Red or White...A Thanksgiving Wine Guide

With the Thanksgiving Holiday right around the corner, it may be time to start planning your wine "pairing". Wine What? If you love the taste of wine, but tend to buy a bottle based on the label alone here is a quick guide to choosing the right wine to serve with your traditional Thanksgiving meal. I myself will not pretend to be a wine connoisseur, but I do like to serve a nice wine to my guests or even bring a nice wine to my host. During the holiday season I tend to prefer serving a red wine. Call it the designer in me, but a red glass of wine looks festive against my fall or Christmas table decorations. Now, I realize this is not the best theory for wine selection so I have also listed a few more "valid" suggestions for your Thanksgiving wines.
Most traditional Thanksgiving flavors tend to be abundant in the "sweet" department. Sweet potatoes, cranberries, pumpkin pies...you catch my drift... Because of this, serving a wine which is also sweet may send your guests over the top. Try to find a wine which is soft and medium bodied. Often, these wines are red and described using words such as berries, cherries or plums. A good example of such a wine is a Pinot Noir. A Pinot Noir is a red wine that is also referred to as "starter wine". Most people who enjoy a red wine like the mild flavor of a Pinot Noir. Another red wine which can be paired well with Turkey and stuffing is a Syrah or Shiraz. The peppery flavors of this wine can gracefully handle the many flavors of Thanksgiving. In my opinion, Pinot's and Syrah's are best served at room temperature although some people will argue this statement. You may have a guest or two who would prefer to drink a white wine this holiday. To be prepared, look for a medium priced Sauvignon Blanc and keep it on hand in the refrigerator. Sauvignon Blanc's tend to be crisp and earthy and work well with the traditional herbs found in Turkey based menus.
The wine you serve this Thanksgiving does not have to be expensive. With the thousands of winery's in California and Oregon alone, we have a multitude of great tasting, domestic wines under $15 to choose from. If you are still uncertain about your wine purchases, don't be afraid to ask the sales clerk. In California, we have hundreds of smaller chain grocery stores such as Trader Joe's or Beverages & More. These places tend to have a generous selection of wines and an educated staff. Even by shopping in the smaller stores, you should be able to get a nice wine at a decent price.
Beyond the basics listed above, the only other advice I can offer would be to enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday. This is supposed to be a day spent enjoying the company of your guests and sharing stories. When it comes down to it, a decent wine and a lots of food is all you really need. With these things, a memorable Thanksgiving holiday will fall right into place.