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WHAT'S ONE MUST FOR YOUR THANKSGIVING DINNER?
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Good wine, of course!
But selecting the perfect wine to go with your Thanksgiving menu isn’t easy. Given the range of dishes you’ll be serving this Thursday, you need to pick the best wine (or wines) for your particular menu. Let’s go through some of the popular Thanksgiving dishes you might be offering your family and guests, and then go from there.
One thing is sure: you’ll probably have a nice roasted turkey at the center of your table. Your table will also probably be filled with mashes potatoes, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, cranberry sauce, gravy, and sweet potato pie with marshmallow or pecan topping. Meals don’t get much richer than that.
So what wine should you pick to contrast a heavy meal full of different savory flavors? A lighter body red is rich enough to compliment your food without overpowering it. Eliminate Cabernets and Malbecs in favor of a traditional Pinot Noir. A wine with low tannins won’t compete with the other delicious flavors on your menu.
Now, once you know the grapes you want to focus on, try to match the aroma of your wine to your menu as well. To compliment all side dishes, we recommend choosing wines with a subtle nose of cherry and blackberry aromas. You should also consider selecting a wine with a decent amount of acidity to cleanse your palate before and after each taste of a different side dish.
Personally, I enjoy pairing spicy and earthy red wines with turkey dishes. This Thanksgiving, I’ll probably pop the cork of a Southern Rhone like a Chateauneuf-du-Pape or a Gigondas. However, these appellation wines are higher-priced and, if you’re having a big celebration with a lot of guests, you might want to select a cheaper – yet still delicious – option.
Due to its many affordable vintages and lighter body, Pinot Noir is the winner for the best wine to serve with your menu this Turkey Day. I’d suggest selecting Californian ones, since they tend to be easier to drink than the French Pinot Noirs. For those of you who do not like Pinot Noir or prefer a white wine for your table, a buttery and oaky Chardonnay is the perfect substitute.
Find some of our Pinot Noir selections for every budget below:
Joseph Swan – Sonoma Coast - Pinot Noir - 2012 – approximately $30 at retail price.
Walter Hansel – Pinot Noir - 2012 – approximately $60 at retail price.
Marcassin – Russian River Valley - Sonoma Coast - Pinot Noir - 2011 -- over $250 at retail price.
Fadi –