All-American Thanksgiving Wine Pairing 2023
Top 9 Wine Pairing Guidelines, Menu Template, Wine Recommendations
I just returned from Napa Valley and Sonoma County. This year I thought it appropriate to propose an All-American Thanksgiving Wine Pairing list to accompany your feast. I recommend wines from California, Oregon, and Texas that hold up to the spicy flavors of side dishes. I propose wines that do not overwhelm your palate with heavy tannins which would detract from the wonderful food flavors. See my Top 9 Wine Pairing Guidelines below for further pairing tips. If you like to make a Thanksgiving Menu to display like I do, I have a Sample Thanksgiving Wine Course Pairing Menu below for you to download and create your own pairings.
Now, the annual Wine Wanderings Thanksgiving wine recommendations!
Top 9 Wine Pairing Guidelines for a Perfect Thanksgiving Dinner
All sommeliers get the majority of wine pairing questions during the holidays. What wines do I serve with my Thanksgiving Dinner? What if I smoke my turkey? What do I serve with appetizers? I always want to give a satisfying answer, and not frustrate the hosts. Still, I usually say, “It depends.” What are you serving? How do you prepare your turkey/ham? Will it be roasted, brined-wet and dry, smoked, or deep-fried? Will you begin with appetizers? Will you have a salad? What are your side dishes? Will you serve a dessert wine? The Top 9 Tips below should help you decide your choices. This year it’s All-American.
Here are my Top 9 wine pairing suggestions for Thanksgiving. Remember, these are not hard and fast rules, just guidelines:
Tip # 1: Serve what you like to drink, not what you think you must serve.
Tip # 2: Be festive. Serve a sparkling wine as a welcoming aperitif.
Tip # 3: Match the weight of the food with the weight of the wine.
Tip # 4: Use bridge ingredients in a recipe (cheese, fruit, nuts) to make wine more compatible with vegetables, salad dressings, and spices. A Sauvignon Blanc or still rosé wine works well with lighter ingredients.
Tip # 5: Avoid heavily tannic wine with turkey and spicy casseroles. Pinot Noir is always a good choice for roasted white meats as it has lighter tannins. Dry Rosé works well, too. Keep that special Cabernet Sauvignon in the cellar/shelf, as the tannins will fight the spiciness of the food.
Tip # 6: Red Zinfandel’s flavors of plum, pepper, jammy blackberry, and tobacco can hold up to a smoked or deep-fried turkey.
Tip # 7: A Garnacha/Grenache based wine, domestic or international, works well with ham, especially those honey-based hams, or if served with cherry sauce. The raspberry, baked cherry, and spice notes are a perfect pairing.
Tip # 8: Full-bodied white wines like Chardonnay and Viognier pair well with heavier sauces, root vegetables, or cheese.
Tip # 9: Dessert wines should be sweeter than the dessert, or the wine will taste flat/sour.
Happy Thanksgiving to all Wine Wanderers!
All American Wine Recommendations
For Appetizers:
2014 J Schram Noirs – Schramsberg Sparkling Wine, (Reserve of Pinot Noir), $140
Wine Enthusiast, 2013 vintage, 95 Points
2020 Schramsberg Blanc de Blanc, North Coast, $40
Wine Enthusiast, 93 Points, 2019 vintage.
2022 Gary Farrell Rosé of Pinot Noir, Russian River, $45
2020 Grgich Hills Estate Rose, Napa Valley, $27
With the Salad:
2022 Cliff Lede Marla Blanc Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon Blend, Stags Leap, Napa Valley, $ 135
Wine Advocate, 96+ Points- at press
2022 Ferrari-Carano Fumé Blanc, North Coast, Sonoma, $16
James Suckling, 90 points
2022 Bending Branch Estate Picpoul Blanc, Camledge Vineyard, Texas Hill Country, $34.
For Side Dishes:
2022 Rombauer Vineyards Proprietor Selection Chardonnay, Napa Valley, $90
Robert Parker, 93 Points for 2021 vintage
2021 Chateau Montelena, Chardonnay, Napa Valley, $75
Robert Parker, 93 Points for 2020 vintage
2020 Fess Parker Rodney’s Vineyard Viognier, Santa Barbara, $26
Wine Enthusiast, 92 points
Main Course Turkey:
2018 Gary Farrell Pinot Noir, Martaella Vineyard, Sonoma County, $70
Wine Enthusiast, 95 Points
2021 Stoller Willamette Valley, Pinot Noir, Oregon, $25
James Suckling, 91 Points
Smoked or Deep-Fried Turkey, Ham, Beef:
2020 Rombauer Zinfandel, California, $38
WW, 90 Points
2021 Charles Krug Limited Release Petite Sirah, Napa Valley, $80
Only 350 cases made.
2019 Chappellet Merlot, Napa Valley, $ 55
Wine Enthusiast, 94 Points
Dessert:
Charles Krug Lot XXII Late Harvest Zinfandel Dessert Wine, Napa Valley, 375ml bottle, $40
Download 2023 Wine Wanderings Thanksgiving Wine Course Pairing here:
Wine Wanderings Editorial Calendar
La Cité du Vin International Wine Museum Offering a Sensory Experience
The Fine Champagnes of Billecart-Salmon
Chateau Montelena, and the 1976 Judgement of Paris
Gary Farrell Winery: The Neighborhoods of Russian River Valley
Cliff Lede Vineyards: Remastering the Rock & Roll Winery of Napa Valley
What is a Cooperage?
Grower Champagnes – Why are They the Darlings of Champagne?
The Loire Valley: Touring Chateau Chenonceau
Two Surprising Wineries of the Loire Valley: Montdomaine and Ambacia, Ancient Sites with Modern, Organic Approaches
The Martini – What’s New, What’s Old: Classic vs. Modern
Celia Welch: A Napa Valley Winemaker Legend
Understanding Right Bank Bordeaux: Pomerol and St. Emilion
Cocktails in the Napa Valley? Goose & Gander, etc.
Restaurants of Napa Valley:
Cliff Lede – Rock and Roll Meets Wine/Stags Leap
Gary Farrell: Pioneer of Historic Russian River Vineyards
Hi Thomas, So glad you can use my Thanksgiving tips for your Christmas dinner. I agree with you, Nebbiolo and Alsace Riesling would be wonderful. The ham or goose and Nebbiolo and the Alsace Riesling with the appetizer/salad course or just as an aperitif is perfect. This year I just returned from Napa Valley and Sonoma - 19 interviews! - so I decide to recommend an All-American menu. Normally, I'm much more international as my subscribers are from 45 countries and 42 US States. So glad you are one of them. Happy Holidays! Tricia
Linda, Glad you liked them. Lucy is the best. Happy Thanksgiving! Tricia