The Thanksgiving Wine Guide
It's November again - which means its time for big football match-ups, turkey and pumpkin pie! Yes, like it or not, Thanksgiving is right around the corner. So if you are looking for that perfect wine to pair with your turkey dinner, take some time between the packing and traveling to check out this blog post!
If you are looking for a specific wine recommendation, please check my previous blog post on the perfect Thanksgiving wine. That post recommended a wine based on a single varietal that tends to pair well with a variety of foods, specifically Pinot Noir. This year I wanted to make a recommendation based on a few wine and food pairings tips. Thanksgiving may be one of the biggest wine buying days of the year, but it is also notoriously a difficult meal to pair with wine. The meal frequently includes tart cranberry sauce, stuff with herbs, sweet potatoes, turkey, and maybe even ham. Choosing just wine that pairs with all those flavors can be a challenge.
When the weather is cool we tend to crave wines that are heavier, higher in alcohol, mature, complex tasting and aged in oak. For me this means a switch from those bright Sauvignon Blancs and refreshing Rieslings to smooth Pinot Noirs and bold Cabernet Sauvignons. But for thanksgiving, that could mean two different options depending on if you prefer red or white. For whites, I would recommend Chardonnay. Preferably one with mild to low oak-aging so that the bold vanilla and butter notes don't overpower your meal. I would pick a Chardonnay from Burgundy, France or Austraila. For reds, I would recommend Pinot Noir or Merlot.
When pairing wine with food, pair the wine with the main ingredient, pair "like with like." Two of my favorite tips to live by are (1) Match weight and texture, and (2) Match flavor intensity. As usual, I hate to give specific pairing suggestions because there are no real rules when it comes to food and wine pairings, however, here are three rules to remember when it comes to pairing wine with your thanksgiving dinner:
- Salt is dry wines friend.
- Sugar is dry wines enemy.
- Alcohol is the enemy of high-alcohol wines.
Personally, my family thanksgiving dinners are usually full of traditional dishes, more savory than sweet, and filled with vegetables. Therefore, I will be looking for a smooth Chardonnay from Burgundy, a Riesling from Alsace, and a Pinot Noir from Washington State. Have a great holiday and happy wine pairings!
Cheers!