Easy to Find Thanksgiving Wine Recommendations

November 16, 2022 By

You have just over a week to get to the wine store to find the ‘perfect’ bottle for Thanksgiving. In the USA, more wine is sold around Thanksgiving than any other holiday. Choices can be overwhelming with so many wines at various prices and for bottles that need to please people with very different palates.

One additional challenge I often hear from my wine drinker friends is that wine compilations are often for wines that aren’t easy to find or for wines that are available on limited bases. The following recommendations are for easy-to-find American wines for Thanksgiving at various price points.

Sparkling Wines for Thanksgiving

Sparkling wine should be on hand for any celebration and Thanksgiving is no exception. Bubbly is food-friendly and it’s simply festive! Whether you pour a glass as an aperitif or pop open a bottle to pair with richer foods, don’t leave sparkling wine off your holiday table.

Gruet Winery Blanc de Noirs NV, New Mexico, $16.99

Chandon California Brut Sparkling Wine NV, $17.99

Mumm Napa Brut Rosé NV, $17.99

Decoy by Duckhorn Brut Cuvee Sparkling NV, $19.99

Schramsberg Mirabelle Brut Rose NV, $32.99

Sparkling Pointe Brut Seduction NV, $52.99

2010 Gloria Ferrer Carneros Cuvée, $88.99

Thanksgiving White Wines

Riesling, Viognier, Chardonnay and Gewürztraminer are always top picks for Turkey Day with big flavors and great acidity that are a great match for white or dark meat and for the bold flavors of candied yams and spiced dressing. Here are 10 American white wines for Thanksgiving:

2015 Ravines Wine Cellars Dry Riesling, $19.99

2015 Red Newt Riesling Tango Oaks, $19.99

2016 Lenz Gewurztraminer, $20.99

2019 Stags Leap Viognier, $24.99

2020 Trisaetum Riesling Dry Coast Range, $26.99

2021 Pedernales Cellars Viognier Reserve, $42.99

2016 Grgich Hills Chardonnay, $43.99

2016 K Vintners Viognier Powerline, $49.99

2018 Ramey Chardonnay Rochioli Vineyard, $78.99

2018 Domaine Serene Chardonnay Evenstad Reserve, $64.99

Thanksgiving Red Wines

While Pinot Noir is THE go-to red varietal for Thanksgiving as it pairs well with most foods, the mighty Zinfandel with a touch of smokiness is also a great option especially for dark meat and meat stuffing. Here are 10 American red wines for Thanksgiving:

2019 Evolution Pinot Noir, $19.99

2019 Seghesio Zinfandel Sonoma, $19.99

2019 Turley Zinfandel Juvenile, $29.99

2019 Enroute Les Pommiers Pinot Noir, $32.99

2016 Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir, 2016, $38.99

2015 Gary Farrell Pinot Noir Russian River, $39.99

2017 Limerick Lane Zinfandel Russian River Valley, $39.99

2018 Penner Ash Pinot Noir Willamette Valley, $44.99

2019 Ridge Zinfandel Geyserville, $45.99

2017 Flowers Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast, $49.99

When you head off to the wine shop, plan on one bottle of wine per adult, with more just in case.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: United States, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,
7 November 2018 Thanksgiving Wines for Every Budget and Palate

Thanksgiving Wines for Every Budget and Palate

November 7, 2018 By

In America, more wine is purchased for Thanksgiving dinner than for any other holiday. Since there are so many conflicting flavors served at the Thanksgiving table, the challenge lies in selecting wines that pair well with the food.

To please diners with various tastes, it’s wise to have a selection of both red and white bottles on the table, with corresponding glassware. Your guests can then decide what works for them and allows them the opportunity to switch back and forth between wines and food.

Pouring American wines always seems like the right thing to do for this all-American holiday and here are some widely-available Thanksgiving wines at various price points.

 

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Sparkling Wines for Thanksgiving

Having some sparkling wine on hand for Thanksgiving is smart as it’s an ideal aperitif to set the tone for a festive atmosphere as guests arrive but it’s also very food-friendly and enjoyable throughout dinner.

Gruet Winery – Gruet Blanc de Noirs NV – $12.99

2014 Taittinger Domaine Carneros Brut – $24.99

2015 Schramsberg Blanc De Blanc – $27.99

Roederer Estate Brut NV – $20.99

Best Thanksgiving Whites

Riesling

Riesling is always a top pick for Turkey Day with its apple and honey flavors and great acidity – perfect for white and dark meat and for the bold flavors of candied sweet potatoes and spiced stuffing.

