7 Stellar Wines to Serve With Your Thanksgiving Feast
With all of the flavors on the Thanksgiving table, it’s often difficult to find one wine that’s a perfect match for every dish, so we like to put a mix of red and white out and let each guest pour for themself. For years wine writers (including ourselves) have advocated for Pinot Noir as the perfect pairing with turkey, so we’ve included one of our favorites from Burgundy. Since side dishes vary greatly depending on the family recipes, we’ve included two Chardonnays, a Merlot, a Chianti, a California Cab, and a bold red from Portugal to make everyone happy.
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Besserat de Bellefon NV Brut Rosé Champagne France
We always like to welcome guests with a glass of bubbles, but since it’s Thanksgiving and these people are your favorite friends and family members, why not break out a bottle of festive pink Champagne. Besserat de Bellefon has been making Champagne for hundreds of years and it’s amazing to us it’s not better known in America…but hey, it’s our job to share little known brands that excite our palate. Besserat de Bellefon Brut Rosé has enticing aromas of freshly grated lemon zest, candied citrus peel, and a touch of freshly baked brioche. Tingly on the tongue with flavors of red raspberry, strawberry, citrus, and toasted hazelnut, it is generous and round on the palate with great mouthfeel.
Barone Ricasoli 2018 Casalferro Tuscany Italy
Ricasoli is one of the oldest wineries in Tuscany and has been producing wine in the Chianti Classico region for over 800 years. It is also one of the largest estates in the region with 580 acres of vines and 50 acres of olives spread over 3,000 acres. The Brolio Castle in the center of the property was built to defend Florence from invaders from the nearby city-state of Siena and stands watch to this day. The 2018 Casalferro has aromas of saddle leather, red cherry, and dried rose hips. It is medium bodied with polished tannins and flavors of dried cherry, cranberry, cedar, and tobacco leaf.
Pahlmeyer 2022 Napa Valley Chardonnay, Napa Valley, California
The second vintage produced in Pahlmeyer’s new winery on Atlas Peak, this delightful 2022 Chardonnay was made with high elevation grapes that grow above the fog line, offering much-needed extra sunlight each day. This important factor contributes to structure, concentration, acidity, and ageability. Full bodied, it proffers aromas of Anjou pear, citrus blossom, and butterscotch and flavors of toasted almonds, lemon curd, and Granny Smith apple.
Quinta do Vallado 2020 Reserva Red Blend Douro Portugal
Most people know that the Douro is home to luscious ruby and tawny Port wines, but fewer know that the region is now making dry red wines due to the decline in sweet Port’s popularity. Winemakers vinify the same grapes used in sweet Port wines including Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, and Tinta Barroca. They harvest grapes the old-fashioned way—plot by plot—so they (and we) don’t know the exact percentage of each grape in the blend. We do know this 2020 Reserva is delicious and has aromas of red raspberry, blackberry, and Christmas baking spices with smooth tannins and flavors of black plum, freshly picked cherry, and black raspberry.
Cardinale 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California
This bottling represents the first vintage in which winemaker Gianna Ghilarducci worked alongside Cardinale veteran winemaker Chris Carpenter. The team decided to let the fruit hang on the vine a little longer than normal, which allowed the flavors to concentrate before picking. The 2019 is a multi-appellation Napa Valley cuvée that focuses on high elevation mountain grapes and is composed of 91 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and nine percent Merlot. Lovely aromas of ripe black fruits draw you in to experience complex layers of black cherry, blackberry, clove, and dark chocolate flavors wrapped in a velvety tannic sheath.
Domaine Parent 2019 Les Epenots Premier Cru Pommard Burgundy France
Anne and Catherine Parent represent the 13th generation of their winemaking family in Pommard, Burgundy. Anne is a self-taught winemaker who took over winemaking at the estate in 1998, while her sister Catherine handles most of the front office business affairs. They both travel frequently and it’s not uncommon for us to see Anne in New York, Paris, or Burgundy at wine events acting as a tireless ambassador not only for her own wines, but the entire region. Ruby colored in the glass, this delightful wine has aromas of cranberry, cherry, and pomegranate that pave the way for silky tannins wrapped around flavors of cherry, candied orange peel, and brown baking spices.
Catena Zapata 2022 Adrianna Vineyard White Stone Chardonnay Mendoza Argentina
Dr. Laura Catena and her sister Adrianna are dedicated ambassadors for Bodega Catena Zapata, which was founded by their great-grandparents in 1902. Their father Nicolas Catena is credited with being one of the first winemakers to plant at higher elevations in Mendoza. From a vineyard named for the younger Catena sister, this White Stone Chardonnay has brilliant minerality and acidity from the high-altitude terroir and aromas of lemon zest, white flowers, crushed oyster shell, and ripe peach. It is medium to full bodied in the mid palate with flavors of honeysuckle, apricot, and nectarine.
