Thanksgiving Wine Help From a Real Sommelier
Every November my phone fills up with the same text: what do I bring to Thanksgiving? It usually arrives the night before, from someone standing in a crowded store.
I'm Michael Bottigliero, co-founder and lead sommelier at Bottles Nation. Here's how I answer that text, and the bottles I actually reach for.
Why Thanksgiving breaks the pairing rules
Thanksgiving is the hardest meal of the year to pair because there is no single dish. Turkey, stuffing, cranberry, sweet potatoes with marshmallows, green bean casserole, gravy. Sweet, tart, salty, and rich, all on one plate.
That's exactly why I tell people to stop pairing to the turkey and pair to the sauce instead. The protein is not the major player at this meal. The sides and the sauces are. You want wines with bright acidity and gentle tannin that can handle cranberry and gravy in the same bite.
Three questions to answer before you buy
When someone texts me for Thanksgiving help, I ask the same three things I ask any time:
- What's on the table? Not just turkey. Tell me about the sides, the sauces, and anything spicy or sweet.
- What's your budget per bottle? A real number gets you a real answer.
- Who's drinking? A table of red drinkers, a mixed crowd, or people who only want something sparkling?
With those answers I can give you a confident pick in under a minute.
How many bottles to buy
A standard bottle pours about five glasses. For a long holiday meal, plan on roughly one bottle for every two wine-drinking guests, and a little more if dinner starts early and runs late. It's always better to have an unopened bottle left over than to run dry before dessert.
Five bottles I'd pour this Thanksgiving
Every one of these is a wine I've poured at Bottles Nation events, and every one is in the Sommelier on Demand app.
Erath Pinot Noir
My everyday Thanksgiving red. Bright red cherry, tart wild cranberry, and a light, silky body that won't steamroll the turkey. It's affordable, which matters when you're buying several bottles.
A to Z Pinot Noir
One of the best entry-level Pinot Noirs available. Bing cherry, cranberry, and a little forest floor and baking spice that echoes the stuffing.
Chateau Ste Michelle Eroica Riesling
If you only bring one white, make it this. It's off-dry, with lime zest and ripe white peach, and that touch of sweetness handles sweet potatoes, ham, and any spicy side better than a bone-dry white.
Joel Gott Barrel-Aged Chardonnay
For the Chardonnay lovers at your table. Rich, buttery, baked apple and vanilla. It's at its best with gravy, creamy casseroles, and anything with butter in it, which at Thanksgiving is most things.
Gruet Brut
Start with bubbles. This New Mexico sparkler is crisp, bone-dry, and inexpensive, and sparkling wine is the most food-friendly thing you can put on a holiday table. It cleans your palate between every rich bite.
The night-before plan
If you're reading this from the store aisle, here's the short version:
- One Pinot Noir and one off-dry Riesling cover nearly every Thanksgiving plate.
- Add a sparkling wine to open the meal.
- Buy one bottle per two guests, plus one extra.
For more picks, see my full Thanksgiving wine guide.
Get a pick for your exact menu
Every year, a group of volunteer wine pros runs a one-day chat the day before Thanksgiving, and it's a great idea. But your menu questions don't only come up that one day.
Sommelier on Demand is there any day of the year. Type your menu at sommondemand.com, maybe "turkey, cranberry, sweet potatoes, about $20 a bottle," and get two or three bottles I've actually poured.
And if you'd rather have a sommelier at the party, Bottles Nation runs holiday party tastings across Metro Detroit and Chicago, plus virtual tastings anywhere.