Paul Lukacs:
I continue to prefer to open American wines on this holiday–not because they necessarily provide the best matches in and of themselves, but because context always is as important as 
content when choosing which wine to drink with which food on which occasion. The context here is Thanksgiving, which is the one occasion in the entire year when many families sit down for an extended time at the dinner table. It’s our national feast. Why not drink our wines?
Ponzi, Willamette Valley (Oregon) Pinot Gris 2006 ($17): This is a refreshing but at the same time satisfyingly rich and full-fleshed white, with plenty of pear and sweet apple fruit flavor, and an intriguing hint of spice in the finish. It tastes autumnal, so seems just right for late November sipping, and it has just enough stuffing to stand up to–well–the stuffing.
Red Newt Cellars, Finger Lakes (New York) Cabernet Franc 2005 ($20): I tasted this wine this past summer when visiting the 
Finger Lakes, and made a mental note at the time to remember it for Thanksgiving. Medium-bodied, it won’t overwhelm the holiday fare, but has enough backbone to more than hold its own. Very elegant, marked much more by finesse than by power, it’s a red that exudes class, much like a top-notch Chinon, though without an overtly green or herbal edge.
Michael Franz:
My friend Paul Lukacs has many wonderful qualities, but also a certain dogmatic streak, and I would place his insistence on serving American wines for Thanksgiving in that category. I always want the wine that best matches whatever I’m eating, and frankly don’t give a damn what the calendar has to say about the subject. If it is Bastille Day, and I’m eating grilled steak, I’m going to have a big, juicy Napa Cabernet, and any disapproving Francophiles can just shove off. And if it is Thanksgiving, I’m having Riesling from Alsace and Pinot Noir from Burgundy, because those are–hands down–the best wines in the world for that meal. Besides, if the occasion calls for giving thanks, why shouldn’t I give thanks for the killer wines of Alsace and Burgundy? Here are some selections from two of my favorite vintners:
Mader, Alsace (France) Riesling 2004 ($14, Elite Wines): Stylish, beautifully balanced, and remarkably complex for the 
money, this excellent wine is convincingly dry in style and yet–while light in body–is not austere but rather quite generous in flavor and depth. Notes of green apples and citrus fruit are fresh and appealing, with nice floral aromatic accents and interesting mineral notes in the finish. I’ve tasted this three times, and have been more impressed on each successive occasion. A great aperitif, but equally promising as a partner for light finfish or Asian noodle dishes. 90
Mader, Alsace (France) Riesling Grand Cru Rosacker 2002 ($24, Elite Wines): Still available in many markets (if in quite limited quantities), this is a stunning wine from the excellent 2002 vintage in Alsace. Gorgeous floral and mineral acccents are intertwined with deep notes of ripe apples and pears in a medium-bodied format that shows excellent interplay between fruit and acidity. Complete and convincing. 92
Vincent Girardin, Bourgogne (Burgundy, France) ‘Cuvee Saint Vincent’ 2005 ($20, Vineyard Brands): The excellence of both the vintner and the vintage show up clearly in this exemplary
bottle of Bourgogne Rouge. That may sound like damning with faint praise, since Bourgogne Rouge is a famously poor category, yet this wine is actually very tasty, with soft, delicate fruit notes recalling black cherries and nice nuances of spices and minerals. It is appropriately light for a Pinot Noir-based wine, but not thin or watery, and proves very satisfying. 87
Vincent Girardin, Savigny-Les-Beaune 1er Cru (Burgundy, France) Les Vergelesses 2005 ($38, Vineyard Brands): A gorgeous rendering of Pinot Noir from Savigny-Les-Beaune, this is a truly exceptional wine at a very attractive price (and that would be true even if the dollar were not so weak and the 2005 reds from Burgundy so expensive). Delicate but also notably ripe and rich, the fruit shows real depth and a soft, tender feel. Acidity, wood and tannin are all very well balanced against the fruit, and the wine seems very symmetrical and pure. 91
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