The Best (Unexpected) Wines to Pair with Thanksgiving Dinner
Photo by Scott Warman/Unsplash Drink Features Thanksgiving wine
Forget how many pounds of turkey the average American eats on Thanksgiving. (Three pounds, if you must know). Do you know how many wineries there are across the country and how few of them you’re supporting?
There are an incredible 17,212, according to the Alcohol Tax and Trade Bureau’s last count this year, and even for people like me who make a living writing about wine, the vast majority of the American wine I consume hails from California, Washington and Oregon.
What about New Mexico, Missouri and Texas and all of the other woefully overlooked states producing wine? Thanksgiving is already unabashedly problematic—many people see it as a celebration of genocide, with many American Indians observing a day of mourning instead of celebration—and that’s before we get around to considering the travel hassles, tense partisanship and the inevitable dietary restrictions many guests will bring to your table.
In a bid for an at least nominal embrace of diversity and patriotism on this most carb-fueled and gravy-drizzled of national days, let’s all commit to serving a broad array of Thanksgiving wines that will pair perfectly with everything from luscious thigh meat to pumpkin pie, and also support some of the independent, talented winemakers making life just a little more delicious for everyone in unexpected places.
New York Riesling + Pear Tart
New York’s wine regions, especially the Finger Lakes, have been rising in estimation in recent years, so chances are, you’ve tried at least one good wine from New York. If you haven’t had an opportunity to yet, now’s the chance.
Flying winemaker Paul Hobbs—who has wineries in California, Argentina, France, Armenia and Spain—touched down in the Finger Lakes in 2013 to revive his family’s legacy of growing grapes there.
Hillick & Hobbs’ 2020 Estate Dry Riesling is “one of the greatest universal food wines on the market, a rich palate and zippy acidity creates ample food pairing opportunities,” winemaker Lynne Fahy says, explaining that it “could go with everything from the turkey, with its crispy golden skin and savory gravy, to that bready stuffing laced with celery. I also think if a pear tart is on the menu, the golden nature of the wine could compliment the buttery/flakey crust, while the acid would balance out the sweetness of the dessert.”
$35, available here.
Missouri Norton + Mushrooms
Augusta, Missouri, earned AVA status in 1980—before Napa! Augusta is the first AVA in the country, with a wine history dating back to the 1800s when the state grew more wine than California and New York combined. But the region was decimated by Prohibition and only recently began to completely recover.
“Thanksgiving, a quintessential American holiday, beckons for a wine with a history as rich and storied as the very traditions we hold dear,” notes Mary Collineau, co-founder of Augusta’s Vinalia winery. “Norton proudly wears the banner of American viticulture. Crafted from a hybrid grape varietal born of an American vine species, it embodies the essence of our nation’s winemaking heritage. As you gather around your Thanksgiving table this year, make a departure from the usual California Zinfandel and serve this Norton instead. Its playful aromas of spiced raspberries and black cherries are as festive as the holiday itself, setting the tone for a truly special celebration.”
Collineau suggests pairing it with anything and everything mushroom-based, from stuffing to gravy to stuffed mushrooms. $28, buy it here.
Maine Blueberries + All the Pie
Wine doesn’t have to be made from grapes. Across the northeast, terroir-driven wines made from all manner of fruit are redefining what we think of as American wine. Ras Wines, based in Portland, Maine, makes some of the best.
Winemaker Emily Smith recommends the sparkling Source Decay, made from organically raised wild blueberries and wild fermented.
“Source Decay exclusively uses fruit from a single site and is our attempt to show the true potential for Maine wild blueberries to yield a complex, gastronomic, age-worthy vin de terroir,” Smith explains. “The final wine is intensely aromatic, floral and spicy, with a light-bodied savoriness on the palate that mates sublimely with the broad diversity of flavors and orientations of Thanksgiving foods.”
While it will sing with the main attractions, reserve it for the pie course, where the vivid and savory bubbles will balance and play off your pumpkin, apple and pecan pies. $20, buy it here.
Texas Tannat + Rich Appetizers & Sides
The first vineyard in North America was established in Texas by Franciscan priests in 1662, and while the industry there has grown in fits and spurts, it’s in a stronger place than ever right now.
Tannic, grippy Tannat is particularly well-suited for Texas’ warm, dry climate—and a perfect counterpoint for Texas BBQ and the richest dishes on your table.
Try Bending Branch Winery’s Tannat Frizzante Rosé 2022, gently effervescent, with notes of strawberry, magnolia and white peach.
“The Frizzante is an excellent welcome wine that works well with Thanksgiving Day appetizers like deviled eggs and other rich appetizers,” notes founder Dr. Robert Young. “The gentle effervescence scrubs the palate between bites, making it a nice wine to carry throughout the meal. With fried turkey, the structure of the rosé also holds up nicely.”
$25, buy it here.
New Mexico Mission + Stuffing & Sides
Texas may have bragging rights on the first vineyard, but New Mexico claims the honor for first grape planted.
“The Mission grape was initially planted out of necessity to supply sacramental wine for the mission churches; Franciscan friars boldly defied orders from the Spanish Crown” by growing the grape, says Richard McDonald, winemaker for Rio Grande Winery in Las Cruces.
The label of Rio Grande’s Mission features three crosses that represent the Franciscan friars who played such an important role in the birth of American viticulture.
“Mission grapes produce wine with soft acidity and balanced tannins,” McDonald says. “The flavor profile is complex, with aromas of strawberry, violets and blackcurrant and a taste that combines chokecherry, fresh fig and a juicy blueberry finish. It would make a great Thanksgiving wine, perfect for pairing with classic stuffing. $26, buy it here.
Virginia Petit Manseng + Cheese
Early settlers—including founding father Thomas Jefferson—planted grapes and made wine, but it wasn’t until the 1970s that the winemaking industry began to gather steam in Virginia. Grapes like the white Petit Manseng love Virginia’s heat and humidity, offering incredible versatility, body and texture, with notes of honeysuckle, tropical fruit, apricots and beeswax.
Try Early Mountain Vineyard’s Petit Manseng 2021.
“With its diverse and unique aromatics, Petit Manseng’s structure always works well as an aperitif, complimenting a variety of cheeses,” notes winemaker May Hood White. “Due to its rich texture and rich take on this high-acid variety, the Early Mountain’s Petit Manseng also makes for a fun inclusion during the dessert course. The oxidative approach to the wine compliments rich and salty cheeses and pumpkin or apple pie.”
$35, buy it here.
New Hampshire Marquette + Turkey
New Hampshire wine? If your mind is blown, you’re not alone. The industry is still just a baby but is showing incredible promise. Test vineyard plantings began in New Hampshire in the 1990s, and cold-hardy hybrid grapes dominate the scene.
SHARA Vineyards, just outside of Concord, shows just how much New Hampshire is capable of.
“In 2020, they transitioned to biodynamic farming and natural winemaking,” says Sarah Trubnick, owner of Vitis Distribution, which carries SHARA in its portfolio. “Their Equinox, made with Marquette, offers a nose of red berries and floral hints with bright acidity and cranberry notes on the palate. It pairs beautifully with turkey and stuffing.”
$26, buy it here.
Bring delicious wine to the table that no one has ever heard of from places no one thought it existed, and you’ll instantly have the perfect safe conversational topic far, far away from politics. Dig in, give thanks and enjoy.