Thanksgiving Wine Pairing Tips
Whether it’s Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, or a dynamic table hosting a mix of family, friends, co-workers and traditional or eclectic food picks, we’ve got plenty of versatile, food-friendly wines to carry the big day. While turkey tends to take the spotlight, often it’s the savory sides that put the pressure on a bottle of wine to partner well with a variety of flavors and spicy seasonings. To that end, we’ve rounded up some easy, tasty, “go-to” bottles to double as pairing partners to a relentless list of Thanksgiving favorites.
Best go-to wine picks for Thanksgiving:
2021 Nine Hats Riesling: Perhaps the perfect wine for pouring when guests arrive, this lower alcohol, lighter-bodied, mineral-driven delight rolls out the welcome mat with inviting flavors of pear and honeydew alongside bright acidity. Truly a wine that can take you from Thanksgiving starters to pumpkin-pie finishes and everything in between with unparalleled affinities for an incredible assortment of recipes, flavors, and traditional and ethnic holiday cuisine.
2020 Nine Hats Pinot Gris: This Yakima Valley Pinot Gris is medium-bodied with lean, crisp lines and heady aromas of ripe peach, citrus and orange blossom – perfect for pairing with the cornucopia of Thanksgiving flavors. The underlying citrus notes and minerality tend to play well with welcome platters and appetizers like shrimp cocktail, oysters, and light finger foods. When it comes to the traditional turkey and fixings, this Pinot Gris can hold its own with green bean casseroles, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffing along with both white and dark meat poultry whether it’s turkey, goose, or duck.
2018 Nine Hats Sangiovese: Carrying plenty of palate pep with a fuller body, robust red fruit character, earthy undertones, and a dash of nutmeg on the nose, our 2018 Sangiovese brings remarkable pairing opportunity to everything from turkey to baked ham, and cranberry sauce to mushroom medleys and homemade gravy to seasonal sage and sausage stuffing.
When it comes to pairing wines for Thanksgiving there are plenty of flavors and spice factors to consider, along with a wide range of palate preferences and food-pairing opinions that may demand a little attention. Keeping wine themes relatively simple will ensure food and wine pairing partnerships work well. Our Nine Hats Sangiovese, Pinot Gris and Riesling wines stand out for their extremely versatile food pairings, ability to “wow” guests, and easy wallet-friendly dependability – a huge plus when you are hosting the big day!