My 2020 Thanksgiving Wine Guide!
Thanksgiving is this Thursday and even though it’s guaranteed to look a lot different than past years, there are still ways to make sure your dinner is delicious and memorable. One way to do that is make sure you have all the right wine to pair with your meal. And to help make that selection as easy as possible, I’ve got you covered with my 2020 Thanksgiving Wine Guide. All of these wines were chosen so you didn’t have to pair them with specific dishes but could enjoy them with your entire meal overall. Here we go!
*The first two wines were gifted to me from this amazing site called Wines ‘Til Sold Out. WTSO is a great company based in New Jersey that uses their extensive network of wineries and winemakers to connect customers to thousands of brands from top appellations around the globe at CRAZY discounted prices.
1) Chablis
Domaine Besson Chablis Premier Cru Vaillons 2018
Unlike California Chardonnay which is typically overpowering with oak, Chablis from the Burgundy region of France is very refined and crisp. That crispness is refreshing on the palate, especially when cutting through the creaminess and richness of such dishes as macaroni and cheese and green bean casserole.
2) Pinot Noir
Pelligrini Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2014
There’s nothing a turkey loves more than a Pinot Noir. Ok, that’s DEFINITELY not true but you get my point. And this one is full of aromas and flavors that you typically find in a Thanksgiving meal: dark cherry, nutmeg, pomegranate, maple. The winemaker says “The wine’s graceful acidity is balanced by its smooth and creamy texture and a lingering velvety finish.” Pinot is going to be a winner at your Thanksgiving table because it will appease both the bold red drinkers with it’s fruitiness and the white wine drinkers that don’t care for mouth-drying, overpowering flavors.
3) Beaujolais Nouveau 2020
Duboeuf Beajolais Nouveau 2020 $15
This light and fruity red wine, coming from the Beaujolais region of France, is always released the third Thursday in November in the same year the grapes are harvested. It’s actually a national holiday in France and this year it happened to fall on my birthday, Nov. 19th. Made from the gamay grape, Beaujolais Nouveau is a great Thanksgiving wine because it’s so versatile. Unlike bold red wines that will overpower many dishes, this wine is light enough to compliment the white meat of a turkey but also has enough structure to hang with most rich stuffings.
4) Riesling
I would argue that a Dry Riesling is one of the most underrated options for Thanksgiving. This white has enough acidity in it to cut through all of the very rich dishes that are on your Thanksgiving table. Combine that with the flavors of apple and honey and you’ve got an amazing pairing.
5) Tawny Port
Taylor Tawny Port
Tawny Port will not only go great with your Thanksgiving dessert but it would also be a great drink to start off your Thanksgiving meal. That’s right, the caramelized, toffee flavors would be a nice accompaniment to both your hard cheese appetizer while you wait for the turkey main event and your pumpkin pie finisher.
Let me know if you decide to try anyone of these suggestions at your Thanksgiving dinner! Leave a comment below.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!
