Serving Drinks At Thanksgiving

Pairing wine with your Thanksgiving dinner, whether it be traditional fare or your own twist, is always a challenge. Roasted turkey is straightforward enough, but the table is often filled with a wide range of flavors. Do yourself a favor and skip considering the sickening sweet dishes that find their way to the table when considering wine pairings. Nothing will pair well with candied yams smothered in goopy marshmallows. (Shiver…)

Another serious consideration is the eclectic crowd. You and a few others are wine fans, but just as many friends and family members are timid wine drinkers. For this reason, it’s vital to find wines that will please both the novice and the expert – like you – alike. No small task, indeed.

The first bit of advice is to be stocked and ready — don’t run out of wine, beer, and spirits. The holiday season is just starting, so anything that may be leftover will be put to good use in the coming weeks.

Instead of making specific recommendations I thought it best to give a few guidelines. We often find ourselves in strange towns and strange beverage shops during the holiday season. These simple rules of mine can be applied wherever you shop.

White Wine

I always look for something fresh and vibrant avoiding wines heavy in alcohol or oak influence. In other words, avoid big, rich, and oaky New World Chardonnay. The meal is rich enough. It’s no wonder that varietals like Riesling and Gewürztraminer are classic suggestions. These wines tend to be lighter in alcohol than your typical Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc and have little to no wood influence. Just be sure that the wines are not too sweet – a touch of sweetness is fine and actually very desirable.

I also enjoy a good and bright Chenin Blanc and in France’s Loire Valley region they make a fine example from the appellation of Vouvray. If you are a Pinot Grigio fan, you are in luck as most examples, especially the Italian versions, are ideal for your turkey dinner.

The more adventurous wine lover can look for Italian Vermentino, Spanish Albariño, white wines from Italy’s Campania region, (see our story featuring four of our favorite varietals) and Pinot Gris from America’s Pacific Northwest or Alsace (France). These wines feature vibrant acidity, moderate alcohol, and bright flavors.

Of course, don’t forget Rosé. Rosé is a great partner to turkey and it appeals to a wide range of tastes. It’s the perfect middle ground between white and red wine while typically offering the acidity required to pair with a wide selection of dishes.

Red Wine

The primary rule I employ for reds at Thanksgiving is to avoid tannic and heavily extracted wines such as New World Cabernet. Your best bet is to again search for wines with moderate alcohol levels and good natural acidity.

Beaujolais Nouveau is traditionally released a week before Thanksgiving making it a natural choice at many tables. If you are put-off by the tooty-fruity nature of Nouveau, you can always opt for a good Beaujolais-Village or one of the appellation’s 10 “cru” level wines (individual villages that are recognized as producing the best wines of the appellation) for something a bit fancier.

Pinot Noir is a good choice as well, as it’s most often shy on tannins, and younger/simpler versions are fruit-forward and crowd-pleasing. A huge go-to red is always Côtes du Rhône. There are many to choose from, ranging in price from $10 to $30. These wines are fruit-forward while being complex and full of bright, natural acidity, making them ideal for any table.

If you are seeking a more esoteric red look for Blaufrankisch, Montepulciano, or Grenache. These three varietals are crowd-pleasers and will pair nicely with the traditional fare.

Sparkling Wine

Absolutely! A good sparkling wine is always welcome especially on a festive occasion. Sparkling wines can be served when the guests arrive, as well as throughout the meal and into dessert. Don’t skip red sparkling wines like a sparkling Brachetto d’Acqui. While we might all have a Champagne palate we don’t have a Champagne budget for a crowd. Cava can be a great choice to satisfy our taste for classic-method bubbly. Look for Cava Reserva that meets a higher standard of quality )aged for a minimum of 18 months) while still being sold for under $20 a bottle.

Beer & Cider

Of course, beer has a place at the table as well. Following the same rules laid out for wine – avoid extremes like overly hoppy or strong beers. Who wants a beer with a singular, intrusive note? Rich, malty brews of the season can be a good choice, as can vibrant and complex beers such as Belgian Saison or the French Biére de Garde pair well with a wide range of foods. Of course, you must be prepared for timid beer drinkers that don’t venture beyond light, fizzy lagers. Find a locally made lager that will offer more gusto than the mega-brand without scaring away the lite beer drinkers. Cider is often overlooked, but it’s an absolute gem on your Thanksgiving table.

Spirits

Opening the occasion with an aperitif is a lovely way for your guests to get settled in. After the meal, you could offer anything from Aged Rum to Whiskey or a festive Liqueur. It pays to know your crowd when making these choices, as the Whiskey lover will be thrilled with a post-meal dram while others may be out of their depths here. It’s often a good idea to have a quality Liqueur on hand as these are appreciated by both the novice and the veteran Spirits drinker.

What you choose to serve is a distant second to the act of opening your home and showing heartfelt hospitality to friends and family. All the best to you and yours.

If cocktails are your ideal refreshment, be sure to see our story on batching cocktails at home.