Wine Pairings for Thanksgiving
One of the most important parts of the Thanksgiving feast for me is the wine choice. With so many different flavors on the menu—and some that you only make once a year, selecting wines to partner up with all of the flavors might be made easier by a little advice.
The big question: Which wines go with a variety of tastes, textures, flavors, and aromas that uniquely present themselves on Thanksgiving Day? Should you choose one wine to carry you from appetizers through desserts–a tough request but doable. Or should you opt for several wines to accent different components of the meal and cater to a variety of palate preferences? The choice is entirely up to you, here are some tried-and-true pairings to get your Thanksgiving wine themes started.
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All these wines are available through the Club at very competitive prices.
11/14/18
Riesling is a white wine that can either be bone dry or fairly sweet; excellent with any dishes that are spicy, salty or sweet. Whether from Alsace, Germany or Washington – Riesling wines are a top pick for a white wine for pairing with Thanksgiving dinner. Riesling’s innate flavors of apple, apricot and honey and its clarifying acidity give it a significant pairing edge with the likes of sweet potatoes, turkey meat, and spice-laden or herb-filled stuffing.
Nothing like a great story to go with a great wine…Dave Phinney is the winemaker behind Prisoner and the Orin Swift brand. When Dave sold Prisoner, he signed an 8 year non-compete clause where he wasn’t allowed to produce another Zinfandel-based wine. This release is Dave’s return to Zinfandel. Like Prisoner, this is a red blend that is mainly Zinfandel. The reason I like this so much for Thanksgiving is due to the use of Petite Sirah and Syrah in the wine. For those guests who prefer a red wine to pair with the spices used in the traditional side dishes.
Winemaker Joe Wagner made a name for himself with the release of Meiomi Pinot Noir. Meiomi was a blend of pinot grapes from 3 different regions in California. For this higher end pinot, Joe sources grapes from the famous vineyard in the Russian River section of Sonoma County. I think that Pinot Noir is the likely favorite red wine for Thanksgiving. Pinot Noir’s earthy characteristics, balanced with red fruit undertones, always pair well with turkey, stuffing and cranberry.
I know that there are some families that go turkey-less for Thanksgiving. If you go in a different direction and serve an entrée like beef wellington or perhaps short ribs, try this amazing cabernet-based Bordeaux blend from the Napa Valley.