There Are Other Wines to Serve for Thanksgiving Besides Beaujolais Nouveau

 In the frenzy of shopping in the grocery store for everything Thanksgiving related, the inevitable purchase may include a few bottles of France’s Beaujolais Nouveau, most likely from Georges Duboeuf who has seemingly cornered the American market for this type of wine. With low-acidity and a rather fruit-forward taste, it pairs quite well with turkey and especially cranberry sauce.  It is young, inexpensive and not meant to be aged.  The fact that it is released on the third Thursday of November and thereby coincides with American Thanksgiving, whether planned or unintentional, is one of the great wine marketing strategies over the last fifty years. In many ways it has contributed to the survival of the Gamay grape itself.

But there are so many more wine options available that that can enhance this great American tradition.

How your turkey is prepared, whether oven-roasted or deep-fried impacts your wine possibilities.

 Deep-Fried Turkey

Virtually any fried foods pair well with sparkling wines, whether from France’s Champagne region, a California sparkling wine, or a Cava from Spain, with the latter being a good value purchase.  The one suggestion is that the drier the better.  In other words, look for a sparkling wine with under 6% residual sugar, i.e., Brut Nature/Zero or Extra Brut on the label. If not available, Brut (which is the most common), at between 6-12% residual sugar, is an acceptable alternative. If you are thinking of serving red wine and want to stay in the Beaujolais region look for a wine from Fleurie or Regnie. Both are fuller-bodied with more acidity though still retaining the fruit-forward nature of a Beaujolais Nouveau though at a higher price point.

Oven-Roasted Turkey

With traditional oven roasted turkey many of the common wine suggestions like American Pinot Noir are a standard go-to.  My preference leans towards Oregon Pinot Noir which tends to have more earthiness than a typical California Pinot Noir.  Additionally, California Zinfandels, especially “jammy” ones are good and reasonably priced. Do not overlook a Barbera from Piedmonte, Italy which also is a good value with the right balance of acidity and tannins.

Stuffing and Dressing

In many ways these accompaniments are my favorite part of the meal and where I focus my wine pairings.

Cornbread and oyster stuffing/dressing – a Riesling Kabinett especially from Mosel perfectly pairs with the oysters.  Being careful with reds, a Pinot Noir also works and a good Rose, especially from Provence, is a good choice.

Sausage or other meat stuffing/dressing – Red works best here and my focus is on fuller-bodied, higher acidity wines.  A Pinot Noir can get lost with this side but the aforementioned Beaujolais’ from Fleurie and Regnie are a good pairing. And if you really like your family and friends and are willing to spend a bit more money, a Barbaresco from Piedmonte or a fruity Amarone from Veneto are incredible.  Just try to decant or pour these two wines at least a half hour before serving so they can open and soften.

Mushroom stuffing/dressing – Think Umami or savory for this side.  Sparkling wine or a Rose will work.  For red wines the Oregon Pinot Noir’s earthiness pairs well and even a Barbera or Dolcetto from Piedmonte will complement the side.

Bread stuffing/dressing – My default for this accompaniment is the traditional Pinot Noir, especially from Oregon, California Zinfandels or Piedmonts’ Barbera. If you are looking for some whites, a lightly-oaked California Chardonnay pairs well.

Chestnut stuffing/dressing – For whites, a Chablis or dry Chenin Blanc, given their high acidity and for reds a Valpolicella or pricier Amarone from Veneto.

A Note on Wine with Pumpkin Pie

For something a little different try an older (20+ year) Tawny Port, an Auslese Riesling, any Late Harvest wines, Sauternes or the very aromatic Gewürztraminer.

Practical Serving Tips for Pairing Wine with Your Thanksgiving Dinner

The purpose of this posting is to attempt to get readers to stretch their palate on wines for Thanksgiving dinner beyond Beaujolais Nourveau. If your family is spending hours preparing a Thanksgiving dinner, the extra ten minutes identifying and pouring a good wine can only enhance the meal. Your guests are going to drink what you serve and what they are comfortable with.  However, being wine-centric I enjoy opening new horizons for my guests.  While not totally appropriate I usually pour both a white/rose and red wine on the table.  Typically, I will let my guests know that, for example, this particular red wine pairs best with the turkey, I like pouring this white wine with my stuffing/dressing so while eating it, have a sip of this other wine.  The reactions people have when switching between the two is enjoyable to observe.

If you have any questions or want to explore different Thanksgiving menu items to pair with your meal, please reach out to me via my email. 

Happy Thanksgiving!