Toast to Gratitude: Best Wines for Thanksgiving Dinner

The ambiance may be festive, the turkey may be golden-brown, and the sides may be abounding, but the occasion isn't complete without the perfect wine. Selecting the best wines for Thanksgiving dinner is integral to the feast. Just as you meticulously choose your menu to share with your loved ones, every bottle of wine has a significant role. It can complement the flavors on your table, transforming a good meal into a celebration of gratitude.

Roles of Wine: Why the Right Wine Matters for Thanksgiving

The selection of the best wines for Thanksgiving Day is an art that is not to be taken lightly if you want everyone to leave the table with a full stomach and grateful heart.

Flavor Enhancement

Each wine has a unique flavor profile. From red fruit flavors to the harmony of moderate acidity, a well-chosen wine is a secret ingredient to enhance your Thanksgiving feast.

Role in Dishes

Consider your turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce. Every sip of the right wine can bring out the savory, the sweet, and the tangy in your dishes, making them shine in a new light.

No One-Size-Fits-All

What pairs brilliantly with your creamy mashed potato might not do justice to the unique flavors of your pumpkin pie. A 'one-size-fits-all' approach to wine selection rarely checks all the boxes. Instead, consider a thoughtful wine ensemble that ensures every dish matches perfectly.

Best Wines for Thanksgiving Dinner

As with any feast, Thanksgiving calls for a range of wines, enriching different parts of the meal. Here's a roundup of our top picks spanning across reds, whites, sparklers, and dessert wines:

Red Wines

• Pinot Noir: This Thanksgiving staple is known for its light tannin and red fruit flavors. Its versatility makes it a favorite, pairing well with various dishes, especially spices.
• Zinfandel: Ideal for those who prefer a heavier red, this option complements heartier flavors with its bold fruit palate and spicy undertones.

White Wines

• Chardonnay: Rich and full-bodied, Chardonnay is perfect for buttery dishes. Its creaminess can hold its own against turkey and mashed potatoes.
• Sauvignon Blanc: With its moderate acidity and lightness, this wine can act as a palate cleanser, cutting through the meal's richness.

Sparklers

• Champagne: A universal food match, Champagne is great with everything from appetizers to main courses, thanks to its palate-cleansing bubbles.
• Prosecco: A delightful Italian bubbly, Prosecco can add a sparkle to your meal without weighing down your wallet.

Dessert Wines

• Port: This fortified wine is a sweet finish to the meal. It pairs beautifully with pumpkin pie and other desserts.
• Late Harvest Riesling: For an alternative to Port, this offers a divine balance between sweetness and acidity.

Thanksgiving Food and Wine Pairing Guidelines

To get the most out of your chosen dishes and wine for Thanksgiving, here are some pairing recommendations:

Turkey: The star of your Thanksgiving dinner pairs well with light reds like Pinot Noir or full-bodied whites like Chardonnay.

Mashed Potatoes: While Chardonnay is a classic pairing for mashed potatoes, if you're looking for an alternative, consider a light and crisp white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. These wines offer bright acidity and citrus notes that can complement the creamy texture and buttery flavors of the mashed potatoes.

Stuffing: Depending on its flavor profile, various wines can pair well. A safe bet would be a versatile Pinot Noir or Sauvignon Blanc.

Cranberry Sauce: The sweet and tart flavors match nicely with a bubbly Prosecco or a light Pinot Noir.

Pumpkin Pie: Complement its sweet, spicy flavors with a dessert wine like a Port or a Late Harvest Riesling.

These food and wine pairings are suggestions, not rules. So feel free to experiment to please your palate.

Pairing Base tries different Thanksgiving dishes and wines to see which ones are the best in this video.

Wine Serving and Preservation Tips

Getting the best out of your Thanksgiving wines involves proper serving and preservation. Here are some expert tips:

1. Serving Temperature Matters

Different types of wine taste better when served at specific temperatures. Red wines typically taste best when served between 62-68°F, while whites stand out when served chilled, ideally between 49-55°F. Sparkling wines shine best at 38-45 °F.

2. Keep at Their Ideal Storage Conditions

Wine should be stored with a relative humidity of about 70%. A too-dry environment can cause the cork to crack, letting air into the bottle and spoiling the wine.

3. Preserve Opened Bottles for Later

If you've got leftover wine after the feast (a rare occurrence, we know), consider wine preservation systems. These tools can help prolong the life of your opened bottles.

4. Invest in Wine Storage Solutions

For those with a collection, a wine cellar or a wine cooler provides an optimal environment for your bottles, preserving their quality and aging them at their finest.

Wine Cellar Essentials to Keep Your Wines at Their Best

Investing in some of these wine cellar essentials and accessories ensures that every pour from your bottle is as delightful as the feast.

• Wine Coolers
• Wine Cooling Units
• Wine Preservation System
• Ice Maker 

Wine Cooler: Summit 24 Wide Built-In Wine Beverage Center

Step up your wine game with this deluxe appliance that hosts two temperature zones, catering to your wine and beverage needs in one stylish, modern unit.

