5 Great Wine Suggestions For Thanksgiving (Wines NOT Brands)

Ok, for my American readers, I know it's time to do a post when the UPS guy asks me what he should be drinking for Thanksgiving (he delivers lots of wine to me, so it wasn't completely out of left field, FYI!).

I planned on a post but figured that I should wait until it actually became relevant -- I'm assuming that normal people are like me and leave a lot of Thanksgiving shopping until the last minute. With all the prep and cooking that needs to be done for TG (as Thanksgiving will be termed through the rest of this article), wine -- probably the only item that doesn't need prep -- will be what you pick up tomorrow, or send your non-cooking roommate/spouse/partner/family member out to get.

With so much other stuff to think about we need to make this quick and easy.

Before we get into specific recommendations, let's think about the diversity of the TG meal. You start with appetizers of some ilk, cheese plates, nuts, etc. Then you move on to more savory, creamy foods -- mashed potatoes, buttery stuffing, cranberry sauce, green beans, sweet potatoes, and moist turkey.

With each wine you've got a choice -- complement the food with flavors and textures that are similar or create a contrasting pairing that could lighten some of the weightier dishes. Each of the wines below will do the job in one way or the other. If you want to have fun with dinner, get more than one of the options, try them out and use them as a discussion point (sure beats politics or personal discussions about topics you'd rather avoid -- c'mon, you know what they are).

So using the above standard meal as benchmark, here are 5 wines (not brands, mind you) that nearly any store should have stocked and ready to go:

1. Sparkling wine or, for a splurge, Champagne.

Where to get it in the store: Sparkling wine comes in many forms. Usually the stores stock them together, but here are a few types to look for:

• California sparkling wine (look on the label for "Champagne Method" or "Traditional Method" to make sure it's the kind I'm talking about)
• Cava from Spain
• Cremant from France (made like Champagne but not from the Champagne region, try some from Alsace, Limoux, or the Loire Valley)
• Champagne (sparkling wine made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier in the eponymous region through a double fermentation, with strict harvest, production, and aging parameters).

Each of these wines are made in the Champagne method and are usually dry, but have a yeasty, almost bread-like character to them. They have small bubbles that last a long time and great, strong acidity.

Why It Works: With a lighter fruit component, these wines won't overpower any of the dishes with too much aroma or fruit flavor. The acidity and the bubbles will enliven the cheese and appetizer dishes and cut through all the buttery heaviness in the mashed potatoes and stuffing. The turkey will take on some of the fruitiness of the wine, giving it more dimension. Sparklers go well with the sweeter dishes too -- the sweet potatoes will taste a bit less sweet with sparkling wine, but there won't be a clash in flavors. It could even be ok with the impossible to match green beans -- at minimum, it won't ruin the flavor of the legumes. All in all, sparkling wine is a really festive and safe choice for the meal.

*Note: Notice that I did not mention Prosecco in this mix. To me, Prosecco has a grapey, abundant fruit flavor and low acidity. It would be innocuous with the dishes but not as good as a wine made from the traditional Champagne method, with more yeasty, complex flavors, and less punchy fruit.

2. Riesling.

This poor grape gets a bad rap, but it is unbelievably versatile and definitely my favorite match with TG fare because of its delicious aroma and its mouth-cleaning acid. Get a dry or only lightly sweet wine for the best results.

Where to get it in the store:

• In the German section: Look for a Riesling from Mosel, Rheingau, or Rheinhessen. If the label doesn't say Trocken (dry), classic, or selection ask your wine person if it's dry or sweet.
• In the French section: If it's from Alsace France, it will be dry and have a lovely "oily" texture that is sumptuous!
  
• In the Australian section: If it's from the Clare Valley or Eden Valley, it will be dry.
  

