The Best Wines to Pair with Thanksgiving Dinner
You have planned your Thanksgiving dinner. You are excited about the array of dishes you are making. Now, you can decide on wines to complement your delicious feast. Red, white, rosé, and non-alcoholic wines can all be wonderful accents to your meal. Consider what you think the people who will attend will enjoy. Also, consider choosing options that pair well with a variety of dishes. This way, you have flexibility. You don’t have to construct a complex chart. You don’t have to worry about remembering everything that goes together. The selections you choose will pair perfectly with every dish you prepare for Thanksgiving.
Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc
Perhaps you and/or your guests like red wine. On Thanksgiving, this can be a great addition to your dinner. Pinot Noir can be a good choice for a Thanksgiving red. Pinot Noir has the benefit of being versatile.
According to Janeen Jason, a certified sommelier for the VinoTeca store in Atlanta, Pinot Noir is “the perfect catch-all red wine.” It can pair with a variety of Thanksgiving dishes. One possible option for Thanksgiving is the 2021 Rebellious Pinot Noir. According to “Food & Wine,” “this new wine has abundant berry fruit.” The grape blend for this Pinot Noir also includes Chardonnay and Sangiovese varieties.
If you and/or your guests are white wine enthusiasts, you are in luck. There are selections that can go well with the dishes you present to your guests. For a versatile dinner pairing option, consider Sauvignon Blanc. Paul Durant owns Durant Vineyards. Durant states: “Sauvignon Blanc will complement just about everything around the table.” The 2022 St. Supéry Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc could be a delicious Thanksgiving choice. According to Food & Wine, this Sauvignon Blanc is “full of melon flavors.”
Lovely Rosé and Sparkling Non-Alcoholic Cava
Another possibility to consider is a rosé. If you are continuing to prioritize versatility, you can find a rosé to multitask. Wine Enthusiast recommends: “Pair something vibrant with all of the food on the table.” A rosé can be a fun, festive choice to go with your dinner. A benefit of a rosé is that it can be subtle yet present. It can have a flavor palette that suits the meal rather than overwhelming it. For a Thanksgiving meal, Janeen Jason suggests a Pinot Noir rosé. Wine Enthusiast offers the Red Car 2024 Rosé of Pinot Noir. This rosé was created on the Sonoma Coast.
A non-alcoholic wine option to pair wonderfully with your meal is a considerate addition. Logan Griffin is Blackberry Mountain’s director of food and beverage. Griffin is also a certified sommelier. Griffin recommends seeking out non-alcoholic Cavas from Spain. There may be guests wanting to partake in bubbly beverages but not alcohol. Non-alcoholic Cavas can be festive, sparkly options that they can enjoy. Additionally, the non-alcoholic Cavas can go well with the food you have prepared.
Overview of Thanksgiving Dinner Pairing Considerations
Putting thought into finding wines to go with a Thanksgiving meal can be in-depth. There are many options to choose from. You may have multiple items at the dinner table to pair with. In general, choosing versatile options that go with many dishes can help. Thinking in terms of versatility can ease any worries you have about pairing. Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc are options that pair well with a variety of items. Rosé, too, is a versatile choice. Providing a sparkling non-alcoholic Cava that tastes delicious can be thoughtful and festive. Beyond that, enjoy the process of choosing. On Thanksgiving, focus on the fact that you are gathering with people you care about.
