Pairing Wines for Thanksgiving
November is here and Thanksgiving is near! It's time to stock up on those family dinner wines and we have the perfect suggestions for your food pairings. Like tasting wine flights, dinner progresses typically from lighter food dishes to heavier ones, so your wine should follow suit. It's always great to start the afternoon/evening off with a light, crisp refreshing white. Sparkling wine/Champagne or Gin cocktails are popular beverages to kick things off, but an ice cold Sauvignon Blanc can also be a great way to get guests' palates warmed up! It pairs nicely with light dishes from goat cheese to oysters because it has beautiful acidity hints of tropical notes.
No Thanksgiving party is complete without a Chardonnay. While ours has a lovely, bright freshness to it, the Chardonnay has a fuller body with complex notes of creme brulee and a chalky, minearlity. Your softer cheeses will go nicely with this wine, but it can stand up to your fish and heavier pasta dishes too -- so versatile!
As you get into your larger courses, it's good to have a few different reds for the party to choose from, so we've picked three to cover your bases. Starting with the 1908 Block Zinfandel. Zins really play nicely off those smokey flavors that your turkey or other barbequed meats provide. This fruit-driven yet elegant wine will leave your guests craving more (maybe add a few bottles of this one).
Next, there's always those 'red-blend' fans who just can't decide on a single varietal. The XXXIV is nice and bold with huge depth of flavor (Cab, Cab Franc, Zin, Petite Sirah), so again let's get this next to your meats, casseroles, and heavier dishes.
Then, there's the star of every show...Cabernet. The pride and joy of many major regions in the United States, France, Chile, Austrailia, Italy and Argentina. We happen to make three excellent single vineyard Cabernets, but for the purposes of your Thanksgiving meal, we're going to suggest the 2015 Pickett Road Block. It's shy at first, and then as it rolls around in your glass, it starts to share a little bit more about its character which is nothing short of deep, complex and interesting. You're going to want to save this until the end so everyone can take their time with it (PRO TIP 1: put this in a decanter at the start of the dinner, pour it later).
While you may be feeling full and satisfied (even just reading this), you can't forget that it's Thanksgiving (the ultimate meal for the glutonous), and dessert is an absolute must. Maybe a Chocolate Souflee or some rendition of the ever-popular cheesecake...whatever your heart desires...pair it with the Dessert Wine, affectionately named, 'Compassion.' We use Tinta Roriz to make this, which is the grape that is responsible for some of the finest age-worthy Port. A dessert on it's own, this Aperitif is really designed to enjoy alongside your favorite guilty pleasure.
So, there you have it. Six wines that will take care of your party from start to finish and leave guests thrilled that they decided to attend your party this year!
With the click of a button, grab this 6-pack (heck, even two), so that you don't have to go to the store fighting crowds and staring blankly into the isles. We did the hard part -- you just need to enjoy it!
Dinner Party 6-Pack - $350
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PRO TIP 2: as a general rule of thumb, when trying to decide how much wine you will need at your dinner gatherings, most guests will consume 3-4 glasses throughout the evening (not including cocktail hour).