Wines Not To Drink For Thanksgiving

Posted on November 23, 2015 by the drunken cyclist

Thanksgiving is this week here in the U.S. and that means that just about every wine blog in the country will have a post on what wines to serve at Thanksgiving. They will all cite the fact that it is near impossible to find a single “perfect” wine that will pair well with all the foods that will find their way on to the table.

And they would be right.

I would hazard to guess that most wine people spend more time figuring out what wines to consume on Thanksgiving than they will spend exercising the following month trying to burn off all those extra calories consumed.

I say: don’t waste your time, as there is no “perfect” Thanksgiving wine. Instead, follow these simple guidelines on what not to do.

Don’t be bold: Unless you are at home and can go down into the cellar to grab something else, now is not the time to experiment–go with what you know.

Don’t go all in: Yeah, I get it, Thanksgiving only comes around once a year, and for those types of events, we usually like to pull out the big guns. Well, the focus of the Thanksgiving meal is the food, not the wine, so let the food win. I am not suggesting to break out the schlock, I am just saying don’t waste the Domaine de la Romanée Conti on the marshmallow yams. Save it for when I come over to visit!

Don’t forget your audience: You will be probably be having dinner with other people (or worse, your family), and that means that there will likely be someone there like your Uncle Cletus who really does not appreciate wine. If you break out one of your favorite bottles, though, I can guarantee that either good ole Uncle will pour half of the bottle into his glass before it even makes its way back to you, or you will be tempted to keep the bottle hidden at your feet and only pour it for yourself. Option one will cause your head to explode and option two will make you a pariah when cousin Bobby rats you out.

Don’t be a hero: If you are into wine, your friends and family know it and therefore you think that they are expecting you to blow their minds with the most amazing pairings on the planet. They aren’t. What they are hoping is to stuff their faces and not have to sit through another one of your blow-hard diatribes about wine and food. Just put a bottle on the table and try not to bore anyone to death. Leave that to the Detroit Lions.

So what should you drink? Personally, I think there is far too much time and effort put into wine suggestions for Thanksgiving. Not one single bottle will work, but most won’t be too bad. My advice? Drink a bottle of what you like. That way, when Aunt Alice’s turkey comes out way too dry yet again, the day won’t be a total failure.

For those of you that need still a bit more direction, here are a few of the wines I will be considering this Thursday….

marians-zin11The “All-American” Choice: Zinfandel. Considered by some as the “American grape” so why not have some on the table for one of the more American of holidays (I am ignoring the fact that our interloping neighbors to the north also have Thanksgiving)?

2013 St. Amant Old Vine Zinfandel Mohr-Fry Vineyard Lodi: Retail $18. Not big at all but still juicy: my kind of Zin. Mocha and depth. Fantastic, but for the price? Practically stealing.

2012 Gary Farrell Maffei Vineyard Zinfandel Russian River Valley: Retail $48. Perhaps not an every day wine, and I know this flies in the face of one of my directives above, but this is an incredible wine. Deep, rich, and full of verve, this was a wine that eventually changed my mind about Zinfandel (in a good way).

SaraccoThe Outside of the Box Choice: Moscato d’Asti. I was recently at a wine tasting here in Philadelphia hosted by the indefatigable Marnie Old, where she persuasively made the claim that Moscato is the “perfect” wine for Thanksgiving. While “perfect” might be a bit hyperbole, it is indeed a worthy contender.

2014 Saracco Moscato d’Asti: Retail $15. Loads of melon and white peach, but low on the alcohol (5-6%). The fermentation is stopped part way through, leaving a natural sweetness in the wine. Well balanced with a slight fizz.

The Wine Geek Choice: Pinot Noir.

LaetitiaReserveduDomainePinotNoir2012 La Crema Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast: Retail $25. A deep, complex nose with red berry fruit and cloves. On the palate, rich and full all the way through but also with a bit of earth. The finish is a bit brief, but memorable.

2013 Laetitia Reserve du Domaine Pinot Noir: $42.  Richer than the Estate (Laetitia’a $25 Pinot) with darker fruit-more muscle here, a real bruiser with black and blueberry. Plenty of acidity to go around as well, particularly on the finish. If you like a little bigger Pinot, this is for you.

Might as well grab Dubouef....

Might as well grab Dubouef….

The Seasonal Choice: Beaujolais Nouveau. This is perhaps the easiest choice on the list. the wine is the first of the vintage, released on the third Thursday of November. Conveniently, Thanksgiving is but a week later, so there is usually a ton of this stuff still around, and despite what some will lead you to believe, it is all pretty much the same. So get the cheapest stuff (should run you about $10-12). Oh, and make sure it is the current vintage–never drink Beaujolais Nouveau unless the year on the bottle is the current year.

The Better Choice (and the Best Choice): Sparkling Wine (and Champagne).

Duval-LeroyLucien Albrecht Crémant: Retail $17 I drink a bunch of champagne. A bunch. But it can be pricey. Really pricey. When I want quality bubbles at a reasonable price I opt for a Crémant, usually from Alsace. And this is one of the best. Citrus, spunk, lasting finish. What else do you need? 

