This episode focuses on wines for the traditional Thanksgiving feast.

Hosting The Thanksgiving Feast

If you’re the host, the easiest way to choose the right wines is to put the task on your guests. Everyone asks “what can I bring?” Tell them one bottle of their favorite wine and a second bottle of a wine type that you specify based on what you learn in this episode.

If you’re the host and providing all the wine, figure on 2-3 glasses per person.

One standard (750ml) bottle of wine equals 5 generous glasses.

So, if you expect 10 people at dinner, 10 times 3 glasses is 30 glasses, divided by 5 equals 6 bottles.

However, if you expect a LOT of wine drinking — perhaps because many people are staying over, walking home, or getting an Uber home — just figure on one bottle per person to be safe.

Insider tips

• For Champagne, get “non-vintage” as it offers the best bang for your buck
• Lambrusco is a red, slightly sparkling to fully sparkling wine that is OUTSTANDING with food, and especially good with Thanksgiving dishes
• Riesling is also a GREAT match for Thanksgiving dishes. Look for bottles from Alsace, Germany, Washington state
• Both Riesling and Lambrusco come in various sweetness levels, from from bone dry to sweet
• Almost any white wine from Italy will work with just about everything on the table, because Italian whites tend to be food friendly.
• Similarly, almost all rose wines will work as well. The best rose wines in the world are from the French regions of Provence, Tavel, and Bandol.
• Put Beaujolais wine in the fridge for 15-20 minutes before serving. A slight chill brings out the flavors of this light and fruity red wine.

Wine Recommendations

FULL DISCLOSURE, these brands are marketed by my employer, Kobrand Corp.

California Chardonnay brands

– Cakebread

– Sequoia Grove

– St. Francis

– The Seeker

Champagne

– Taittinger

California sparkling wine

– Domaine Carneros

Cava

– Poema

Prosecco

– Caposaldo

Lambrusco

– Medici Ermete

Riesling brands

– Domaine Zind-Humbrecht

– The Seeker

– Shades of Blue

White Burgundy

Almost all white Burgundy is 100% Chardonnay; a small percentage is made from Chardonnay’s cousin Aligote.

There are three levels of white Burgundy: Bourgogne Blanc (AC), Premier Cru, Grand Cru

Areas: Macon Village, Macon Lugny, Chablis

Brands:

– Louis Jadot

– Domaine Ferret

Sauvignon Blanc brands

– Craggy Range (New Zealand)

– Infamous Goose (New Zealand)

– Montes (Chile)

– Cakebread (Napa)

– St. Francis (Sonoma)

– Pighin (Italy)

– Jacques Dumont (Sancerre, France)

– Michel Redde (Sancerre, France)

– Michel Redde (Pouilly-Fume, France)

Pinot Grigio brands

– Pighin

– Caposaldo

– Bollini

– Masi

– The Seeker

Other Italian white wines

– Villa Matilde Greco di Tufo, Falanghina

– Michele Chiarlo Gavi “Rovereto”

– Michele Chiarlo Gavi “Le Marne”

– Michele Chiarlo Roero Arneis “Le Madri”

– Agricola Punica Vermentino “Samas Isola dei Nuraghi”

– Campo al Mare Vermentino di Bolgheri DOC

– Feudo Maccari Grillo

– Feudo Maccari Contrada Santo Spirito Animalucente Etna DOC

– Tenuta di Salviano Orvieto

Zinfandel

– St. Francis

Pinot Noir From Burgundy

There are three levels: Bourgogne Rouge, Premier Cru, and Grand Cru.

Brand: Louis jadot

Pinot Noir Brands from California

– Cakebread

– St. Francis

Pinot Noir from Oregon

– Resonance

Beaujolais

Make sure it is Beaujolais AC, Beaujolais-Villages, or a “Cru”
Beaujolais Crus include: Brouilly, Chenas, Chiroubles, Cote de Brouilly, Fleurie, Julienas, Morgon, Moulin-a-Vent, Regnie, Saint-Amour
Nouveau is highly promoted at this time of year but not necessarily recommended. Maybe get one bottle for fun, and make certain it is from this year.
Brands:

– Louis Jadot

– Chateau des Jacques

Rose brands:

– AIX (Provence)

– Louis Jadot (Burgundy)

– Jacques Dumont (Sancerre)

– Masi (Veneto)

– Bollni

– Salviano (Umbria)

– Alta Vista (Argentina)

– Montes (Chile)

– Caposaldo (Italy)

– Chateau La Nerthe (Rhone Valley)

– Chateau d’Aqueria (Tavel)

– Feudo Maccari (Sicily)

– Maison Saleya (Provence)

– The Seeker (Provence)

Have a question, comment, or idea for a future episode?

email joe at insidewinepodcast dot com

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