Thanksgiving Wines – Simple Selections for the Holiday
James Robinson our Grocery Manager is also a Sommelier and here are his thoughts about picking the perfect Thanksgiving wine.
Keep-It-Simple
It’s that time of year when wine writers across the country publish wine recommendations for the Thanksgiving holiday. It’s also the time of year when shoppers stand in the aisle, panic-stricken, eye glazed, bamboozled and bewildered by the dizzying array of choices available. Many seek the perfect pairing. Others seek to impress and bedazzle. And countless others become overwhelmed by it all, and don’t know where to turn. But there is hope. Follow these simple guidelines and holiday stress can be turned into holiday bliss.
Drink what you like
First and foremost, and one of the first questions I typically ask Co-Op shoppers is: ‘What do you like to drink?’ If you can’t name a grape or region, are you able to describe the style of wines you like best? Once you’ve identified what you like, seek it out. Drinking what you like means you’ll be immeasurably happier than drinking a wine you think you ought to be drinking.
Don’t stress about the perfect pairing
From a sensory perspective, Thanksgiving meals can be long, complex affairs. You may first find yourself grazing mid-day on cheese, crackers, charcuterie, mixed nuts, Texas Trash or Chex Mix. Later, you’ll likely ease into a dinner of turkey or ham, stuffing, sweet or savory potatoes, a variety of vegetables and salads. You may encounter exotic ingredients such as oysters in the stuffing, Jell-O and marshmallows, candied fruit and savory herbs – all on the same table and at the same time. With so many possibilities, it just isn’t possible to pick the one wine that will do it all, the one wine that will pair perfectly with the myriad flavors on the table. What then to choose?
Keep the wines accessible
Unless you chum around with a group of hardcore wine enthusiasts, Thanksgiving is not the best time to attempt to impress your friends with avant-garde varietals or cutting-edge styles. Save the reductive, wild yeast fermented, skin contact Georgian wine for another occasion. Instead, choose wines that are immediately and universally delicious, require little explanation and may appeal to a variety of palates or pair with a wide variety of foods. Remember, Thanksgiving is all about the food. Wine plays a supporting role.
Low alcohol, high acid
Your best bets are high acid, low alcohol wines that won’t weigh you down. Sparkling wines, high acid whites such as Chenin Blanc, sweet or dry Riesling, Pecorino, Slovenian whites, Pinot Noir, Trousseau, Zweigelt, Mondeuse, Garnacha, Gamay Noir, or alpine reds from the Jura or Piedmont would all do the trick.
Moderate cost, high quality, right quantity
Thanksgiving feasts with high guest counts are protracted affairs and, over the course of the event, family and friends will likely drink more than you anticipate. And what would be worse, having wine leftover after dinner, or running out before the end of the meal? Planning on one bottle per drinking person should keep you from facing an emergency run to the store.
In order to avoid breaking the bank, however, seek out the highest quality wines that suit your tastes and style for $25 a bottle or less. To that end, the Co-Op has scores of high quality options between $15 and $18 that would make perfect additions to any Thanksgiving table.
Some suggestions …
Reds
Weingut Becker Landgraf, 2017 Spätburgunder, Gau-Odernheimer, Germany ($24.99)
An elegant Pinot Noir with lovely minerality, aromas of wild fruit, red berries and spice notes with a long silky finish.
McKinlay, 2022 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley Oregon ($24.99)
A bright nose of red currants and black cherries leading to spice, earth and smokiness. Smooth tannins and balanced acidity. Bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Domaine du Cret de Bine, 2020 Beaujolais ‘Bio Addict,’ France ($23.99)
Soft cassis, ripe plum, cassis, and high toned purple florals in this bright, lofty, natural Beaujolias. Low sulphur, native yeast, biodynamic.
Rose
Domaine Thillardon Pet Nat Rose, Beaujolais, France ($26.99)
A delightful Pét-Nat made from Gamay Noir. The palest pink color in the glass. Full of fresh, lush fruit flavors and just the slightest bit off dry makes this easy drinking wine a delicious pairing for a variety of foods. Organic, biodynamic.
Whites
Sofia Brescia, Veneto Frizzante NV, Italy ($11.99)
Citrus, Asian pear, Acacia honey, jasmine, and a touch of sea salt all grace the nose and palate of this charming frizzante. Lovely, fresh, and spritzy in the glass. Delicious.
Castelfeder, 2021 Kerner ‘Lahn,’ Vigneti Delle Dolomiti IGT, Italy ($29.99)
Savory and medium bodied, this tangy white has aromas of yellow stone fruit, grapefruit and jasmine. On the bright palate, vibrant acidity accompanies ripe apricot, peach and nutmeg.
Battenfeld Spanier, 2021 Riesling ‘Eisquell’ Trocken, Rheinhessen, Germany ($19.99 )
Fragrances of ripe yellow fruit accompanied by a spicy mineral background. On the palate it is fruity, juicy and fresh with lively acidity, a silky texture and a lingering citrus finish.