As Thanksgiving nears, I am feeling nostalgic for so many wonderful Thanksgivings past.

Growing up in Virginia, Thanksgiving was marked with a stunning landscape of colorful leaves, crisp air, cozy sweaters and a beautifully decorated dining room underneath my mother’s sentimental Austrian crystal chandelier. This is important because the traditions came with the ritualistic tasks of polishing things – from the very labor-intensive chandelier to mom’s beautiful silver service. These simple rituals reminded us of the significant intentions that sparked the special nature of a holiday dinner in our home. I am grateful for those memories – and for the intentions set by my parents.

Over the years, since I moved to Oregon, I have not been back home for Thanksgiving, instead opting to fly home for Christmas. My Thanksgivings became a series of friendsgivings – and I had a long run at a fellow wine industry couple’s lovely home with joyful traditions including dress-up BINGO. While my favorite part of this annual feast was playing a wildly funny, multi-generational game of BINGO with the same crowd for about a decade, my other favorite part of the evening was the wine spread: gorgeous grower Champagne, obviously Oregon Pinot Noir, and then Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Spätlese Riesling, Morgan Cru Beaujolalis, and then more of our local Oregon wines – including my Gamay Noir, Oregon “Tour Rain” (Gamay/Cabernet Franc blend) and “Clos Rogue Valley” Reserve Cabernet Franc.

Thanksgiving is the perfect occasion to enjoy a variety of wines that pair well with the traditional American Thanksgiving meal – which typically includes turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and other comfort foods and personal favorite “traditional” side dishes.

But, what do wine professionals even mean when they say a wine is a Thanksgiving Wine? There are some basics to this notion – like considering acidity, sugar levels, viscosity or weight, and then overall balance and structure of a wine. Without getting too complicated (because this really isn’t all that complicated) I’ll offer my personal interpretation to what fits the profile of a Thanksgiving Wine.

Here’s the thing. I don’t prescribe these wines in any particular order. Drink any of these on their own, with appetizers, with dinner, or after dinner. Who cares?! Just do what makes you happy! And, if you don’t like any of these wines, bring whatever brings you joy. Period. Life is too short to feel disempowered to not do what you really want to do. These are just some of my favorites. Feel free to bring them or skip them this Thanksgiving.

As always, just drink responsibly and I don’t recommend mixing up wines for your own concoction or “blend”. You know what? Scratch that. If that makes you happy to start mixing up wines on Thanksgiving – do it! Make a rosé out of a white and red wine, especially if one isn’t available. Be sure to announce “rosé all day, baby?” Sometimes you just can’t take life so seriously… Just don’t say I told you to do it. You’re in charge of you.

WHITE WINES:

• Chardonnay: A versatile white wine with flavors of apple, pear, and butter that can complement the richness of the meal. I recommend Burgundy, personally. There are some lovely Chardonnays from Oregon. Check out Arterberry Maresh or Morgan Long for two stand-outs.
  
• Sauvignon Blanc: Crisp and refreshing, with notes of citrus and herbs, making it a good match for turkey and sides. Check out Loire Valley Pouilly-Fumé or Sancerre. Also, my 2019 Sauvignon Blanc is reminiscent of a Pouilly-Fumé – a uniquely Oregon take on a Loire inspiration (think Loiregon!).
  
• Riesling: A sweet and aromatic wine that can balance the savory and sweet flavors of the holiday dishes. German Kabinett and Spätlese are my favorite wines with Thanksgiving. If you’re looking for a stunning Oregon Riesling, check out Weinbau Paetra.
  

RED WINES:

• Pinot Noir: A light to medium-bodied red wine with red fruit flavors and a good choice for its versatility with various Thanksgiving dishes. We stick with our neighbors and enjoy a number of Oregon Pinot Noirs. Classics for me are Cristom’s Eileen Vineyard, Domaine Drouhin Oregon’s “Laurene” and Elk Cove Vineyards “Clay Court”.
  
• Gamay Noir: A lighter, fruitier red wine with firm acidity that can be served slightly chilled or at room temperature that goes with everything! While we love Morgon Cru Beaujolais – or any Cru Beaujolais for that matter – and, of course, we are happy to share our 2019 “Coeur de Tour Rain Gamay” – inspired by the ethereal Gamay Noir wines found in the Touraine region of the Loire Valley.
  
• Cabernet Franc: Also a lighter red known for its stunning balance between fruit and spice, which complements the diverse flavors of Thanksgiving. We are happy to provide you with your needs here – from our flagship Oregon Cabernet Franc, to our reserves and library Cabernet Franc wines – we adore the possibilities our Cabernet Francs (even the Blanc!) offer with any Thanksgiving meal!

OTHER WINES:

• Rosé: A versatile option, rosé wines can bridge the gap between white and red wines and provide a refreshing choice. Whoever said rosé is a spring/summer wine is a marketing person.

• Champagne/Sparkling Wine: Bubbles can add a celebratory touch to Thanksgiving, and the acidity pairs well with many dishes. We love grower Champagne – like Egly–Ouriet. There are so many producers in Oregon now making sparkling wine. And if you want something that is tart and bright like cranberries – we still have a few cases left of our rosé sparkling wine of Gamay Noir – the 2017 Blanquette of Stars!

Ultimately, the best wine for Thanksgiving depends on personal preferences and the specific dishes you’re serving. I’m sure there’s a wine pro out there who has tested pairings for all kinds of crazy dishes like ambrosia or Waldorf salad – or any of the dishes Americans only eat on Thanksgiving – like Green Bean Casserole with onion rings, cranberry sauce (the canned stuff), creamed corn, Jell-O mold or sweet potatoes with marshmallows. That could be a fun assignment! Anyway, It’s a good idea to have a variety of options available to accommodate different tastes among your guests. Just don’t be a jerk about it. If you’re unsure, you can always ask for recommendations at a local wine shop or consult with a sommelier for more tailored advice.