It is doable to choose one wine to carry you through appetizers to desserts. That wine is SPARKLING! which is elegance with a phenomenal food-pairing versatility to virtually any meal. With Thanksgiving these wines really shine. Mountain Dome Cuvee Forte is one of my very favorite local bubbly but they also have a Sparkling Rose which may be even a better match considering the proteins in the meal. On a budget, go for the Mountain Dome Brut, which is a staple at SIP's house making any night sparkle.
The art of Wine Pairing is largely a matter of personal preference; however, some safe bets for Thanksgiving dinner are Pinot Noir (Try King Estate), Syrah (Try Barrister, Robert Karl, or Overbluff) and Zinfandel for RED lovers and Sauvignon Blanc (Try Arbor Crest's), Riesling (Try Barrister, Latah Creek or Nodland's Bebop) Gewurztraminer and Viognier (Try Caterina or Barili) for those who prefer WHITE.
Then there's the pie. Sweeter wines to dessert wines pair nicely but I like RUM with my pumpkin pie. Rum (Goslings, Captain Morgan) is a reasonable spirits choice. Some specialty liquors (Voyant Chai, Tuaca, and Praline) offer sweetness without overpowering.
With white wines the pairing priority is finding a wine with well-balanced acidity with reds you are shooting for fairly tame tannins that will yield to and support the flavors of the food. For the happy medium between the two, a Rose becomes a pretty perfect match.
Oh yes, you have options. This Thanksgiving you can be grateful for choices.
What did we miss? Do you have a pairing of a local wine that should be on this list? Leave a comment, we want to know.
Cheers to a Happy Thanksgiving, SIP XO
(Photo credit: Inside Socal)
