8 American Wines to Please Your Guests at Thanksgiving This Year
For too long, Beaujolais has held the top spot as the most recommended Thanksgiving wine. It is a fine suggestion, flavor-wise: carbonic maceration is the winemaking force at work in Beaujolais that basically produces a wine that echoes the cranberry sauce on the Thanksgiving table. It isn’t the only wine on earth, however, capable of uniting the myriad Thanksgiving flavors and textures.
Plenty of other Thanksgiving wine round-ups do put forth other candidates: everything from sparkling wine, to riesling, to Zinfandel can make for friendly Thanksgiving table selections. But still I find myself a little uninspired, for one particular reason. Dubious origin story notwithstanding, Thanksgiving is the quintessential American food holiday. Doesn’t it deserve a wine list on a similar theme? Thanksgiving began as a celebration by our American forefathers of the early harvests in the New World, so why keep pretending that Old World wines are still some of the best options for our Thanksgiving tables? We can do better.
From fizzy to fortified, red, white, and otherwise, here are 8 American wines to consider for your Thanksgiving celebrations this year.
Banshee Ten of Cups Brut NV
In the tarot, the Ten of Cups card represents the highest realization of family and community. Literally, thy cup runneth over with relationship blessings. If that’s not the tone you want to set with your Thanksgiving celebration, I don’t know what is. Banshee Ten of Cups Brut NV is a bright, aromatic California sparkler made in the Champagne method with Champagne grapes. The affordable luxury price point should pacify both the snobs and the snob-shamers in your family.
Joyful Heart White Blend
Joyful Heart is the project of actress Chrissy Metz of “This is Us” fame, basically the television embodiment of fragile family ecosystems. But enough with the Thanksgiving metaphor, the wine itself also happens to be a harmonious blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, turkey-friendly and balanced between zesty and textured. A portion of each bottle sold also goes to benefit World Central Kitchen.
Crescere Proprietary Chardonnay 2018
Third generation Mexican-American farmers, and husband-and-wife Joe and Elena Reynoso joined with winemaker Philippe Melka to bring Old and New World sensibilities to the most lauded California grape-growing sites. Chardonnay is often heralded as a good Thanksgiving option, a rich white that complements the richness of the meal while also bringing nice acidity to enliven the palate, but Crescere is especially suited to the occasion. Its tasting notes include “grilled apples and wild mountain thyme with undertones of hazelnut, cinnamon, and nutmeg.” Stuffing and pumpkin pie, anyone?
BROC Cellars 2021 Nouveau
Aha! Here is Berkeley, California’s answer to Beaujolais. Winemaker Chris Brockway combines juice from all of his seasonal winemaking efforts into a juicy, funky wine meant to be drunk young—that is, nouveau—and lightly chilled. An homage to European field blends, the 2021 harvest blend includes juice from red, white, and rosé bottlings, for a bright, light, quaffable red. Pass the cranberry sauce.
Acrobat Pinot Noir 2018
If there is one American wine that consistently makes round-ups of desirable Thanksgiving selections, it would be Oregon Pinot Noir. And with good reason: the climate and soil of Oregon’s river valleys are the closest match the U.S. has to Burgundy, France. Acrobat wines are sourced from several Oregon AVAs—Willamette Valley, Umpqua Valley, and Rogue Valley—resulting in a complex expression of the breadth that Oregon-grown grapes can offer. Notes of red fruits and baking spice make for an ideal start-to-finish Thanksgiving dinner wine.
Imagery Winery Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc is an often-overlooked grape since its normal job is adding nuance to Bordeaux or Bordeaux-style blends. On its own, however, it makes for a particularly nice Thanksgiving wine: a little richer than pinot noir, but not overly robust and competitive. The 2018 Cab Franc from Imagery offers deep flavors like cassis and dark chocolate but still keeps it easy-going, with tannins that are soft and integrated. We’re all about wines that keep the peace at Thanksgiving.
Maggio Lodi Petite Sirah
When I was first introduced to Petite Sirah, the sound bite shared with me at the time was: “there’s nothing petite about it!” Let’s just go on record and say: here’s one for the classy dads. The 2017 Petite Sirah from Maggio Family Vineyards is a budget-friendly selection, with an elegant spirit. The fruits are juicy and ripe, the secondary characteristics are savory and intriguing. It’s a big wine, but one that promises not to talk over you during dinner.
Dutcher Crossing 2014 Port Zinfandel
Yes, even exemplary dessert wines for your Thanksgiving celebration can be American-made. From Dry Creek Valley, Zinfandel’s spiritual home in the U.S., winery Dutcher Crossing produces a Port-style wine, rich and warming, to end your Thanksgiving on a sweet note.