Everyone has one staple Thanksgiving dish that is their die-hard, go-to, there-will-be-no-leftovers favorite. And whether yours is mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, green beans, or the centerpiece turkey itself, there’s a wine that will make it even better.
When making your viticultural selections for this food-oriented holiday, it can be tempting to graph the cheapest, most abundant bottle on the shelf (especially if you have a long list of wine-drinking guests.) And while wine isn’t the main course, it can still make or break an enjoyable Thanksgiving meal.
As always, don’t get too bogged down in the details. The important thing is that you like the wine you’re serving. If all else fails, get a case of your favorite and trust that you made the right decision. But if you want a little more guidance, here is a brief manual for selecting well-matched wines for your cornucopia, and a few bottles from Argaux that are just begging to come to dinner.
How to Choose the Best Wine for a Thanksgiving Feast
Thanksgiving meals are abundant, diverse, and can look wildly different depending on what part of the country you’re in. Especially if you’re taking the potluck approach to this meal, selecting the right wine can be tricky.
So here’s how we recommend you do it:
One, go for broke, choose a wide variety of different wines you know you like and let your guests be their own guide on this foodie adventure.
Or, two, match your wines to either one central item on the table, or the general flavor profile if your cooking is more of a cultural experience. For example, if your family fries its turkey and smothers the mash with cheese, lean into a fat-friendly pairing with sparkling wines or drier whites such as a Sauvignon Blanc.
Three, if you’re the chef de cuisine year in and year out, pick one or two bottles carefully selected to match the feel of each course. You can even assign a bottle for each of your guests to bring for better cost-effectiveness.
Best Red Wine for Thanksgiving
- NV Anthill Farms North Coast Pinot Noir – $28
A staple at every Thanksgiving banquet, this beautiful Pinot Noir is Autumn personified with notes of dark fruit, cinnamon stick, and crispy apple skin. Smooth and balanced, this wine pairs perfectly with poultry and simply must be sipped alongside your main course.
- 2018 Domaine Alain Burguet Gevrey-Chambertin ‘Mes Favorites’ – $105
Drink this Burgundy at Thanksgiving 2021, or keep it in your cellar to drink in 10 years time. A truly exquisite wine, this Pinot is lush, deep, fruity, earthy, yet still entirely approachable and drinkable. Pairs wonderfully with any meat dish, or quiet post-dinner conversation.
Best White Wine for Thanksgiving
- 2020 Dominique Roger ‘Domaine du Carrou’ Sancerre – $31
Bright and refreshing, this white wine is the ideal pairing for some of your fattier sides, or as a pre-meal aperitif. Subtle but with distinct notes of citrus, peach, and pear, sip alongside a buttery, cheesy mash for an elevated experience.
- 2019 Francois Mikulski Bourgogne Blanc – $44
If your guests tend to go for breast and always have a glass of Chardonnay in their hand, this is the wine for them. Oaky, fruity, and nutty, this wine can either pair with the lighter bits of the turkey, or be consumed as a dessert in and of itself.
Best Rosé Wine for Thanksgiving
- 2020 Chateau Barbebelle Aix-en-Provence ‘Héritage’ Rosé – $28
Just look at that bottle. This Rose runs the risk of stealing the role of centerpiece at your next thanksgiving meal. Light, acidic, fruity, and floral, it is an excellent wine for cutting through some of the heavier dishes you might have at your table.
Best Sparkling Wine for Thanksgiving
- NV Sorelle Bronca Extra Dry Prosecco – $22
If you have nothing else at your banquet table, have Prosecco. Bubbles are always welcome next to an unctuous and carb-heavy plate, and this wine is particularly light and refreshing with notes of white peach, almonds, and just a hint of salinity. It’s also great in mixed drinks!
- NV Champagne Delavenne Pere & Fils Brut Tradition Grand Cru Champagne – $50
True Champagne for an intimate and worry-free friendsgiving. A bubbling baked good on the tongue with notes of brioche, apple, and lemon, raise a glass of this exquisite non-vintage to toast health, friendship, and an amazing Thanksgiving meal.
Best Cheap Wine for Thanksgiving
- 2018 Quinta do Ameal Vinho Verde Loureiro – $22
Light, tart, and savory, this budget-friendly wine is surprisingly powerful and strong enough to stand up against pricier bottles. Clean and refreshing, sip before or after dinner, as an aperitif or digestive.
- 2017 Jim Barry Cover Drive Cabernet Sauvignon – $18
An exquisite display of Australian terroir for its price point, this delicious Cab Sauv is a wild mix of Eucalyptus, cola, vanilla, mint and dark fruit and presents a delightful challenge in identification for the oenophiles at your table.
How Argaux can Help
Here at Argaux, we believe that knowledge is power. And so we’ve made it our mission to help make learning about wine as easy as possible. We’ve put together a Blind Tasting kit for budding sommeliers who want to hone their skills and show off to friends and family this holiday season. Choose from our 2, 3, or 4-bottle box option and receive hand-selected, hand-wrapped wines from the Argaux collection, along with a comprehensive guide to the world of wine tasting.
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