3 Key Features:

• Effortless Control: With an interior digital control panel, easily manage your beverages' temperature with a readout in Celsius or Fahrenheit.
• Uncompromised Storage: The left section caters to your beverage storage, while the right is dedicated to wine, holding up to 17 standard Bordeaux or Burgundy-style bottles.
• Versatility: Whether you wish to install it under the counter or use it freestanding, its design accommodates both setups, making it an adaptable addition to your home.

Why It's Worth Investing

Its unique dual-section design allows you to cater to the storage needs of different beverages, ensuring every pour, whether a wine or a beverage, is always at its prime. It's a celebration of taste right at your fingertips.

Wine Cooling Unit: Whisperkool Twin Ceiling Mount 12000 Split System

An efficient and discreet cooling solution for larger wine cellars, it has dual evaporators and a redesigned layout for ease of installation.

3 Key Features:

• Efficient Air Circulation: Featuring a 2-speed fan switch and hex mesh grille with an air filter, the system draws in warmer air accumulating at the ceiling and efficiently cools and disperses it throughout the environment.
• Discreet Design: Virtually invisible inside the cellar, this cooling unit keeps the focus on your wine collection. The e-coated Duramax evaporator coils provide a sleek and modern aesthetic.
• Flexible Installation: With flare fittings and essential components, installation and access to wiring and line set are simplified for technicians and installers.

Why It's Worth Investing

Improved system performance and a protective air filter will keep your wine collection in optimal condition. The user-friendly KDT Digital Controller/Thermostat and compatibility with a 24V smart thermostat allow for easy and precise temperature control.

Wine Preservation System: WineKeeper Vintner (3 Bottle Wine Dispenser)

This wine dispenser is perfect for serving numerous wine bottles during Thanksgiving dinner. With its stylish wooden rack and nitrogen-based preservation system, the Vintner keeps your wine fresh and delicious days after the celebration.

3 Key Features:

• Preserve and Dispense: The three-stopper faucets and three-way manifold allow you to preserve and dispense up to three open bottles of wine. Say goodbye to wasted wine and enjoy the flexibility of serving different wines without fearing spoilage.
• Nitrogen-Based Preservation: This system utilizes a pressurized blanket of nitrogen to protect the wine from oxidation and spoiling, keeping your wine fresh for weeks. The single-stage regulator and disposable nitrogen canister (which can preserve approximately 20-24 bottles) guarantee optimal preservation with ease.
• Stylish Wooden Rack: The handcrafted wooden rack adds elegance to any serving area. Its solid black finish and clean styling make it a sophisticated and eye-catching piece.

Why It's Worth Investing

The functionality, convenience, and style combination make it a winner. Keep your wine fresh for weeks, and easily dispense wine by the glass.

Ice Maker: Summit Commercial 100lb Ice Maker

The Summit Commercial Icemaker combines powerful performance and user-friendly convenience in an under-the-counter design, making it ideal for bars, restaurants, and your kitchen. This icemaker delivers optimal performance and durability with a large production capacity of up to 100 lbs. of clear ice per day and a sleek stainless steel cabinet.

3 Key Features:

• Commercially Approved: ETL-S listed to NSF-12 commercial standards, ensuring it meets the quality and safety regulations for commercial food service applications.
• High Production Capacity: Produces up to 100 lbs. of clear ice daily, meeting the demands of high-traffic commercial environments or a large and long Thanksgiving party.
• Adjustable Height and Easy Cleaning: The 30" high cabinet can fit under lower counters, and the included 4.5" high commercial legs raise the unit to standard counter height. The leg set also allows for easy cleaning below the ice maker.

Why It's Worth Investing

This icemaker ensures efficient and hassle-free operation with features like ice-full sensors, a water purification filter, and an easy-access sliding top lid. It’s easy to clean up and has commercial-grade durability.

Note: Professional installation and regular maintenance are required for optimal performance.

Takeaway

An exceptional Thanksgiving dinner is the people gathering with grateful hearts, enjoying a hearty meal and a selection of the best wines for Thanksgiving dinner.  Remember to keep your wines – red, white, or sparkling – at their best by storing and serving them in a suitable condition. This holiday season, explore your taste, play matchmaker with your dishes and wines, and select the wines to toast and make your Thanksgiving truly magical.

What’s your favorite Thanksgiving food and wine pairing? We’d love to know your fun holiday traditions in the comments.

Got questions about our products? Contact us today, and our helpful customer service team will assist you.

Randy Green

Randy is a true wine storage aficionado and expert in wine cellar design. He gained construction experience as a partner in a general contracting business before niching into and passionately focusing on creating wine storage solutions for clients in 2016. He takes great pride in bringing these designs to life, and is dedicated to ensuring that every wine cellar he creates is not only functional but also a beautiful addition to any home or business. The Wine Cellar HQ team also includes refrigeration sizing experts and licensed HVAC technicians to ensure optimal climate control for your wine cellar, so that your wines can age to perfection.