[WRO Readers: We’ve been publishing Thanksgiving wine recommendations from our WRO contributors in this space for days, so if you’re still deciding what to drink tomorrow, click on “More WRO Wine Blog” after reading Tina Caputo’s suggestions. Also, you might want to check out the Thanksgiving wine audio clip under “Franz and Lukacs Talk Wine” under WRO on the Air. Michael Franz]
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Anyone who tries to tell you that there’s a single perfect 
Thanksgiving wine is gobbling mad. The idea that one wine could match roasted turkey, tangy-sweet cranberry sauce, butter-and-gravy laden mashed potatoes and sweet-spicy pumpkin pie is delusional at best.
The array of different foods on the typical 
Thanksgiving table calls for a variety of different wines–which is a good thing, because that means there’s something on the table for every taste preference. For example, my dad is a red-wine-only kind of guy–no matter what he’s eating. My mother-in-law rarely drinks wine, but when she does, she likes it a little bit sweet.
That said, some red wines are better than others with Thanksgiving food–and the same goes for sweet wines, whites, etc. Here are some guidelines to help you keep everyone in the family happy.
Red: Go for light- to medium-bodied reds like Pinot Noir/Burgundy (Oregon Pinots are a good choice in the U.S. wine category because of their earthy character, and French Burgundies tend to have food-friendly acidity), or cru Beaujolais. Reds that are tannic, super-jammy, oaky or high in alcohol, like some California Cabernet Sauvignons or Meritage blends, tend to overpower mildly flavored dishes like turkey or mashed potatoes, and they’re sure to clash with the sweet stuff.
White: While rich, ripe, vanilla-kissed Chardonnays are adored by many wine lovers, they’re not a very good match for Thanksgiving dinner. Wines that are crisp and clean make a better pairing, so steer toward low- or un-oaked Chardonnays, like those from Chablis. (Marimar Estate, in California, makes a nice unoaked Chardonnay. Some Chards now list their “unoaked” status on their labels, so they’re easy to find.) Not-too-lean Sauvignon Blanc wines, like the Charles Krug SB, with its yummy guava and lime notes, are also good choices. Aromatic, slightly off-dry whites, like Gewurztraminer, Riesling and Chenin Blanc, can make good pairings for sweet-spicy Thanksgiving flavors.
Pink: Dry rosé wines–both sparkling and still–are some of the most versatile wines at any table, and they pair well with a variety of Thanksgiving eats. One of my favorites is Robert Sinskey’s Vin Gris of Pinot Noir. A couple yummy sparklers include the Korbel Brut Rosé (a bargain, too, at around $10) and the Roederer Estate Rosé from Anderson Valley.
Bubbles: Sparkling wines are extremely versatile and food 
friendly, pairing well with everything from deep-fried turkey to spicy sausage stuffing. I’m a big fan of the sparklers from Roederer Estate, Champagne Deutz and J Wine Co. Or, for a fun twist, try the Korbel Rouge, a fruity, deep-red sparkler.
Dessert Wines: Sweet, spicy desserts like pumpkin or apple pie are delicious with wines that have similar characteristics, like late-harvest Gewurztraminer or Riesling, Moscato or ice wine.
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