Wine Box Experience - Alex Salazar

Thanks & Sips: Pairings to Grace a Grateful Table

Thanksgiving may be the one day of the year when stuffing, gravy boats, and cranberry sauce all jockey for top billing, but any true wine lover knows the real stars are in the glass. The key to pairing wine with a Thanksgiving feast is versatility. With such a sprawling spread of textures, flavors, and richness, wines that balance brightness with depth shine the brightest. Think juicy, medium-bodied reds like Pinot Noir or Gamay that play nicely with turkey’s lean meat and those herb-laced sides. On the white side, dry Riesling and Gewürztraminer bring aromatic lift and a touch of spice that complements roasted squash, buttery mashed potatoes, and everything in between. These are your classic crowd-pleaser wines that elevate without overwhelming. 

But this holiday is also ripe for exploration, so why not toss in a few unexpected scene-stealers? A chilled, earthy Cinsault from South America? A skin-contact Vermentino from Sardinia? Even a bubbly Lambrusco (that’s right, I said it) can cut through the richness of gravy and stuffing while adding a playful sparkle to the meal. The secret lies in understanding a few basic pairing principles: match weight with weight (light dishes with lighter wines, richer dishes with fuller-bodied options), contrast fatty or creamy foods with acidity to cleanse the palate, and complement dominant flavors (herbs, spices, sweetness) with wines that echo or balance those notes. These rules are helpful guides, but your palate is the ultimate judge.

Let’s move along this discussion to see what will be gracing your table this season with your monthly selections.

Let’s start this holiday festivities off right with the Pecchenino Langhe Nebbiolo Botti. A perfect pick for Thanksgiving dinner, and not just because it sounds like something your cool Italian uncle might bring over. Nebbiolo, with its elegant structure, tart red fruit, and notes of rose, dried herbs, and earthy spice, plays beautifully by the Thanksgiving rulebook. Its naturally high acidity cuts through rich, buttery dishes, while its firm yet graceful tannins provide the backbone to stand up to dark meat turkey, gravy, and glazed ham. More importantly, it balances complexity and lift. Complementing the savory sideboard while offering enough brightness to refresh the palate between bites. In a sea of bloated bottles, this Langhe Nebbiolo keeps things lively, expressive, and just adventurous enough to steal the spotlight.

No proper dinner is complete without a second bottle of wine. The Raats Family Cabernet Franc Dolomite is a sleeper hit for Thanksgiving. A wine that effortlessly walks the tightrope between elegance and power. Hailing from South Africa’s Stellenboschregion, this Cab Franc is all about balance: bright red cherry and plum fruit, lifted herbal notes, and a signature mineral streak from the dolomitic soils. It works wonders with herb-roasted turkey, mushroom stuffing, and green bean casserole, echoing and enhancing the herbal and earthy notes in the food. Meanwhile, its vibrant acidity keeps the palate refreshed, and its fine-grained tannins lend structure without overwhelming the spread. It’s the kind of bottle that proves you don’t need to shout to be heard at the Thanksgiving table.

So this Thanksgiving, let your wine list be as bountiful and daring as a cornucopia centerpiece. Whether you reach for the familiar or pour something a little whimsical and wild, remember that the best pairings aren’t just about flavor, but they’re about fun, discovery, and a bit of storytelling. After all, what’s more festive than passing a bottle around the table and saying, “You’ve got to try this wine with that dish”? To honor our native ancestors of this land of the free I’ll leave you with these words, To all our relations… past, present, and future. In gratitude and unity.