Thanksgiving Wine Selection

What Booze Do I Bring To Thanksgiving Dinner?

Posted by: Leonora Epstein Filed in: style
10:30AM, Tuesday November 24th 2009

When it comes to T-Day, most of your effort goes towards figuring out (or stressing about) the meal. And hey, congrats! Cooking a turkey is no easy feat. But now you probably want to get all jolly and merry to celebrate your success. So what to drink? Whether you’re in charge of the booze yourself, or a guest at someone else’s Thanksgiving table (hey slacker, now you really have to bring it), here are a few suggestions for appropriate pairings, after the jump.

Very appropriate for the season, Beaujolais Nouveau is a French red wine that is celebrated once a year. On the third Thursday of November, wine merchants receive their shipments of the harvest, and the Beaujolais festival commences with affordable bottles from the crop everywhere. Light in body and flavor, the seasonal nature of this wine is fitting for pre-turkey hors d’oeuvres, or as a refreshing accompaniment to the richness of stuffing and gravy. The most popular maker is Georges Duboeuf. [$8.99, Jericho Wine]
A no-fail choice: Pinot Noir. It’s rich, thick, bold, and spicy, bringing the feeling of holiday flavors to the palate. This hearty red increases the decadence of a meal, so, as they say, go big or go home. While you’ll find some choice Italian and French varieties, perhaps a more appropriate choice would come from the States, like this smoky David Bruce 2006 from Sonoma, CA. [$39, Bottle Rocket Wine]
For an after-dinner digestif to go with dessert, try a bottle of Calvados, which is also a very respectable gift to offer your host or hostess. It’s a strong liquor made from apples (again, seasonal) that is very similar to Cognac. [$54.99, K&L Wine Merchants]

comments

Jessalyn
wrote on November 24 2009 @ 10:55 am: [report]

Please don’t take Beaujolais Nouveau to Thanksgiving dinner! Bring a beaujolais that’s been aged a bit, or a nice Beaujolais-Villages (Louis-Jadot is one of the most widely available). The Nouveau is just a get-drunk-and-super-hungover tradition; no one drinks it for the taste. Although on second thought, if you’re celebrating the release of the Nouveau at Thanksgiving, that could work!

Another Thanksgiving-friendly California Pinot Noir is Bearboat, from the Russian River Valley. It usually sells for right around $20 or a few dollars less. It’s fruity, but heavy enough that it won’t be overpowered by the turkey.

axdiva
wrote on November 24 2009 @ 10:57 am: [report]

I would also suggest this.

Pumpkin Pie Liquor

Tastes great even by itself (with a dollop of cool whip on the top).

CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on November 24 2009 @ 10:59 am: [report]

Lenora’s bio says she’s 22, so I’m not going to buy any sort of wine teachings.

C.Munro
wrote on November 24 2009 @ 11:02 am: [report]

I’ll be bringing a 7-oz. flask full of Jameson to keep things from getting too dull between naps. I am not drinking the awful Liebfraumilch my family will probably be pouring.

spatula
wrote on November 24 2009 @ 11:04 am: [report]

@axdiva: a local winery around here makes a Pumpkin Pie wine, it’s soooo amazing

courtneylocke
wrote on November 24 2009 @ 11:29 am: [report]

Careful with the above recommendations: a Pinot Noir should never be “rich, thick, bold, [or] spicy”. If it is, it’s a bad bottle. Pinots are one of the lightest red wines in the spectrum. If you’re looking for something bold and spicy, go with a Shiraz/Syrah or a Cab.

powplz
wrote on November 24 2009 @ 11:36 am: [report]

@courtneylocke - agreed! I don’t know that much about wines, but that seemed off to me. Pinot noir is one of the few wines I can identify blind because it taste so much lighter and thinner (which I only usually notice so much because I prefer shiraz, malbec, and carmenere). You obviously know more than I do about this - any rec’s for a t-day friendly white? I’m way more familiar with reds than whites.

Humble Bee
wrote on November 24 2009 @ 12:12 pm: [report]

I honestly dont know sh*t about wine, I just know I like the cheap stuff. haha. Give me some Boxed wine, or some Carlo Rossi Sangria, or if your really cheap give me some 2 dollar Boones!!!! lmao
I once bought this bottle of Barefoot Wine, it was a white Moscato, I havent been able to find it anywhere!!! It was so good! It was light and sweet. I also like the Chardonnay, the blue barefoot bottle.

bogart4017
wrote on November 24 2009 @ 01:36 pm: [report]

Cabernet anyone?

Jessalyn
wrote on November 24 2009 @ 03:34 pm: [report]

@bogart: I actually just found a new Cab I really like - Sterling (a Calistoga, CA winery) - it’s rich without being heavy and has your standard cab flavor without the bite that can be a little overwhelming. I tried it at a restaurant a month or so ago, loved it, then randomly found it at Harris Teeter for less than $20. Needless to say, it’s my new go-to red.

equnsuocha
wrote on November 24 2009 @ 03:49 pm: [report]

Ok so I live in Redwood Valley the home of Fetzer and many other fine wineries, is it awful that I hate wine? I get tons of it at XMas and I am a regifter >.<

Now give me a quart of cheap burgundy, a cup of sweet vermouth, 2 tblsp sugar and some mulling spices and I am in heaven