[WRO Readers: We’ll be publishing Thanksgiving wine recommendations in this space each day until the holiday–sometimes posting several contributions during a single day–so stay tuned! Ed.]
My Thanksgiving Day picks this year have their roots in the Rhône Valley, though none of them actually come from the 
Rhône. I suppose that the diffusion of the region’s grapes to other parts of the world has created a situation in which ‘Rhône’ is a style as much as a place, with whites featuring exotic flavors and stirring textures, and reds falling squarely in the medium-bodied camp while retaining all the intensity of the more celebrated, super-charged power-reds.
Rhône blends from the United States are getting better all the time, and there are more of them than ever. Because they’re hard to categorize, they’ve been hard to sell, so wineries have traditionally avoided the trap. That’s no longer the case. Blending gives winemakers lots of latitude for finding the best combinations for immediate enjoyment.
The first wine on my list is one I’ve noted here on WRO before,
namely, Doug McCrea’s wonderful white blend from Washington, ‘Sirocco,’ a blend of Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Picpoul, and Roussanne. It’s fresh, brisk, and delicious, and McCrea believes it’s the first wine to employ Grenache Blanc in Washington (probably Picpoul, too). It rings up for, $28, is thoroughly delicious, and will be a hit around your holiday table.
On the red side, consider the reliable blend from Qupe that 
winemaker Bob Lindquist calls his ‘Los Olivos Cuvee,’ a blend of Syrah, Mourvedre, and Grenache from a variety of Central Coast sources. The smoky Syrah notes meld with the meaty Mourvedre notes to yield an ideal wine for roast turkey–and every trimming you can throw at it. Priced at $22, it is likewise delicious, and a great deal to boot.
14