well with either sweet foods, such as squash or yams or savory foods like turkey or ham.

 

Rosé

 

It might seem a surprising choice, but Rosé is perfect for a holiday meal as it has both the qualities of red wine and white wine. This double advantage means it can pair well with a wide variety of dishes. A dry Rosé will be able to compliment any poultry or vegetable along with side dishes such as rice, potatoes, or stuffing.

 

Riesling

 

Riesling is another common choice for Thanksgiving because of its delightful flavors of fruit and honey which pair well with both sweet dishes and saltier ones. It is especially delicious with meats and any dish which highlights spice such as smoked turkey or sausage, or sugar such as sweet potatoes or cranberry sauce.

 

For more holiday wine inspiration, check out our November featured video!