Thanksgiving always proves itself to be an extremely involved holiday.
You spend a month planning and a whole day of cooking to create a picture perfect meal. The main feat is roasting a giant turkey that even picky Uncle Fred will approve of. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the grocery list and forget about an important detail of meal planning, such as having the right wines on hand to compliment all your hard work.
Buying wine for the big turkey day doesn’t need to be complicated. With a few simple tips, it will be effortless to write up your wine list. The best part about wine shopping is you can try before you buy at your local Saratoga Springs wineries.
Shopping local is a great way to support small businesses and meet the passionate people behind the wines. It will be easy to impress your guests with local New York wines at your Thanksgiving table this year. Governor Cuomo has just announced that Wine Enthusiast Magazine named New York “Wine Region of the Year.”
It’s never been a better time to introduce your family and friends to wines made right here in New York State while pairing them with a fabulous turkey dinner.
The top red wine that is a traditional safe bet for Thanksgiving is Pinot Noir. Pinot Noir is to turkey as gravy is to mashed potatoes, just perfect for each other. Pinot Noir has a fruit forward taste, which supports the mellow flavors of turkey by bringing it from just good to absolutely delicious. Choosing a lighter bodied red wine like Pinot Noir compared to a heavy Cabernet is a better choice to not overwhelm the mild flavors of turkey. A local recommendation for your red wine and turkey pairing is Thirsty Owl’s 2013 Pinot Noir, which is their best vintage of Pinot Noir yet.
The first choice for a white is a bold and flavorful wine such as Riesling. A Riesling can hold up against any Thanksgiving dish that is salty, spicy, or sweet. Rieslings have natural bursting fruit notes that work as a refreshing cleanser to your palate in between thick, savory side dishes such as sweet potatoes. Most of us refer to Rieslings as being sweet, but they can be as dry as a Pinot Grigio.
Tasting the wine before you buy and checking the residual sugar of the wine is an easy way to make sure you are buying exactly what you want. The higher the residual sugar, or “RS,” the sweeter the wine will be. Whether you choose a sweet or dry Riesling, this wine is a perfect teammate to bring turkey from boring to spectacular. A local recommendation for a white wine and turkey pairing is The Saratoga Winery’s Semi-Dry Riesling. This wine is not bone dry but also doesn’t have too much sugary sweetness. Peach flavors and smooth finish makes this wine a winner for Thanksgiving dinner.
A dry white wine like Chardonnay is also a must-have accompaniment to your Thanksgiving table. Chardonnay is full of body and bold flavors. This wine can hold up against creamy, rich side dishes such as green bean casserole and stuffing. Chardonnay’s low acidity and buttery notes also make a great team with mashed potatoes. A local recommendation for a great Chardonnay is Swedish Hill’s 2012 Reserve Chardonnay. This wine was 100 percent barrel fermented, making this creamy Chardonnay extremely bold with oak flavor.
Don’t forget dessert. A fortified wine or late harvest wine is the perfect finish to a wonderful family meal. The sweetness of these styles of wines compliments the rich, creamy texture of pumpkin pie and other traditional Thanksgiving desserts. The combination is sure to be a conversation starter. A few local recommendations for dessert-style wines are Thirsty Owl’s Late Harvest Chardonnay and The Saratoga Winery’s Melomel wines. Melomel is an all-natural style of wine made with 12 percent honey and can be comparable to a Port.
At the end of the day it’s all about choosing the right wines for you and your guests. There are no set rules, just plenty of suggestions and pairing options to help make your life easier.
If you have a large group, it’s always good to have a few different types of wines on hand to please everyone’s palates. If you choose one of each—dry red, sweet red, dry white and a sweet white—you cover all your bases.
As always, a helpful winery employee is ready to assist you find the perfect Thanksgiving wines for you at your local Saratoga Springs wineries. Happy Thanksgiving and Cheers!
Amy Greth is the Marketing Manager at The Saratoga Winery and the voice behind Mel, the beloved wine-drinking horse. After discovering a love for wine in her younger 20s, she has now aged the passion into a fine career. She is proud to have been raised in Saratoga County and is currently settling roots of her own in the area.
