It’s no secret many wine enthusiasts consider the traditional Thanksgiving feast a daunting challenge for wine. The combination of savory and sweet aromas would seem to contradict normal assumptions about food and wine pairings.
Truth be told, though it’s tricky, the Thanksgiving feast is a rare opportunity to focus on the most important aspect of any good wine match: balance.
At my Thanksgiving table, there are always several wine options with one thing in common: bright, juicy fruit that delivers an impression of sweetness even though the wine is essentially dry. This holds for sparkling (think brut rose), rose (you want it to be dry but fruity), white (full-bodied and rich, which makes chardonnay, riesling or pinot blanc ideal) and red (there’s a reason that Beaujolais is the go-to red for many a Thanksgiving feast, but pinot noir is a more-than-adequate substitute).
I try to avoid powerful young red wines, such as cabernet sauvignon from a recent vintage, due to the likely clash with sweet and/or spicy side dishes. For that same reason, I generally pass on tart whites, such as sauvignon blanc or gruner veltliner.
It’s a balancing act, to be sure, but the good news is that turkey, generally the main event at Thanksgiving, is versatile. White wines work just as well as red wines, and the right dry rose can be equally satisfying.
I plan to take the balanced approach and serve one of each on the big day.
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