How to Pick the Perfect Bottle of Wine for Thanksgiving
In prepping for Thanksgiving, we asked the curators at Club W to simplify selecting the perfect turkey day wine, whether you’re the host or a guest bringing a thank-you bottle.
But first, a little bit about this cool wine club. Club W is an online community of wine enthusiasts committed to taking the guesswork and pretentiousness out of enjoying a great bottle of wine at a reasonable price.
Once you sign up, you select a monthly wine experience ($39 for 3 bottles per month) and complete your palate profile so their sommeliers can get to know you. You can review wines via their mobile app, informing your next month’s shipment. Think of them as a sommelier who makes house calls.
Each wine’s page includes age, nationality, ideal environment (i.e. picnic in the park), suggests the best foods for pairing. Very handy! (P.S. You can still buy Thanksgiving wine from Club W if you order before tomorrow – we recommend using our super sweet discount code. Simply type “britco” where it says “Voucher or Referral Code” at checkout and you’ll get $10 off your first month!)
Now, onto the Thanksgiving recommendations.
“Usually I would follow the simple rule I used for years as head sommelier at Per Se restaurant: if it grows together, it goes together,” says Club W curator André Mack.
“But before we even get to what we’re serving, Thanksgiving represents everything I’m passionate about – food , drink, friends and family,” says Mack “and to celebrate I always start with bubbly.” While the most famous bubbly is French Champagne, there are plenty of other options, including Italian Bubbly, as suggested by sommelier Ilan Baril.
“For the meal, when it comes to white wines I like to do drier style Rieslings, look for examples from Australia,” Mack suggests. “For big white wines I lean towards California Sauvignon Blanc.”
“For Thanksgiving I love to play up the flavors of the season,” says winemaker Brian Smith. “Smoke, spice, root vegetables and game all point to Pinot Noir, which will echo Thanksgiving flavors without overpowering them.
“Sometimes I use wine as a way to spark people’s palates in an entirely different direction,” says Club W curator Tova Herman. “Sparkling Pink Moscato offers a watermelon flavor that might seem decidedly un-Thanksgiving but people love the change of pace and refreshing zing it brings to what’s usually a heavy meal.”
The most interesting pairing suggestion in surveying Club W curators was more about practicality than palate. “One Thanksgiving, a friend asked me to bring a bottle of wine and a bottle of Pedialyte,” laughs Baril. “Nursing a hangover from the night before, she knew that without a little rehydration she wasn’t going to be able to drink the wine I was bringing and she didn’t want to miss out on my expert selection!” (Editor’s Note: We are totally behind the Pedialyte legend, plus it comes in its own potpourri of varietals!)
If you’re looking to order wine in time for Thanksgiving, Club W is still guarantees Thanksgiving arrival so long as you order today or tomorrow. Happy wining and dining!
What wines do you typically serve at Thanksgiving? Got any go-to holiday wines for the rest of the season? Talk to us in the comments below.
