Clients, friends and family often ask me for wine pairings for their Thanksgiving table. They want the right wine selections to match their cuisine.
Thanksgiving is always a favorite holiday of mine. I love the aromas that emanate from cooking, the multitude of dishes and flavors and the family and friends who gather at the table.
Some Thanksgiving dishes are classics – turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauces and Brussels sprouts with bacon. There are a plethora of dishes with their own flavor profiles. Finding the best wines to pair with these dishes can be a daunting task. Fear not. I have selected various wines that pair best with these dishes.
• Red Wine
Lulu Gamay Noir, France. Gamay noir is a red grape that produces a lighter-style red wine with prominent acidity. Because of its lighter body, it is a classic go-to for pairing with Thanksgiving. Its acidity is a component needed when pairing with gravy, cranberry sauce, stuffing with sausage and Brussels sprouts with bacon. When pairing wine with food, the sauces and side dishes are important in the pairing process. The Lulu emits flavors of raspberries, cherries and cranberries. With a smooth mouthfeel, it is a great pairing partner or a sipper on its own. Under $20.
L’Or de Lin Chateauneuf du Pape, France. This is another option that has more body that can stand up to meat dishes. This is wine typically comprised of the grapes grenache, syrah, carignan and mourvedre and brings forth deeper, dark fruit flavors such as black cherry and plum. It too has prominent acidity and tannins to cut through the gravy and protein’s fat. Chateauneuf often has a higher price due to its limited nature, stature and longer production time. This is a real treat. Under $50.
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MATCHMAKING: No matter what’s being served for Thanksgiving, one of these wines will be a good pairing.
COURTESY JESSICA NORRIS GRANATIERO[/caption]
• White Wine
Dr. G Riesling, Germany. White wines with vibrant acidity, full-flavored fruit and a little sweetness marry well with the traditional Thanksgiving cuisines. Something too dry in the white category will create an unpleasant mouthfeel. Instead, you want to reach for a sweeter or off-dry riesling or chenin blanc. Unoaked, with an off-dry flavor profile of peaches, apricots and tropical fruit, the Dr. G Riesling matches beautifully. Under $20.
The Blacksmith Vin Blanc, South Africa. This wine is made mostly from the chenin blanc grape and produces a medium-bodied style of wine with a fruity flavor profile. Naturally fermented and produced with nothing added, the Blacksmith chenin blanc, with also a little moscato and semillon blended in, displays notes of orange blossom and a hint of vanilla from its time aging in old oak barrels. This wine reminds me of a French chardonnay. Under $30.
• Rosé Wine
Ca dei Frati Rosato, Italy. Rosés are right in the middle between whites and reds and are sometimes the best choice for matching with Thanksgiving. There are various styles from sweet to bone dry, and the more fruit-forward, off-dry styles will work best. Rosés often have round, smooth tannins, like red wines, a plethora of acid and lighter fruit notes, all components needed for pairing with food. Under $20.
• After-Dinner Wine
Villa di Corlo Corleto Lambrusco, Italy. Lambrusco is always a favorite choice for desserts or cheese platters. It is made from various grapes from the region of Emilia-Romagna. A go-to, Lambrusco ranges in style from dry to very sweet and has a slight effervescence. Its juicy red and dark berry fruit notes pair well with cherry, pumpkin and mince pies, chocolate desserts and cheese boards with nuts and fig jam. Under $20.
Jessica Norris Granatiero is the founder of The Savory Grape, a wine, beer and spirits shop in East Greenwich. She can be reached through her website, www.jessicagranatiero.com or by email at jessica@thesavorygrape.com.
