Thanksgiving Wines - Tips and Suggestions

Thanksgiving wines have a lot of competition at the table. There are so many flavors in a relatively small area, it is impossible to find just one Thanksgiving wine that will complement all of the dishes. When buying Thanksgiving wine, it is important to find a balanced wine that will not be overwhelmed by all of the seasonings and rich food so often prepared. Avoid a super-dry wine, as the taste of these will be lost. Also, a very heavy-bodied wine will overwhelm some of the lighter dishes available. In this list of 10 Thanksgiving Wines, I have included some general styles of wine as well as specific wines that we enjoy. The specific wineries I've linked to are places we've visited in our travels or wines we have purchased retail. We've received no compensation for this post.

10 Thanksgiving Wines:

1. Pinot Noir - This can be either a red or white wine, and is sometimes included in champagne. Most pinot noir wines I've tasted have been semi-dry and medium bodied, successfully converting this former white zinfandel-only drinker.

2. Riesling - It is possible to find German Rieslings in the United States priced under $20 per bottle. Avoid dry or sweet Rieslings. A lighter Riesling with a medium body will satisfy those who can't drink red wines.

3. Rose - The universal wine. Please avoid boxed varieties.

4. 7 Deadly Zins - This zinfandel blended by Michael-David, while a little heavier than many, and has a balance of several flavors. We've been able to locate this wine during our travels around the United States.

5. Stone Hill Winery's Chambourcin - From Herrmann, MO hails this medium-bodied wine that complements heavy and lighter dishes. Stone Hill Winery will ship to several states.

6. Breitenbach Wine's Roadhouse Red - We enjoy this wine from the heart of Ohio's Amish Country with many types of food. Don't let the semi-sweet designation fool you. This is not a syrupy wine and will appeal to either merlot or semi-sweet wine drinkers. Breitenbach Wine's will ship, with a 21 year old signature required.

7. Ridge Winery's Switzerland County Red - From the birthplace of commercial wine-making in the United States comes another wine that will please semi-dry or semi-sweet drinkers. The Ridge can ship only in Indiana, but is conveniently located between Cincinnati and Louisville, just 15 minutes from I-71.

Completely worth the stop at The Ridge Winery Tasting Room, right on the banks of the Ohio River. They've expanded the tasting room and offer a lot of special events.

8. Lanthier Winery's Cranberry Grande - Cranberries. Thanksgiving. Perfection. Unfortunately, Lanthier Winery does not have an online store. Plan a road trip from Cincinnati or Louisville and follow the Indiana Wine Trail to Madison, IN. As a bonus - they offer a free bottle for every five you buy.

We love to visit Lanthier during the holiday season because they always have dozens of beautifully decorated trees.

9. Breitenbach Wine's Cranberry Wine - Sweet and tart, this wine is always available in mid-November.

10. Ice Wine - A very sweet and decadent dessert wine, ice wines are made from grapes that have been permitted to freeze on the vine. The majority of ice wines are produced in Canada, but it is possible to find good, affordable ice wines from the Great Lakes region.

Don't be afraid of wine. In the words of William Shakespeare "Good wine is a good familiar creature if it be well used."