Looking for a quality vino or cocktail to go with your Thanksgiving Day feast? From sweet potatoes and green bean casserole to stuffing and traditional turkey, we’ve reached to some local libation experts for their guidance on choosing the optimal Thanksgiving wine or spirit to complement your turkey-day feast.
Cazin’s Cour-Cheverny Cuvée Renaissance
“It’s [100%] romorantin, a grape exclusive to Cour-Cheverny [in France’s Loire Valley],” says Sophie Yoneoka, a sommelier and wine buyer at Sovereignty Wines. She describes the 2015 vintage as “gorgeously textured … honeyed, with elements of pear and buttercups.” As for food pairings? “Think sweet potatoes, stuffing and green bean casserole,” Yoneoka says.
Price range: $23-$28
Full-Bodied Whites or Soft Reds
If you’re eating traditional turkey and cranberry sauce, Michael Read, former sommelier at The Warehouse, says aim for a full-bodied white or soft red Thanksgiving wine.
“Don’t overpower the food,” he says. Read’s recommended whites are Tangent Viognier, creamy and aromatic, or Hugel Gewurztraminer, dry, floral and spicy. For reds, he picks Eric Chevalier Cabernet Franc, a versatile Loire Valley bargain, or a Calera Pinot Noir from California’s Central Coast.
Price range: $18-$30
Manhattan or Boulevardier
If you prefer cocktails over Thanksgiving wine, try these recommendations from Christian De Los Santos, hospitality consultant and manager at Almagre.
“For spirit-forward drinkers, I suggest a Manhattan riff I stumbled upon,” De Los Santos says. The recipe in a nutshell: 2 ounces rye whiskey, half-ounce sweet vermouth, half-ounce Ancho Reyes chile liqueur, a dash of Angostura bitters and a Luxardo cherry.
When you’re in a food coma after the meal, De Los Santos recommends a Boulevardier, a digestif easily made with 1 ounce each: bourbon, sweet vermouth and Campari over ice. “Garnish with an orange twist and enjoy by the fire,” he says.
This article was originally published in November 2019 and updated November 2024.
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