Preparing Your Thanksgiving Day Pours

Holiday and Gift Wine Ideas

With Thanksgiving and the holiday season upon us, it’s time to start thinking about wines to accompany festive meals or give as gifts. I’ve pulled some of the selections from my recent #GiftWinePick posts on Twitter, which include a range of delicious, crowd-pleasing options you can find in most areas. I’ll plan to share more of these ideas throughout the next few weeks.

While you may not be able to locate these specific vintages at your local store, these wineries deliver fairly consistent, high-quality wines each year. Hopefully, you will be just as pleased with their other options. Prices are approximate and based on the listing prices I found in Chicago-area shops.

Wine Reviews

• Cakebread Cellars 2011 Sauvignon Blanc, $24 – A bright, crisp and refreshing wine to start off your holiday party. Also pairs well with chicken and turkey.
• Newton 2011 Red Label Chardonnay, $18 –  If you’re looking for a “creamier” wine with more mouthfeel, this affordable Chardonnay has a touch of oak and flavors of delicate stone fruit.
• Orin Swift 2010 Saldo, $26 – Zinfandels are excellent for parties because they’re lighter-bodied reds but full of flavor. Saldo is no exception. Expect flavors of pepper, espresso and black cherry.
• Artezin 2010 Zinfandel, Mendocino County, $15 – A Hess brand, this wine was rated 90 points by Wine Spectator and tastes of dark berry fruit and fall spices.
• Markham 2007 Merlot $17, – Merlots have an unfair bad rap. This varietal is actually one of my personal favorites and Markham does a wonderful job with theirs.
• Honig 2010 Cabernet, $35 – If you prefer something heartier, Honig produces terrific Napa Cabernets at an affordable price; the 2010 was rated 92 points by Wine Spectator. I recommend this wine frequently when asked for ideas.

Let me know if you try any of these Thanksgiving wine ideas. Cheers to a happy, healthy holiday season to you and yours!

Photo sourced from SeriousEats.com.