Cast your memory back to last year's Thanksgiving. Can you remember which specific wines you had with dinner? Can you remember the specific wines you had with Thanksgiving dinner two years ago?
I'm sure that nearly everyone won't be able to remember except maybe in the most general terms. Maybe they recall having had a Pinot Noir or a Riesling. They're unlikely to recall the specific producer or much else about the wine. What they are more likely to remember is the good (at least hopefully it was good) time they had, the family and friends that shared their table. They might remember that the food and wine was good or bad but the specifics may be foggy.
Generally, it's for a short time after Thanksgiving that people will remember the wines they enjoyed at their dinner. During that time, they are likely to tell other people about what they ate and drank, sharing any special wines they might have discovered. If they especially enjoyed the wines, they might then seek them out for their next holiday feasts. They may rave about their host, complimenting their choice of wines.
Do you really need to worry about specific Thanksgiving wine recommendations? I don't think so. The more I ponder the question, the more I realize that all you need for Thanksgiving are some good wines, the varietals and/or blends being much less important. As long as they do not blatantly clash with the meal, then they should work just fine. And few wines are going to so blatantly clash. Drink wines you'll enjoy and don't worry so much about "perfect pairings."
A Thanksgiving meal is diverse, with many different flavors, from savory to sweet, and many different textures. No single wine is a perfect pairing with all these different dishes. So you need wines that people will enjoy in of their own right. I don't think many hosts are actually seeking the "perfect" wine pairing. They simply want something that people will enjoy and which won't greatly detract from the food.
Plus, who'll remember the wines next year?
We must also remember that any wine shared with good friends and family is likely to taste better, or at least seem that way, than one drank alone. The circumstances of the day, the good feelings, the fond memories, the thanks for the past year, will all lead to your wine seeming better. And it's all those surrounding circumstances that people will most remember about Thanksgiving. The wine will always take the back seat.
The wine is simply an extra, not a necessity. It pales in importance to everything else about the holiday. Like the Whos from "The Grinch Who Stole Xmas," there should still be joy even if all of the food and wine were taken away.
I'll bring a variety of wines to my Thanksgiving feast, a mix of sparkling wine, white, red and dessert wines. In general, I'll pick interesting and delicious wines that I feel people will enjoy. I won't spend much time worrying about pairing them with specific dishes and foods, although I'll consider which wines might clash too much with the various dishes. I want wines that will make people smile, that will enhance the spirit of the day.
If you want some assistance with selecting wines to make your guests smile, then come see me at the Victoria Hill Wine, Spirits & Gourmet shop in Melrose. I can show you plenty of delicious and interesting wines which would work well for your Thanksgiving table. I can show you different wines rather than the traditional pairings. Everyone else might bring the standard wines, so why not stand out by bringing a more unique wine? Give your guests something to talk about once the feast is over.
Consider wines, both whites and reds from Croatia, Greece, Uruguay, Slovenia, Palestine, Lebanon, Hungary, or Georgia. The shop has wines from around 25 different countries. Pick up some Bubbly, such as Cava, Cremant d'Alsace, or Grower Champagne. If you want something different, consider a White Pinot Noir from Oregon, a White Malbec from Argentina, or a White Sangiovese from Italy. Try an Orange Wine, a skin-contact white wine, which goes well with roast turkey. You'll find a couple dozen Orange Wines, from all over the world. You should also consider Sake for your Thanksgiving table, which is actually a very food friendly beverage, and we have a diverse selection from Sparkling Sake to Junmai Daiginjo. If you want more Natural Wines, the store stocks over 350 such wines. For after-dinner consumption, consider Port (Ruby to White), Sherry, Sauternes or Tokaj.
Whatever you do for Thanksgiving, enjoy yourself and appreciate all that you have, rather than worry about what you do not.
(This is an expanded/revised version of a post originally from 2009. My basic sentiment has not changed one iota since that time and I felt it was important enough to raise it once again.)
Do you really need to worry about specific Thanksgiving wine recommendations? I don't think so. The more I ponder the question, the more I realize that all you need for Thanksgiving are some good wines, the varietals and/or blends being much less important. As long as they do not blatantly clash with the meal, then they should work just fine. And few wines are going to so blatantly clash. Drink wines you'll enjoy and don't worry so much about "perfect pairings."
A Thanksgiving meal is diverse, with many different flavors, from savory to sweet, and many different textures. No single wine is a perfect pairing with all these different dishes. So you need wines that people will enjoy in of their own right. I don't think many hosts are actually seeking the "perfect" wine pairing. They simply want something that people will enjoy and which won't greatly detract from the food.
Plus, who'll remember the wines next year?
We must also remember that any wine shared with good friends and family is likely to taste better, or at least seem that way, than one drank alone. The circumstances of the day, the good feelings, the fond memories, the thanks for the past year, will all lead to your wine seeming better. And it's all those surrounding circumstances that people will most remember about Thanksgiving. The wine will always take the back seat.
The wine is simply an extra, not a necessity. It pales in importance to everything else about the holiday. Like the Whos from "The Grinch Who Stole Xmas," there should still be joy even if all of the food and wine were taken away.
I'll bring a variety of wines to my Thanksgiving feast, a mix of sparkling wine, white, red and dessert wines. In general, I'll pick interesting and delicious wines that I feel people will enjoy. I won't spend much time worrying about pairing them with specific dishes and foods, although I'll consider which wines might clash too much with the various dishes. I want wines that will make people smile, that will enhance the spirit of the day.
If you want some assistance with selecting wines to make your guests smile, then come see me at the Victoria Hill Wine, Spirits & Gourmet shop in Melrose. I can show you plenty of delicious and interesting wines which would work well for your Thanksgiving table. I can show you different wines rather than the traditional pairings. Everyone else might bring the standard wines, so why not stand out by bringing a more unique wine? Give your guests something to talk about once the feast is over.
Consider wines, both whites and reds from Croatia, Greece, Uruguay, Slovenia, Palestine, Lebanon, Hungary, or Georgia. The shop has wines from around 25 different countries. Pick up some Bubbly, such as Cava, Cremant d'Alsace, or Grower Champagne. If you want something different, consider a White Pinot Noir from Oregon, a White Malbec from Argentina, or a White Sangiovese from Italy. Try an Orange Wine, a skin-contact white wine, which goes well with roast turkey. You'll find a couple dozen Orange Wines, from all over the world. You should also consider Sake for your Thanksgiving table, which is actually a very food friendly beverage, and we have a diverse selection from Sparkling Sake to Junmai Daiginjo. If you want more Natural Wines, the store stocks over 350 such wines. For after-dinner consumption, consider Port (Ruby to White), Sherry, Sauternes or Tokaj.
Whatever you do for Thanksgiving, enjoy yourself and appreciate all that you have, rather than worry about what you do not.
(This is an expanded/revised version of a post originally from 2009. My basic sentiment has not changed one iota since that time and I felt it was important enough to raise it once again.)
