Pick a wine for Thanksgiving that won't eclipse the food
Thanksgiving is food's day to shine. It's a meal with beloved family favorites, complicated flavors, and once-a-year indulgences.
It may seem counterintuitive after all the hard work that goes into executing a great meal, but the wine piece is actually pretty easy.
Thanksgiving wine should be nice, but ultimately it's just a backdrop for what's happening in the kitchen. If you break out that ultra-special bottle you've been saving for a special occasion, it will just get lost in the shuffle.
Pick a wine that won't shout for attention when the food is center stage, but will help the food shine.
Most wine lovers have a go-to list of old friends, favorite wine styles that work well with food and deliver flavor and drinkability again and again. Here are mine, and you can find these in every price from value to special occasion. I love having a selection on hand so that everyone can find something they will enjoy.
Bubbly wine: Sparkling wine makes it feel like a party, but its excellent ability to pair with food is often overlooked. With a rich meal, the clean flavors and acidity can provide a lovely, elegant balance. There are pretty ones from all over the world, with wonderful examples from California and Champagne in France.
Light and elegant whites: If you are a red-wine lover, you may have missed the white wine revolution of the last couple of years. There are some really good white wines out there these days - crisp, aromatic and delicious, without being over the top, especially in regards to alcohol and oak aging. There are several grape varieties I really enjoy with a meal. Riesling is versatile and delicious. You can find a very dry one, or one with a little or even a lot of sweetness. If you like wine with more zip, try sauvignon blanc, including varietally labeled ones from the U.S., Chile and New Zealand, as well as Sancerre and white Bordeaux. Want something rounder and richer? Viognier and albarino from Spain are crowd-pleasers, with peachy aromas and smooth, round mouth feel. Pinot grigio makes a light, fairly neutral white in Italy. Try its Oregon incarnation with a tasty pinot gris from the Willamette Valley.
Fruity reds: By all means, if you only drink cabernet, get cabernet. But I try to pick some reds with a bit of fruit character. The top choice for a wine that can showcase food well is pinot noir. I particularly like American ones for this holiday. If you like a red with more oomph, try a grenache-syrah blend from the U.S. or the Southern Rhone in France. Zinfandel is lots of fun. And of course, Beaujolais Nouveau is a favorite for many with its approachable fruit and affordability.
Even though there aren't really any rules about pairing food and wine for Thanksgiving, I do have one piece of advice: Whatever you choose, just don't run out!