N.V. Duval-Leroy Rosé Prestige Premier Cru Champagne: Retail $65. 90% Pinot Noir, 10%  Chardonnay. If you are going to be among wine people, and you want to make an impression, look no further. Rich and full, this will handle any turkey day fare with a aplomb.

About the drunken cyclist

I have been an occasional cycling tour guide in Europe for the past 20 years, visiting most of the wine regions of France. Through this "job" I developed a love for wine and the stories that often accompany the pulling of a cork. I live in Houston with my lovely wife and two wonderful sons.
This entry was posted in Beaujolais, Moscato, Pinot Noir, Wine, Zinfandel. Bookmark the permalink.

36 Responses to Wines Not To Drink For Thanksgiving

  1. rustbeltvegetarian says:
    November 23, 2015 at 09:25

    Great approach for a Thanksgiving post!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  2. talkavino says:
    November 23, 2015 at 09:33

    Excellent advice Jeff, and I like your play on the abused subject of “wine and holidays”…

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  3. Jameson Fink (@jamesonfink) says:
    November 23, 2015 at 09:36

    I’m going with a Long Island Cab Franc and a white Chateauneuf. For two reasons: I like them and its what I have on hand after moving across the country. (Expedience.) Back West I have a family that will drink anything that’s open, which I see as a plus. Because they’ll be pouring Zweigelt and Muscadet in their glass without asking, “What’s this?” So their un-fussy, nonplussed manner actually makes them adventurous wine drinkers. They end up asking me for details later.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  4. wineismylife says:
    November 23, 2015 at 10:07

    No t-day recommendations on my blog this week. Matter of fact, I’m usually dry as a bone on t-day since I’m usually at the teetotaller in-laws.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  5. Michelle Williams says:
    November 23, 2015 at 10:18

    Great advice and completely correct. No recs from me this week; there are plenty to go around. However one exception, I enjoy a dry Riesling on my Thanksgiving table, in addition to a Pinot Noir and sparkling wine of some sort. Several years I have poured Trefethen’s Dry Riesling, it is perfect for Thanksgiving. Cheers!

    Like

    Reply
  6. Tuxedo Sophisticated Cat says:
    November 23, 2015 at 10:27

    Thanks for the suggestions.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  7. robinskone says:
    November 23, 2015 at 10:52

    Ah, Uncle Cletus! In my case, it’s a white-wine drinking friend who upended a lovely Marsanne- Roussanne blend, topping up her glass, and after a couple of gulps she declared, “that’s almost as good as soda pop.” (Do you think a jury would have ruled that justifiable homicide?) So here’s my solution:: Beringer Chenin Blanc. $4.99 at the market, a pleasant wine that has just a tinge of sweetness. My real wine-drinking friends have plenty of their own good stuff at home. Thursday will be about the food. .

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  8. Beth says:
    November 23, 2015 at 12:01

    Last year I was alone for Thanksgiving (that sucked), but this year I am teaming up with Patricia of The Sassy Kitchen (rebranding as Tasting My Way) and I am tentatively planning an all-American lineup of wines, to include one wine each from my stash: CA (Ehlers Estate, of course. Our wines are not big Napa wines, so maybe our Merlot or Cab Franc), NY (either a Hudson Valley red or a Kemmeter Riesling from when we were in NY for the conference), OR (Pinot Gris, I think, since Patricia doesn’t like Pinot Noir), PA (thinking Va La Vineyards La Prima Donna or Silk), and a WA red (Patricia likes Bordeaux-style reds). This may change, but right now, this is my thinking. Domaine Carneros something would work for American bubbles. There will be 3-5 of us there.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  9. leggypeggy says:
    November 23, 2015 at 15:59

    You had me with your clever headline. Excellent advice.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  10. NK says:
    November 23, 2015 at 16:17

    Couldn’t have said it better myself. This is like the sixth year in a row we aren’t traveling for Thanksgiving which means we get to eat what we want (this year it’s butternut squash lasagna, my specialty) and drinking who knows what. What goes with butternut squash lasagna?

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  11. anotherfoodieblogger says:
    November 23, 2015 at 21:21

    I’m offering a Pinot Grigio that I found I like. Don’t ask me what maker, I might be unfollowed, lol! These are great tips! My guests are bringing their own wine so don’t have to worry about that part anyways. My husband wanted a Riesling (as suggested by Michelle) but got what I wanted since I’m doing the cooking, so there! 😀

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  12. Cheap Wine Curious says:
    November 23, 2015 at 23:04

    Love! I’m on the hunt for that Cremant…🍷😘

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  13. theWinesketcher says:
    November 24, 2015 at 09:22

    Being the Pinot fan I am we will be having Oregon Pinot. The Wine Spectator columnist agreed with your “Don’t forget your audience” thoughts – don’t waste good wine on people who don’t appreciate it. I think this deserves a re-post.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  14. theWinesketcher says:
    November 24, 2015 at 09:24

    Reblogged this on Been There Eating This and commented:
    Pinot is good, be sure its from Oregon

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  15. linnetmoss says:
    November 25, 2015 at 08:31

    I was waiting to see your advice on Beaujolais Nouveau. I think it’s a perfect Thanksgiving wine for all the reasons you cited 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  16. lolabees says:
    November 30, 2015 at 23:19

    We had the La Crema! I feel cool now. 😉

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.