A Toast to Thanksgiving: Wines For Every Celebration
Thanksgiving looks different for everyone – there is no “one wine fits all”.
Whether you are braving the crowds to fly home to family or hosting your own gathering this year, we have the perfect wine for you.
For the one staying in the city this year and enjoying heavy appetizers with friends
Airports at Thanksgiving are notoriously chaotic. We don’t blame you if you decided to hang back this year and celebrate with those you care about around you.
Impress your friends with an out-of-the box selection of bright natural wines.
To complement the array of rich appetizers or takeout, opt for something crisp, light, and perhaps effervescent.
Recommendation: Pét-Nat
Gently fizzy, low-sugar, low ABV, naturally fermented.
For the first time host
Hosting Thanksgiving for the first time can be both exciting and nerve-wracking.
To relieve some pressure, choose a few versatile wines that pair well with the variety of dinner dishes. Showcase your cooking while still accounting for personal preference.
A medium-bodied bright red wine can be an excellent choice, and a delicate chardonnay pairs wonderfully with turkey. To appease the non-chardonnay lovers, offering a second crisp white wine option is ideal.
Recommendation: Pinot Noir, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Beaujolais Nouveau
Classic wines that pair perfectly with a Thanksgiving meal.
For the relieved non-host
As a past-host, you’re familiar with the intense preparation required of the Thanksgiving feast. The host likely has the perfect wine pairing for dinner, so help them out by covering appetizers and dessert.
A bright, bubbly, wine with low ABV such as a Vinho Verde is the perfect pre-dinner wine.
For dessert, opt for a light sweet wine such as a Finger Lakes Riesling or a more indulgent Tawny Port depending on what dessert you are serving.
Recommendation: Vinho Verde, Reisling, Tawny Port
Pre-dinner effervescence and post-dinner indulgence.
For the one that turkey trotted, touch football-ed, and prepped all day
If your Thanksgiving involves a day full of activities: a 5k in the morning, an afternoon of touch football with the cousins, and a day full of dinner preparations, you’ll need a wine that matches your bubbly personality and keeps you energized.
Champagne and Prosecco are classic celebration companions Rejuvenate your palate after a day of activity with your favorite choice of bubbly.
Recommendation: Champagne, Prosecco
Keep the energy high with celebratory wines that open with a pop.
For the one that loves to give back
Giving back this year doesn’t have to be complicated – quite a few wineries give a percentage of their proceeds to charity.
Indulge as much as you want, guilt free.
Recommendation: Purple Star Wines – Kennewick, WA
15% of all Purple Star Wines’ proceeds are donated to Seattle Children’s Hospital to benefit uncompensated care
Editor
Natalie is co-founder and editor of The Grapevine Magazine where she helps winemakers big and small tell their stories. She lives in Manhattan, New York City.
