Wanda Haynes,
Certified Sommelier
A classic turkey dinner with all the trimmings is a Thanksgiving Day feast. Serve white wines such as: grunner veltliner, chardonnay, carricante, pinot blanc. Or a low tannin red wine, Dolcetto and Beaujolais is a great option.
Adventurous types serving turducken this holiday might consider an earthy Oregon pinot noir. This meat trifecta deserves the soft tannins that will bring out the richness of the duck.
Ham can be both salty and sweet. Rosé will pair with savory ham, and a zinfandel offers the fruit forwardness needed with a honey baked ham.
Seafood dishes prepared with light sauces taste incredible with sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand.
Prime rib is an elegant showstopper, an aged cabernet sauvignon is a great choice when serving red meat.
There isn’t a perfect wine to serve, and there isn’t any one wine to avoid. However, there are some wines that pair with certain dishes better than others.
Look at the meal as a complete composition and try not to pair each dish with a separate wine.As a safety net ask guests to bring a bottle of their favorite wine. Or select one white, two reds a sparkling or a dessert wine.