“Thanksgiving isn’t about the wine.” That’s what I recently found myself telling a friend who had asked me what I was serving with Thanksgiving dinner this year.
As someone who selects her wine in a restaurant and then chooses food to accompany that wine, the concept of a meal at which wine is not the center is unthinkable.
Except that I do think it. You see, I’ve spent many years anxiously searching for the “perfect” Thanksgiving wine. As I’ve written here before, it’s not an easy task. There are so many flavors on the table at once, many of which are difficult to match individually. Put them all together, and you have a food and wine pairing nightmare. The task is even more stressful because the day is so special. As a host, you want to choose a wine that is worthy of your beloved family and your honored guests.
So, for the last several years, I’ve very carefully chosen my Thanksgiving wine, typically spending a lot more money than usual. I proudly present it to my guests (or host, when I’m a guest who has been assigned to bring the wine) and wait for the appropriate acknowledgement of what a brilliant selection I’ve made. Unfortunately, it never comes.
Last year, I finally realized why: Thanksgiving is all about family, food and football. With the focus on the three Fs, who wants to spend a lot of time talking about the wine or analyzing how well it pairs with Aunt Frieda’s oyster stuffing (not something we eat)? Don’t get me wrong; I still believe that wine is an integral part of the Thanksgiving dinner. It’s just that I no longer try to force it into the spotlight. It enhances the food, the family and the football, but it’s not the main event. Believe it or not, I’m actually OK with that. In fact, it’s rather liberating.
So this year, my focus on Thanksgiving wine has changed. It’s not about selecting an expensive showpiece. And it’s not about finding the “perfect” wine to match everything on the table. Instead, I’m choosing something reasonably priced that I like. Just like the sweet potatoes and the jellied cranberries that don’t really seem to go together, but which always manage to co-exist, I’m pretty sure that any wine I enjoy will still taste good when placed at the Thanksgiving feast.
So, with that in mind, I thought I would provide you with a few recommendations for each of the major categories of wine. If you’re looking for a Thanksgiving wine this year, just choose your favorite category, and look for one of the wines I recommend. Each of the recommended wines is currently available locally, and all retail for less than $20. As an added bonus, most stores put a lot of their wines on sale during this season, so you’re likely to find these wines for a few dollars less than I list.
Red Wine: 2010 d’Arenberg Stump Jump Shiraz (Australia ; $13; big and juicy); 2010 Alamos Malbec (Argentina ; $13; tannic, but with plenty of fruit); 2009 Bogle Old Vine Zinfandel (California
White Wine: 2010 Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand ; $15; crisp, refreshing with beautiful citrus and grassy notes); 2009 Eola Hills Pinot Gris (Oregon ; $13; refreshing with lovely apple flavors); 2010 King Estate Pinot Grist (Oregon
Rosé Wine: 2010 Beringer White Zinfandel (California ; $9; sweet, bubblegum and strawberries); 2010 Sutter Home White Zinfandel (California
Slightly Sweet: 2008 Oak Knoll Riesling (Oregon ; $13; honeysuckle and pears); 2009 Bridgeview Blue Moon Riesling (Oregon ; $9; apples, honey and melons); 2010 Chateau Ste. Michelle Gewurztraminer (Washington
Sparkling: Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut (Spain ; $14; crisp with lemon and lime flavors); Domaine Ste. Michelle Brut (Washington ; $14; strawberries and toast); Zardetto Prosecco (Italy
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