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Thanksgiving is probably the most food-oriented holiday of the year and the kick-off to the holidays, so everyone wants it to be memorable.
From sips in California to Italy, Oregon and Virginia, here’s our food and wine tip sheet for delighting your entire group.
Light white wines and bubbles go with appetizers, cheeses, salads, and fruit
Aperture Cellars 2024 Chenin Blanc, Clarksburg, California
This superb white produced in Sonoma County will charm your guests (including vegetarians) with its ultra-vibrant, mouthwatering honeydew and white peach notes and creamy texture. The 2023 barrel-fermented sauvignon blanc is also a stunner.
AVIVO 2023 Organic Vermentino, Lodi Ca.
With aromas of lemon verbena, peach, melon and sea spray, this wine is exhilarating on the palate with crisp acidity and silky texture. At $24 and an easy screw closure, you should buy extra!
Torre Zambra Trebbiano d’Abruzzo DOC 2023
Here’s a wine from the sun-soaked hills of Abruzzo with a fresh modern and tangy twist. Anticipate a medium body juicy wine made from organic grapes with tropical notes of mango, zesty lime, guava, and herbs.
Full bodied whites marry well with roasted turkey, buttery cornbread stuffing, roasted veggies, and pastas
Early Mountain Petite Manseng, Virginia
Think of this rich varietal, a Virginia specialty, as a cross between oaked chardonnay and aromatic viognier. It bursts with fruit flavors of grilled pineapple and preserved lemon and satisfies the palate with a silky round body and kiss of acidity. A wake up for the taste buds!
Jordan Vineyard & Winery 2023 Russian River Chardonnay
Jordan Chardonnay is the classic go-to for elegant and balanced California chardonnay that always impresses. Think aromas of peach and floral blossoms and notes of zesty lime, orange peel, and pear notes on the palate.
Lighter reds and some pinks pair with pork, game birds, fruit relishes, and seafood like salmon
GC Wines Convivial Oregon Gamay-Pinot Noir Blend
With bright red fruits and bracing acidity, you’ll want to sip this food-friendly wine all day with appetizers, cranberry sauce, turkey, and the fixings.
Imagery Estate Winery 2024 Tempranillo Rosé Sonoma
You can proudly display Imagery’s portfolio of bottles with artful labels on your Thanksgiving table. A great choice for both white and red wine drinkers, this elegant rosé is crisp with notes of raspberry and watermelon, a hint of spice, and a lingering mineral finish.
Tenuta Perano 2022 Chianti Classico Frescobaldi Toscana
A classic food wine, this ruby red vino is pleasantly fruity with notes of dark berries, raspberries, and a hint of sour cherries. Floral notes and black pepper and clove spice will enhance the meal, while its velvety structure will keep you wanting more.
Medium to robust reds pair with beef tenderloin, fruit-sauced venison, mushroom dishes, and cranberry
Benziger Sonoma Coast 2022 Pinot Noir
Drawing on flavors of strawberry and cranberry, this medium-bodied red is exceptionally versatile. Its silky tannins and balanced acidity are ideal to complement rich holiday dishes like roast turkey, ham, and herb stuffing.
Dutcher Crossing Zinfandel Sonoma County, California
After years out of the spotlight, Zinfandel seems poised for a comeback. Two that showcase this evolution are the 2019 Proprietor’s Reserve Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley and 2021 Bacigalupi Vineyard Zinfandel, Russian River Valley. These red Zinfandels highlight the diversity of terroir and winemaking that’s bringing new energy to the varietal.
One of the oldest wineries in Sonoma County is entering a new era. Under CMB Family Wines, Foppiano Vineyards has unveiled a complete estate transformation (read go visit!). In the meantime, snag this lip-smacking red blend crafted with bold petite sirah grapes for the Thanksgiving feast. Easy to locate—try Total Wine & More—and affordable!
Here’s another affordable premium wine for your shopping list. Created in a collaboration between actor Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine and Treasury Wine Estates, this red blend flaunts ripe blackberry and deep cherry notes and velvety tannins.
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Cover photo courtesy Jordan Vineyard & Winery
Robin Barr Sussman (rbs@pdq.net) is a freelance culinary and travel writer who studied at the Culinary Institute of America Greystone, Calif. As a chef for Sonoma County wineries, her specialty was food and wine pairing. Sussman is a columnist for Houston Modern Luxury Magazine, Prime Living and Houston House & Home. Her work also appears in Texas Monthly, Fodor’s, Bluejack National, and Private Clubs Magazine.
