Wine Pairings for Thanksgiving

Chan Peterson is a San Antonio based wine consultant and educator. Through his consultancy, World of Fine Wining, he works with clients to curate their cellars, teaches for the Napa Valley Wine Academy and conducts tastings and wine oriented dining experiences and events. He holds an Advanced Certificate and Educator Certificate from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) and is a certified Fine Vintage Sommelier.

Always happy to field your wine questions and interests, Chan can be reached directly via his email address, [email protected], through his Instagram page, @worldoffinewining, or his Facebook page, Fine Wining.

Thanksgiving. Suddenly upon us, and many of us are wrestling with Thanksgiving plans in 2020’s alternate universe. Eleventh hour change in plans? How many will gather? Will we find comfort and some semblance of familiarity in a traditional menu or throw tradition out the window in this abnormal year and do something altogether new? And then, there’s the perennial challenge of wine at Thanksgiving. Most of us will retreat to comfort in a traditional Thanksgiving meal, with the gathering smaller and the wine pairings “classically” American – domestic Sparkling Wine, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and maybe that most American wine (by way of Croatia where it’s known as Tribidrag)… Zinfandel.

Should you feel a bit more adventurous and your interests lean toward wine and food pairings there are several cornerstones to consider. The classically American feast covers an array of dishes: maybe the meal kicks off with oysters and a fall salad, followed by the turkey with a sausage and herb based stuffing, then a myriad of sides – mashed potatoes, brussels sprouts, sweet potato casserole (Ruth’s Chris version is a family tradition – try it…), cranberry sauce or relish, and pies (pecan, pumpkin, apple…). As broad as the array of dishes is the spectrum of flavors and textures they present: brininess, green fruit, vinaigrette, bleu cheese, nuts, moist fowl, starch, butter and gravy (fat), savory, tartness and sweetness.

This is where Thanksgiving wine pairing becomes a challenge and some basic wine-food rules become very helpful.

Rule #1

Wine will not change the taste of the food, but food will definitely affect how we experience the wine – it would be a shame to overwhelm the character and nuances of a delicate Burgundy with your favorite stuffing.

Rule #2

Sweet and savory dishes will make the wine seem more drying and bitter and less sweet and fruity – you wouldn’t want to subject your favorite Cabernet with its depth of tannins to this, so look for a fruitier red with good balance and some “crunch”.

Rule #3

Salty and acidic foods will make the wine seem less drying, bitter and acidic, more fruity with more body – think acid driven sparkling and white wines.

Rule #4

Highly flavored dishes (and there will likely be a lot of them on your Thanksgiving table) can overwhelm wine flavors – so look for wines that can stand up (a hint of sweetness in the wine will work well).

Rule #5

Fatty and oily foods (here again there are likely a lot of these on your table) will make the wine less acidic.

Incorporating all this into a wine lineup for Thanksgiving might seem daunting, so here are a few suggestions – both domestic and old world:

Begin with a drier domestic sparkling wine. Domaine Carneros Ultra Brut (Napa) – dry, crisp, balanced with notes of almond, pear, apple and dusty minerality would be a great complement to the oysters and salad.

For white wine preferences, a Riesling with a balanced core and a hint of sweetness to complement the main and sides. My choice: Trisaetum Estates Reserve Dry Riesling (Oregon) – aromas of honeysuckle, wet stone, and orange zest; white peach, tangerine and spice on the palate. The 2014 was served at a White House State Dinner in 2016.

For red wine preferences to complement the main and sides, a Syrah from California’s Central Coast. My choice: Tensley Thompson Vineyard Syrah (Santa Barbara County) – bright notes of dark berries, red plums and minerals, earthy and full-bodied with a long finish to work across the spectrum of Thanksgiving flavors.

To finish, a sweet wine, Dolce (Napa Valley) – a blend of late harvest Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc with a beautiful balance between sweetness and acidity; aromas of orange zest, vanilla and butterscotch, flavors of orange, pear, dried apricot and caramel with hints of mineral; juicy with a long mouthwatering finish

If you want to complement your meal with old world wines consider…

Champagne is the obvious sparkling wine choice and I might go with:

Delamotte Blanc de Blancs – On the nose – baked bread, green apple, citrus essence; On the palate – light chalky mousse, fresh, green apple, bright minerality, dry, crisp acidity, a lemony finish, and salinity that Begs for oysters!

For whites, Alsatian Rieslings and Pinot Gris are an excellent match. Two favorites:

Domaine Weinbach Riesling Cuvee Ste. Catherine – “Powerful with lime and citrus notes and some spiciness, as well as some honeyed richness. Lively, powerful and intense with a long finish. Dry with just a hint of sweetness.”
Zind Humbrecht Pinot Gris Calcaire – “bright and tangy, showing ground spice, herb and smoke aromatics, with white peach and candied pink grapefruit zest flavors, medium bodied with a lasting finish of chalky mineral and spice.”

For reds, I favor a Cru Beaujolais. Borne of the Gamay grape, these are a far cry from the Beaujolais Nouveau most of us are familiar with. Cru Beaujolais are the best of the Beaujolais region (just south of Burgundy) and come from one of 10 Crus in the finest sectors of the superior, northern part of the appellation. These wines have been making their way on to fine wine lists globally. I lean toward those of Morgon, and Moulin-a-Vent for their fruit, mineral and acid profiles. A couple of favorites:

Domaine Diochon Moulin-a-Vent – “Rich and inviting bouquet of black cherries, licorice, smoked meats, anise, orange rind and peonies. Medium to full bodied, fleshy… ripe tannins, succulent acids and a long finish.” (Wine Advocate)
Guy Breton Morgon Vielles Vignes – “Raspberries, pomegranate, rustic spicy nose, stony freshness from the schist soil. Refreshing acidity” (Kermit Lynch)

For a sweet wine I favor a Sauternes, and if you really want to be bold consider serving it throughout the entire course of the meal. Sound bizarre? Maybe, but, these botrytised (noble rot) wines from Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc grapes combine lush fruits with a definitive core of acidity that brings focus to the sweetness and will marry with every dish on your Thanksgiving table. Favorite from a visit in 2018:

Chateau Guiraud Sauternes – On the nose – sugared peach, blood orange, caramelized pineapple, mango, honey; On the palate – layers of citrus, marmalade, full bodied, rich with a long spicy finish. Moderately sweet.