Matching Wine With Thanksgiving Dinner

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To the vast majority of Americans, Thanksgiving means turkey for dinner. But what accompanies turkey on the plate varies greatly from table to table, as can the wine that goes along with the meal. The dishes served at Thanksgiving can be a hodgepodge of flavors and textures that have become one's own family tradition over the years. My grandmother's rolls and my sister's baked sweet potato dish come to mind.

These variations on a theme mean that there are no hard and fast rules about which wines to drink with Thanksgiving dinner. Add to that the great diversity of the meal's components and flavors, and pairing wine can be quite a challenge.

Here is some help just in time for the holiday. Highlighted below are wine selections in various categories that should pair well with any feast. While these suggestions offer some helpful guidelines, at the end of the day your personal preference and your family's own Thanksgiving menu may offer the best direction.


Sparkling wine

The celebration of any holiday brings to mind the ultimate party wine: Champagne (or sparklers from other wine-producing areas). Along with the celebratory aspect, sparkling wine can also be a great pairing with many dishes. The acidity and effervescence of the wine serve as palate-cleansers, preparing you for the next bite. Also, the flavors of most sparkling wines are somewhat more restrained than those of still wines, making them easier to match with food that has a variety of spices and flavors.

Aromatic whites

For some good white-wine pairings, it may be best to think in the category of wines sometimes known as "ABC," or "Anything But Chardonnay." While Chardonnay may be a favorite for other meals, full-bodied and oaky styles may overwhelm a Thanksgiving menu. Wines such as Riesling and Pinot Gris mix white fruit and spice flavors with low alcohol content. The alcohol content can be an important consideration when pairing wine with the clove, nutmeg and other more-exotic spices found in many Thanksgiving side dishes. These spices often make a wine with higher alcohol seem very hot on the palate. For a drier, more refreshing style of one of these fragrant whites, try a Pinot Grigio from Italy.

Rosés

Young rosés are often crowd-pleasers at Thanksgiving. They are easy to drink, and they exhibit lively fruit flavors that almost everyone can appreciate. And unlike the white Zinfandel you may be thinking of, many rosés are neither decidedly sweet nor decidedly dry. This makes them welcome with a variety of dishes, as the balance keeps them from wiping out or dominating the food's flavors.

Cabernet Franc

Cabernet Franc is a personal favorite of mine for the Thanksgiving table. While this grape is well known for its role in the traditional Bordeaux blend, varietal bottlings are also delicious. Cab Franc is usually lighter-bodied and shows less tannin than its relative Cabernet Sauvignon, making it a good red-wine option for turkey or other game birds. France's Loire Valley produces some of the better-known versions, though the grape variety is hidden behind the name of the wine's appellation of origin. Also, look for bottlings from California as well as from New York and Washington states.