Thanksgiving Wine Pairing Guide: What to Pour With Turkey & Every Side
Food & Wine Pairing · Updated every November
The best Thanksgiving wines are light- to medium-bodied, high in acidity and low in tannin: cru Beaujolais, Pinot Noir, dry Riesling, Chenin Blanc and sparkling wine. They stand up to a plate that holds turkey, cranberry, stuffing and sweet potatoes all at once, and they won't flatten anyone by the second glass.
This is our one Thanksgiving guide, updated every year with our current sommelier picks. Here's what to open, what to skip and how much to buy.
This year's Thanksgiving table
Domaine Dominique Piron Morgon "Côte du Py"The all-purpose turkey red$34.99
St. Innocent Pinot Noir "Villages Cuvée"Oregon Pinot for dark meat and stuffing$28
Social Creatures 'Hannah' Chenin BlancChenin Blanc for the whole spread$26.99
Lambert de Seyssel "Petit Royal" Traditional Method Sparkling WineAlpine bubbles for the first hour$24
What wine goes best with turkey?
Turkey is lean and mild, so it needs a wine with more acidity than weight. Red Burgundy, Oregon Pinot Noir and cru Beaujolais (Morgon, Fleurie, Côte-de-Brouilly) are the classic answers because their red-fruit flavors echo cranberry sauce and their soft tannins don't dry out white meat. For white-wine drinkers, dry Riesling and Chenin Blanc do the same job with a little extra body for gravy.
What to avoid: heavily oaked, high-alcohol reds. A 15% Zinfandel or a young, tannic Cabernet overwhelms turkey and turns bitter next to sweet sides.
What wine goes with Thanksgiving sides?
| Dish | Pour | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Stuffing, mushrooms | Pinot Noir | Earthy notes match sage and mushroom |
| Sweet potatoes, squash | Off-dry Riesling, Chenin Blanc | A touch of sweetness meets the dish instead of fighting it |
| Green bean casserole, gravy | Chardonnay (lightly oaked) | Creamy texture for creamy food |
| Cranberry sauce | Gamay, rosé | Bright red fruit on both sides |
| Ham | Riesling, rosé, Beaujolais | Acidity cuts salt; fruit loves the glaze |
| Pumpkin and pecan pie | Tawny port, oloroso or sweet sherry | Nutty, caramel notes match the pie |
Is Beaujolais Nouveau good for Thanksgiving?
Beaujolais Nouveau is released on the third Thursday of November, one week before Thanksgiving, which is why it became a holiday tradition. It's fun and fruity, but it's also the simplest wine Beaujolais makes. For the same money or a little more, a cru Beaujolais from a village like Morgon or Fleurie has more depth and still tastes great slightly chilled. Our Beaujolais guide explains the ten crus.
Should you serve red or white at Thanksgiving?
Both. Put one of each on the table and let guests choose; a Thanksgiving plate has too many flavors for a single perfect match anyway. If you want a single bottle for everyone, choose a dry rosé or a sparkling wine, which sit between red and white and go with nearly everything on the table.
How many bottles of wine do you need for Thanksgiving?
Plan on one bottle for every two wine-drinking guests over a long dinner, plus one extra bottle for every four guests. A 750ml bottle pours five 5-ounce glasses. For 12 adults, that means about 8 to 9 bottles: 2 sparkling for arrival, 3 red, 3 white, and 1 dessert wine or extra red. Leftovers keep for days, and our guide to storing and aging wine covers the basics.
What should you bring to Thanksgiving as a guest?
Bring a bottle that's ready to drink and easy to pair: a cru Beaujolais, an Oregon Pinot Noir or a bottle of bubbles. Don't expect the host to open it that night, and don't bring anything that needs hours of decanting. More ideas are in our guide to what wine to bring to a dinner party.
FAQ
What is the best wine to serve with turkey?
Light, high-acid reds such as Pinot Noir and cru Beaujolais are the best red wines for turkey. Dry Riesling and Chenin Blanc are the best whites. All four handle the sweet and savory sides on a Thanksgiving plate.
How many bottles of wine do I need for 10 people at Thanksgiving?
Buy 7 to 8 bottles for 10 wine-drinking adults: one bottle per two guests, plus one extra for every four guests. Split them between sparkling, red and white.
Should Thanksgiving red wine be chilled?
Lightly. Pinot Noir and Beaujolais taste best at 55 to 60°F. Put them in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes before dinner.
Is Beaujolais Nouveau a good Thanksgiving wine?
It is festive and well timed, released the week before Thanksgiving, but a cru Beaujolais such as Morgon or Fleurie offers more depth for a small step up in price.
Pick one red, one white and a bottle of bubbles, and let the table do the rest. Shop Thanksgiving wines →
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Header photo: Noah Samuel Franz on Unsplash
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