Why It Works: I love the high floral and peach aromatics in Riesling. The wine also often has a gasoline or petrol note, and lots of minerality to it. The acid, even though often disguised under sugar, is always searing and is delicious as a foil to rich buttery foods. I love TG food, but it's not the spiciest or most exciting cuisine. The peachy, floral, and mineral notes of the wine and it's acid combine with the starchy goodness of the potatoes, and stuffing and the buttery turkey to create a whole better than its parts. The acid cleans out your mouth after each bite and leaves you ready for more. The fruitiness of the wine can handle the sweeter dishes, although I wouldn't recommend trying the cranberry sauce or green beans with a bone dry Riesling -- the bitterness of both won't taste great with the acidity of the wine -- you win some, you lose some.

3. Lightly Oaked Chardonnay.

I am not a fan of big, oaky Chardonnays. But a lightly oaked, medium-bodied Chardonnay is an excellent, neutral choice for TG.

Where to get it in the store:

• In the France/Burgundy section: A Meursault from Burgundy, France or a basic white Burgundy (like Laforet from Louis Latour)
• In the South American section: Chilean Chardonnay
• In the California Section: A Chardonnay from the Central Coast

Why It Works: I'm no oak lover, but a savory meal sometimes calls for a complementary pairing. You don't want an oak bomb that will overpower the milder dishes, but you need a little oak to make sure the wine has enough flavor so it doesn't taste like alcoholic water when faced with butter, butter, and more butter. Chardonnay is an innocuous pairing. All guests are bound to think this is a palatable pairing and the buttery character of these wines (due to a secondary, or malo-lactic fermentation), will complement everything on the table. This may be one of the only things that won't clash with the green beans! This is your safest, easiest bet.

4. Pinot Noir.

They call Pinot "the chef's wine" since it is such a food-friendly libation. You do have to be cautious about style though. Big fruity Pinots may be too much for the food (look for alcohol over 13.5% as a tip off) and a really light style wine will be too wimpy to stand up to the savory spices.

Where to get it in the store:

• In the Oregon or Domestic Pinot Noir section: Oregon Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley is a perfect "goldilocks" solution -- not too fruity and not too earthy, this is a top pick
• In the New Zealand Section: New Zealand Pinot Noir -- copy that from Oregon, especially if you can get some from Central Otago.
  
• In the France/Burgundy section: If you have the money, spend it on a good Burgundy. For great values -- buy from the villages of Savigny-Les-Beaune or Marsannay, which are fuller styles for around $20.

Why It Works: Want to bring fruit to the table with some decent acid and low tannins? Look no further than Pinot Noir. The bright raspberry, strawberry, and cherry notes in the wine bring a new dimension to starchy foods and the earthy, barnyard flavor of the Pinot goes perfectly with the turkey -- it complements the meat and adds light fruit notes to the savory flavors of the rub on the bird. The spice and mushroom flavors in some Pinots will complement all your dishes heavy in herbal seasonings too. Caveat emptor with the yams -- Pinot may make them seem sour.

5. Beaujolais Nouveau.

Ok, I am not a big fan of this wine. I think most vintages it's poorly made, bubblegum crap that is marketed really, really, really well. That said, it's trendy, it's a crowd-pleaser, and its fruitiness (with very little texture -- either tannin or acid) will complement everything on the table.

Where to get it in the store:

• There will most likely be a giant display in the middle of the store. The 2010 release of this wine just happened last week (I haven't had it yet so I can't vouch for the vintage, I'm sorry to say) and the wine shops are pushing it. I don't want to push brand, but I do think you're better off going for the Georges Dubeouf than for Trader Joe's. The former is at least based in Beaujolais, who knows were TJ's gets its stash?

Why It Works: Plain and simple -- the wine is plain and simple. It will complement everything on the table, it's inexpensive, and you won't have to think too much when you're drinking it. Will you have a lot "oh, wow!" moments? No, but no one is going to be grossed out or offended either. A plus all around.

Regardless of what wine you choose, just enjoy the company your with, think about all the things for which you are so blessed, and have an awesome time! Happy TG!!!