Grapes and Gratitude_ Best Wines for your Thanksgiving Feast

Oh, Thanksgiving! A gluttonous time to shamelessly chow down on heaps of food while slurping wine in front of family and friends. It's our favorite American feasting holiday. So today, we're diving into the perplexing world of wine, dine, and turkey brine. Because let's face it, nothing says family dysfunction like chugging down a glass of wine while Aunt May argues with Uncle Lawrence over the last slice of pumpkin pie. Welcome to Wine Basics by Phil of Pinot, where we create wine education videos for beginners and wine lovers. Now, when it comes to Thanksgiving, the only thing more complicated than your cousin's relationship status is figuring out what wine pairs with what dish. Fear not, aspiring sommeliers. We're here to make you the MVP of the Thanksgiving table, or at least the most tipsy. First off, let's talk about the traditional Thanksgiving spread. It's a culinary circus, and trying to pair one wine with everything is like trying to teach Grandma how to use emojis. It's just not happening. So we're looking for wines that can handle more drama than a Thanksgiving family dinner. We'll start by describing what characteristics we look for in a wine when pairing with a variety of foods. Then we'll tell you our top three recommendations for both reds and whites. And then we'll take a deeper dive into which of these wines should go with the most popular Thanksgiving dishes. Let's begin. One characteristic we look for in pairing with a large variety of foods is lighter-bodied wines. These lighter wines pair well with leaner, lighter meats like turkey, but can also stand up to mashed potatoes and stuffing. Avoid full-bodied, robust, heavy, and bolder wines. These big boys will overpower most of the courses, and many times these wines may have high tannins, a drying astringency that typically needs fatter meats like big steaks. It's also advisable to steer clear of overly oaky wines, which overpower flavors and make dishes feel much heavier and fuller. Another characteristic of wine for pairing with multiple Thanksgiving dishes is to find a wine with high acidity. Refreshingly crisp wines are perfect palate cleansers. These high-acid wines help you move from one bite to another and carry you through the entire meal. With that being said, let's pick our top three reds and top three whites for an all-around Thanksgiving feast. Our first red wine recommendation is Pinot Noir, the Ryan Gosling of the wine world. Light-bodied, charming, and pairs well with almost anything. Just like Ryan, it's versatile and won't judge you for going back for seconds or thirds. Look for cool climate Pinot Noir from Oregon or the central coast of California. Next up, Beaujolais, the French fancy pants of red wines. Made from the gamay grape, Beaujolais is deliciously juicy and savory. But most importantly, it's a light-bodied red with low tannins that pairs so well with a myriad of dishes. And now, our third red pick, Zinbandel, the rock star of American wines. Like a guitarist with a solo that lasts as long as your uncle's turkey-induced nap, Zinbandel brings the jammy notes and fruit-forward vibes to the party. Zinbandel is widely planted in the U.S., so you'll have plenty of domestic options to choose from. For white wines, let's kick things off with Sauvignon Blanc. It's the crisp and zesty friend you want by your side when things get heavy, like when grandma starts grilling you about why you're still single. It's refreshingly crisp and perfect for palate cleansing. Sauvignon Blancs from Sonoma County or Sancerre are great choices. Our next wine pick is the food-friendly Riesling. Riesling joins the party with its sweet and sassy personality. It's the wine equivalent of a friend who brings the laughter and pairs perfectly with everything, from sweet potatoes to awkward family silences. And now, the rebel of the group, Rosé. Okay, so this isn't a white wine, but hey, it goes with almost every dish. Rosé bodes well with anything from vegetarian dishes to heavier meats with its lip-smacking acidity. It's the wild card of the lineup, like the cousin who shows up with pink hair and a ukulele, ready to steal the show. But wait, there's more. Don't forget the bubbly, because nothing says, let's celebrate this dysfunctional family gathering like sparkling wine or champagne. These bubbles go with a plethora of courses and is the commemorative holiday welcome drink. It's the perfect accompaniment to appetizers, main courses, several desserts, and the inevitable political debates. Now, let's do a quick dive into the top eight Thanksgiving dishes and which of these wines we would recommend for each one. First off, the diva of the holiday, Turkey. Whether it's oven-roasted or smoked, Turkey is typically lean and pretty juicy. This calls for a fruity, high-acid, earth-driven red like Pinot Noir, because nothing says, I can handle your like this red charmer. Next up is the sidekick, holiday stuffing. A meaty sausage stuffing meets its match with an earthy Pinot Noir, while traditional white bread or cornbread stuffing gets cozy with a nice sparkling wine or champagne. Now with some popular side dish wine pairings, let's start with mashed potatoes, the comfort food champion. Riesling swoops in to enhance the sweetness of the potatoes and buttery goodness. For red wine lovers, a dry and fruity Beaujolais is a perfect match for a mashed potato richness. Adding to the ever so popular cranberry sauce in between Thanksgiving dishes, the sweet and sour flavor profile does beautifully with a fruity Beaujolais or Pinot Noir, while Rosé is a reliable tag team partner here too. What about everyone's favorite green bean casserole? Sauvignon Blanc to the rescue. Sauvignon Blanc's clean profile and nervy acidity cut right through the casserole's creamy and fatty facade, and its citrusy notes taste perfect with green beans. Planning on boiling, grilling, or steaming corn? Riesling will pair great with the gentle sweetness of corn. Having sweet potatoes or yam as a side dish? The fruity, savory, earthy tones from Beaujolais work seamlessly. But if you're more of a white wine fan, go with the honeyed embrace of Riesling to match the moisture and sweet taste of candied yams. Speaking of sweet, we'll need some wine choices for desserts. As mentioned, if you're limiting the amount of wine you're bringing, you can use sparkling wine to pair with most desserts. But if you like the perfect pairing for indulgence, then consider a tawny port. This type of port wine is a decadent choice for apple pie, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, and chocolate. And there you have it. You're now the family wine professional, ready to navigate Thanksgiving like a pro. You've successfully paired all your Thanksgiving dishes with a small and simple list of wine choices. Just remember the KISS principle. Keep it simple, silly. Yes, we can find many esoteric and exotic wine varieties to try with specific foods such as Gewurztraminer, Vouvray, Kudrote, and many others. But we picked these wines for simplicity, meaning these are easy to find at your local wine shop. And these wines are likely to please both a large crowd and the one or two wine geeks in the family. Because let's face it, your family can only handle so much complexity before someone suggests a game of Monopoly and all wine pairing strategies go out the window. Happy Thanksgiving and may your wine glass always be full.