Thanksgiving Wine Pairing Guide

The ultimate feast. An endless potpourri of flavors, aromas and textures from the opening kickoff of the early football game until grandpa’s annual tryptophan-induced, post-pumpkin pie slumber. History and tradition tell us what food to serve, and we round out the smorgasbord with a few personal favorites and perhaps an homage to our family’s heritage.

The question of what wine to serve at Thanksgiving dinner might not be so easily answered. Just like anything else, this is a matter of personal taste, but we do recommend offering a variety of choices to get your guests from appetizers to the main course to dessert. There is no right or wrong answer, but here are a few suggestions to help you get started and impress your guests.

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• Best Wine Picks for Thanksgiving Dinner

• Top Late Harvest Wine Picks

Champagne & Sparkling Wine
Thanksgiving is a celebration! Why not bring on the bubbles, raise your glass and toast with the family and friends who surround you? The elegance and versatility of Champagne and sparkling wines can take you from the start to finish of your feast. The higher acidity allows it to pair well with heavier, high starch foods like turkey, stuffing and potatoes, while the low alcohol allows the flavors of the food to be the star. Plus, those bubbles can cleanse the palate as your guests move from one food to the next.

White Wine
A light-bodied Riesling with its fruit and honey flavors and high acidity offers a pleasant contrast to the heavy, savory foods that are typically found on your Thanksgiving dinner table. You can’t go wrong if you serve a dry Riesling with the main course and save a sweet Riesling for dessert. A fuller-bodied Chardonnay also pairs well with traditionally rich foods, and Pinot Grigio can stand up to garlic, onions, herbs and those flavorful, high-fat dishes. Gewurztraminer has low alcohol and balanced acidity and can range from dessert wine sweetness to bone dry.

Red Wine
Light in body and soft on the palate, Pinot Noir offers a perfect match for turkey and popular side dishes, making it a traditional Thanksgiving favorite. Zinfandel is a bit more intense and heartier than Pinot Noir and is capable of matching spicy, bitter and sweet flavors. The low alcohol, low tannins and fresh fruitiness of Rosé wines make them a great choice for Thanksgiving, and most Rosés actually fall somewhere between red wine and white wine to keep lovers of both types of wine happy.

Dessert Pairings
The sweetness of fortified wines and late harvest wines support the richness and spice of pumpkin pie and other traditional Thanksgiving desserts. Pairing the fruity and nutty flavors of Port with pies – pumpkin, apple, pecan or any flavor – is a match made in heaven. A sweet, cream Sherry with caramel, vanilla, herbs and spices, pairs particularly well with fruit desserts.