Turkey Day

Let's experiment!

People count on AWS members to be knowledgeable about wine. It's normal.

Normally, the  pairings for your Turkey Day meal are reds made from Pinot Noir or Gamay grapes and whites made from Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc. Occasionally, American Zinfandel, Champagne, or whites such as Chenin Blanc, Riesling, or Gewürztraminer will get invited, too. These are the "usual suspects" for one reason: they’re good with standard Thanksgiving food staples.

We would never advise anyone against these conventional wine picks.  People love Beaujolais (made from Gamay) on any day of the year. That said, the holidays are an opportunity to try food and wines that are unexpected, as we learned at our last tasting. Part of the fun of celebration is having things you don’t normally eat or drink, because a holiday is ultimately just a party. Let's get away from "normal" for one day!

Instead of domestic Chardonnay or Chablis, try semi-dry Vouvray 

Wines from the Loire Valley are popular right now, and the grape Chenin Blanc is having a renaissance. Vouvray is an appellation from the Touraine region of the Loire that produces whites from Chenin Blanc grapes with a little Arbois mixed in. They range from dry to sweet and can be sparkling, semi-sparkling, or still.  What’s great about Chenin Blanc is that it isn’t necessarily the most fruit-forward white, so a semi-dry bottle can have notes like honeysuckle and spice. If you’ve ever dipped a French fry into soft-serve ice cream, you’ll understand why the contrast of slightly sweet with salty works here.

Instead of domestic or French Sauvignon Blanc, try one from the Marlborough region of New Zealand

Marlborough’s unique terroir gives these wines a palate with tropical notes like grapefruit or passion fruit. While tropical fruit probably isn’t the first flavor that comes to mind when you think about fall in the U.S., the acidity of these wines matches up nicely with the tartness of cranberry sauce. When buying a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc for Thanksgiving, look for one with a moderate ABV that won’t overpower the food.

Instead of Champagne...get a Champagne

When it comes to Champagne, just spend the money to get real, capital-C Champagne. A brut nature (no sugar added during secondary fermentation) Blanc de Blancs (made entirely from Chardonnay) is great.  If you splurge for Champagne, you should enjoy it before your meal unless you’re  a Rockefeller heir, in which case, you should drink Champagne with every meal.

Beyond Champagne, there are lots of sparkling beverage options for actually pairing with your food. A French sparkling wine made in a region other than Champagne is a great option as they can have really great flavor components for a more reasonable price. Try a Crémant de Loire or a Crémant D’Alsace. Another great choice is to get a Cava from Spain.

Another great sparkling beverage to have with your Thanksgiving meal is a sparkling apple cider! Apples are very autumn, ciders are cheap, and they have a lower alcohol content, which makes them approachable for most of your guests and appropriate for marathon eating and drinking. The stewed fruit flavors, round mouth-feel, and crispness accent the saltiness in savory dishes, enhance the fresh flavor of vegetables, and tone down the sweetness of your sweet sides.

Instead of domestic Pinot Noir or Burgundy, try Jumilla Monastrell  

Jumilla is a DO in southern Spain. A number of red grapes are grown in the region, but Monastrell (also known as Mourvèdre or Mataró) is the most successful varietal grown there.  You'll find enough acidity in the wine for it to clear the palate, and the notes of vanilla, cocoa powder, green pepper, and olive are smooth and offer some complexity with the food pairings. The flavor characteristics are subtle enough not to clash with the cranberry sauce or the green beans, but they're really good with a bite of turkey and gravy.

Instead of domestic Zinfandel, try an Amarone della Valpolicella

Not only is Zinfandel good with game meat, but we grow a lot of the stuff in the U.S., making it an American classic in some ways. They’re also notoriously high in alcohol, making them great for pairing with assertive foods like BBQ and roasted peppers. If you can find one with high enough acidity, these wines are balanced enough not to overpower Thanksgiving dishes, but the price tag for a good California zin can be high.

Like a Zinfandel, Amarone della Valpolicella is a powerful wine high in alcohol, bursting with flavors. They usually run well above the $20-a-bottle mark, but regulations in the wine producing regions and sub-regions of France, Spain, and Italy make wine quality more consistent across price points. Amarone della Valpolicella is made near Venice from mostly Corvina grapes left to partially desiccate in whole bunch clusters before being slowly fermented. This process brings out intense raisin, currant, fig, and fruit compote richness while rounding out tannins. Because it is high in alcohol, you’ll want this wine to come last. Think of it as the wine to drink with your plate of seconds and up to your pre-pie nap.

If you can’t find an Amarone on the cheaper end, look for a “ripasso” wine instead. Ripasso della Valpolicella are red wines that are “passed through” the pomace (grape leftovers) from Amarone, lending them some dried fruit flavor and viscosity. Because this process is less labor-intensive, they run on the cheaper side.

Remember, unusual wine pairings are holiday fun in an experimental way, so don’t stress. You can’t pick a “wrong” wine. And, if you discover an unconventional pairing that works, tell us about it!