The Best Wines to Pair with Thanksgiving Dinner
It’s that time of year again to dust off the turkey pan and polish all of the fancy wine glasses. Whether you are playing host this year or going as a guest, knowing which wine to serve or bring can be extra added pressure! Do not fear, this guide breaks down what the very best wines to pair with Thanksgiving dinner are and why. I’m also sharing a few of my favorite easy holiday appetizers and a few hosting tips!
Start with Bubbles
Although I don’t believe you need a special occasion to pop open a bottle of bubbles, a holiday certainly does make it that much more festive. When it comes to bubbles, you can easily pick your preference and price point and nothing can disappoint! From Prosecco to Prestige Champagne, all sparkling wines act as palate cleansers and will be the perfect wines to start off your Thanksgiving.
Here are a few of my favorites that I would recommend
Adami Bosco di Gica Prosecco Superiore
Clos Amador Cava Brut Delicat Reserva
Steenberg 1682 Brut Cap Classique
Medium Bodied White Wines
As much as I love Sauvignon Blanc, a light bodied white wine could be too light to pair with Thanksgiving dinner. There is always so many different food options, many of which are on the heavy side. Therefore, I believe it’s best to go with white wines that have a little more body to them. If you love crisp and light wines, I find that Chablis is a great in-between. It’s still refreshing but has more body than a Pinot Grigio.
Babylonstoren Chenin Blanc 2022
Louis Latour Macon-Villages Chameroy 2022
Rosé Wines
Rose is definitely not just a summer wine! Certain rose wines can have more body than white wines which makes them great wines to pair with Thanksgiving dinner. I love how the red fruit notes compliment dishes such as the turkey and cranberry sauce.
Les Lauzeraies Tavel Rose 2022
Nicosia Etna Rosato Lenza di Munti 2021
Light Bodied Red Wines
Sticking with lighter bodied red wines for Thanksgiving dinner is a good way to go. By this, I mean wines with lower tannins and high acidity. Personally, I like fruit-forward red wines with my Thanksgiving meal, but you can also opt for a more earthy wine such as a Pinot Noir.
Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau 2023
Domaine Gilles Coperet Morgon 2021
Nicosia Frappato di Vittoria Sabbie di Sutta 2021
Flowers Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2021
Dessert Wines
When it comes to which wines to pair with Thanksgiving, dessert is often an after thought. I always love to have small bottle of something sweet on hand to compliment the dessert. At my house, we tend to do apple pie or crisp, pumpkin pie or pecan pie. With all of those I love a classic Sauternes. If you’re going for something more rich and chocolatey, you can’t go wrong with a Port!
Sandeman Founders Reserve Ruby Port
Easy Thanksgiving Appetizers
Homemade Cranberry Sauce
I’m including this in the appetizer section because it has so many uses! You can add it to a cheeseboard, whipped goat cheese or even add it to a cocktail for extra flavor.
Ingredients
- 12 ounce bag cranberries
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
Directions
Combine ingredients and simmer on medium heat for 10-15 or until the cranberries have burst and the mixture has become a saucy-like texture. Let cool and finish with orange zest
Watch recipe video here.
Whipped Goat Cheese Ingredients
- 4oz of goat cheese
- 6 T. Cream
- Honey for sweetness
- Whip in food processor until creamy
Cranberry Brie Bites
Ingredients:
- 1 sheet of puff pastry
- 1 wheel of brie
- Cranberry Sauce (see my previous reel for homemade recipe)
- Chopped Pistachios
- Honey
- Sea Salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Thaw and roll out your puff pastry. Cut into 12 even squares. Add each piece of puff pastry into a greased muffin tin. Poke holes at the bottom of each puff pastry. Cut the wheel of brie into 12 even pieces. Add each piece of brie to muffin tin. Add a tablespoon of cranberry sauce on top of each brie bite. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until puff pastry is golden brown. Garnish with chopped pistachios and drizzle with honey.
Watch the video recipe.
Festive Cheeseball
It’s not Thanksgiving without a cheeseball. For this recipe, you can switch up the outside toppings however you’d like! For mine, I used chopped pistachios, dried cranberries and poppyseeds.
Ingredients:
- 8 oz softened cream cheese
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
- Garlic seasoning to taste (about 1-2 teaspoons)
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- Poppy seeds
- Chopped pistachios
- Chopped dried cranberries
- Rosemary and pomegranate for garnish
Feel free to double up this recipe if hosting a larger group!
Directions:
Combine cheeses and seasonings. Form into a ball using plastic wrap and store in the fridge for at least two hours. This part can also be made days ahead of time! Take out of the fridge and roll in poppy seeds, pistachios, and cranberries. Garnish with rosemary and pomegranate if you like. Serve with freshly made crostini!
Oysters on the half shell
The hard part here is the shucking, but if you have a friend or family member willing to take on this job, Oysters are my favorite appetizer to serve. They aren’t too filling, and they pair perfectly with your festive bubbles.
For more tips on serving oysters, check out my blog post here.
Setting the Thanksgiving Table
One of my favorite parts about hosting Thanksgiving is setting the table. I love making it bright and festive! You’ll find links to my table in LTK and my Amazon Storefront.
