Thanksgiving Wine Pairings
Next to Independence Day, Thanksgiving is the
great American holiday. It deserves great wines.
Here you'll find recommended pairings for all the
courses of your gourmet Thanksgiving feast.
Start with Sparkle
Greet your guests with a bright smile and an even brighter glass of bubbly. Brut
or extra brut sparkling wine or Champagne is dry, as is Spanish Cava.
Spumante and Prosecco tend to be sweeter, though not always. Pair up your
bubbly with your hors d'oeuvres or starters with their opposites. In other words,
dry or spicy starters pair well with sweeter bubblies while sweeter hors
d'oeuvres tend to pair nicely with dryers sparklers -- think Cava or brut
Champagne with pumpkin soup and cranberries but perhaps Proseco or
Spumante with cheese and crackers. Note to self: these are hardly hard and
fast rules. You can't really go wrong with a nice bubbly.
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Wine knowledge for the wine novice
Keep it Light with White
After your guests sit down at table, it's time to crack the white wine. Good
choices for early courses include (from driest to fruitiest):
Yes, Martha, You Can Serve Red with Turkey
It’s a myth that you can’t serve red wine with white meat. In fact, some reds pair
excellently with turkey, including:

Beaujolais Nouveau – Light, fruity harvest wine, released each year from on
the third Thursday of November, pairs superbly with turkey and most side
dishes. (Although The Oenophiliac disagrees.)
Stay in the Pink
Bubbly Recommendations:
Sauvignon Blanc – Crisp earthy, herbaceous and goes great with stuffing, yams and veggies. Two good bets are: Allan Scott 2006 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc ($14.99) and Provenance Vineyards 2006 Sauvignon Blanc ($18.99).

Viognier – Lightly acid, floral with a dash of fruit make this an elegant pair-up with turkey dishes. California's Cline 2006 Viognier ($10.79) should hit the spot. Or, if you want something really special and different try Pikes 2006 Gill's Farm Viognier ($22.99)

Riesling – Sometimes dry but often sweet, excellent with spicier dishes and can really cut the gravy. Try the Baron zu Knyphausen 2005 Baron K Riesling Kabinett from Germany's Rheingau ($14.79) or Bonny Doon's 2005 Pacific Rim Dry Riesling ($10.99).

Gewurztraminer – Usually a touch sweet with round but zingy fruit flavor and a full body, this wine can also be enjoyed with spicy dishes our used as a dessert wine. You can't beat the Domaine Schlumberger 2004 Gewurztraminer Fleur ($21.99) but the Hugel 2005 Gewurztraminer ($22.99) is pretty swell, too.
Rosés, too, can play a role in your turkey-day repertoire. They pair excellently with zesty stuffing but also with ham and other side meats, such as pork or duck, that you might be serving. Two pinkies you can't go wrong with anytime are Bonny Doon's Vin de Cigare Volant ($28.99) and the ever amusing Big House Pink, a bargain at just $10.99.
Pinot Noir – Delicate but flavorful, Pinot Noir is probably your best bet for the holiday. A by Acacia 2005 Pinot Noir ($18.99) will do the trick, as will theKing Estate 2005 Signature Pinot from Oregon's famed Willamette Valley.

Zinfandel – Deep and flavorful, Zin's strong, spicy, raisiny flavor can add punch to your feast. And they're thoroughly American. Two that are Zincerely excellent are the Alderbrook 2003 Old Vine Zinfandel ($13) and Francis Ford Coppola's spice bomb, the 2005 Diamond Zinfandel ($15.49)
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