Wine Turkey Pairings - Thanksgiving and Wine

Turkey is the classic fall meal, having been enjoyed for centuries with the fresh harvest vegetables. Each fall, People around the world are celebrating a good harvest by eating the fresh crops - potatoes, squash, cranberry, corn, along with turkey, venison, and fresh fish. A pumpkin or apple pie finishes off the meal. What wines go well with these fresh and flavorful dishes?

First, it seems appropriate that many people pour a glass of Beaujolais Nouveau! This is the "first wine of this harvest" - barely any time passes between when the grapes are picked and the bottles are out to the consumers. It celebrates the grape harvest of the year.

How does this young Beaujolais Nouveau taste? It's a very white-wine style, since it has not been with the skins for long and has hardly aged at all. It should be drunk chilled - around 45F, and is a light, fruity wine. It goes well with turkey, or with brie and edam for a pre-dinner snack!

What if you're looking for something a bit more flavorful? The classic pairing with turkey is Pinot Noir. Typical pinot noir flavors include earth, leather, vanilla (from the oak), and jam ... the fruity flavors of the jam often taste like raspberry, strawberry, and plum. This goes great with goose.

White wine lovers should try Chardonnay or a Dry Riesling. Both will do nicely with the gentle flavors of the turkey.

If you like sweeter wines, a white zinfandel or cranberry wine will work nicely.

Wine Food Pairings