2017 Willamette Valley Vineyards Riesling – $12.99

2016 Ravines Riesling Dry – $13.99

2015 Forlorn Hope White “Queen Of the Sierra” Estate – $19.99

Gewürztraminer

Another clear favorite for Thanksgiving is Gewürztraminer with its ultra-aromatic nose and spicy palate. Great for turkey, gravy, rich casseroles!

2016 Fetzer Vineyards Gewurztraminer – $8.99

2014 Red Newt Cellars Gewurztraminer – $12.99

2015 Hogue Cellars Gewurztraminer – $9.99

Best Thanksgiving Reds

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Zinfandel

We love these wines with dark turkey meat and meat-based stuffing. Zins will enhance the big spiced flavors of Thanksgiving dinner, especially allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg. These wines will also add a touch of smokiness to the foods they’re paired with.

2015 Bogle Vineyards Bogle Essential – $8.99

2015 Foxglove – Zinfandel – $12.99

2016 Ridge Vineyards Three Valleys Red Sonoma County – $24.99

2016 Hartford Family Winery Old Vine Zinfandel Russian River – $34.99

2015 Limerick Lane Russian River Zinfandel – $39.99

Pinot Noir

This is likely the wine best-suited for Thanksgiving as it pairs well with most foods. The fruitiness of the wine is a nice match for sides and cranberry sauce, mushroom dishes and goes well with both white and dark meat.

2016 Owen Roe – Pinot Noir Sharecropper’s – $19.99

2014 Robert Sinskey Vineyards – Robert Sinskey Pinot Noir – $23.99

2014 Carpe Diem Pinot Noir Anderson Valley – $24.99     

2015 Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir Willamette Valley – $34.99

2015 Bergstrom Wines Pinot Noir Cumberland Reserve – $36.99

2015 En Route – Pinot Noir Les Pommiers – $49.99

Do you have some favorites for Thanksgiving? Whatever you pour, I hope you have a great holiday!

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Thanksgiving Wine Strategies

November 8, 2017 By

Happy Wine Wednesday!

Jersey Bites just published my article on Thanksgiving wine strategies. I thought I’d post it here for those of you (like most of us) who struggle with which wines to pair with Thanksgiving dinner.

The Struggle is Real

With so many foods being served on turkey day, it’s never easy to find THE pairing. I’m very traditional with my wine choices typically for Thanksgiving. I pop bubbly as guests arrive (okay, maybe before guests arrive too) then move on to American Pinto Noir. I just find that pouring a light Pinot Noir and a heavier Pinot Noir does the trick with this type of food.

READ THE POST HERE.

Finally, I want to wish you a happy Thanksgiving and wine buying experience,

Veronique

Filed Under: Wine Reviews Tagged With: , ,

10 Thanksgiving Wines Under $25

November 15, 2012 By

More wine is purchased by Americans for Thanksgiving dinner than for any other holiday. White? Red? There is no simple answer when it comes to what one should serve with the big, bold flavors of Thanksgiving. Following are some affordable American wine recommendations for Turkey Day.

  • 2011 Red Newt Cellars Circle Riesling (Finger Lakes, New York): $12 – Pear and pineapple flavors with a trace of sweetness and a nice level of acidity.
  • 2010 Hahn Winery Pinot Noir Monterey (Monterey, California): $14 – Aromas of ripe raspberries and cherries, rich with raspberry preserves with notes of pumpkin pie spice flavors.
  • 2008 Thomas Fogarty Gewürtztraminer (Monterey County, California): $14 – Tropical fruit aromas and flavors of clementine, papaya and lychee.
  • Chateau Frank Celebre (Finger Lakes, New York): $20 – Cremant-style sparkling wine with an Asian pear flavor and long, dry finish.
  • 2010 Garnet Carneros Pinot Noir (Carneros, California): $20 – Vibrant floral and strawberry aromas with earthy notes. Bright cherry flavors with slightly woodsy undertones.
  • 2010 Heart and Hands Pinot Noir (Finger Lakes, New York): $21 – Aromas of red berries, flavors of ripe cherries on a beautifully-balanced wine.
  • Roederer Estate Anderson Valley Brut (Anderson Valley, California): $22 – Rich and a little oaky sparkling wine with aromas of Asian apple and flavors of ripe, juicy pear and nutty notes.
  • 2007 Paumanok Merlot (North Fork, New York): $24 – Ripe crushed strawberry aroma, dark red fruit flavors and a long finish.
  • 2011 Chateau Montelena Potter Valley Riesling (Potter Valley, California): $25 – Juicy pear, honey notes, long and spicy finish.
  • Schramsberg Mirabelle Brut Rosé (Napa Valley, California): $25 – Pale pink with a light strawberry aroma and juicy fruit flavors.

Whatever you chose to pour for Thanksgiving, enjoy it with family and friends.

Veronique

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