How To Pair A Wine With Every Dish Of Your Thanksgiving Feast
By Chicagoist_Guest in Food on Nov 24, 2015 7:01PM
Photo via Shutterstock.
By Heather Lalley
Sure, your Thanksgiving plate probably ends up looking a little more Jackson Pollock than Mondrian, what with the gravy splattering on the green beans and the sweet potatoes merging into the stuffing.
But we wanted to find out what wines to pair not just with the whole feast, but with each of our favorite Thanksgiving components. So, we turned to a couple of Chicago wine experts—Kelly Peterson Bates, sommelier at The Boarding House, and David Sink, salesman for Maverick Wine Company—for the low-down on what we should be drinking with green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, turkey and more.
Says Peterson Bates: “Not only will these wines accompany their individual dishes, (but they’re) perfect for a Thanksgiving dinner with all its multiple flavors all on one plate.”
Turkey
The centerpiece of any Thanksgiving dinner deserves a perfect pairing. Sink recommends a high-acid wine, like a nice Riesling, to complement the turkey’s richness. Or, for something a bit more unusual, opt for a dry, sparkling rosé like the Camille Braun Cremant D’Alsace Brut Rosé. Peterson Bates recommends a Husch Vineyards Gewurtztraminer or the Juvenile Zinfandel from Turley Wine Cellars to go with the bird.
Green Bean Casserole
Sink suggests wines that would go well with the onions and cream of mushroom soup used in this traditional casserole. He would pour a nice sparkling Cabernet Franc, such as one from Louis de Grenelle. Peterson Bates also recommends a sparkling wine with this creamy casserole, such as the Blanc de Blancs from Treveri or the Cremant d’Alsace by Albert Boxler.
Stuffing
Opt for a big, round California chardonnay with the stuffing, Sink says. He likes a low-acid variety with some green apple notes like one from Talley Vineyards. Peterson Bates also leans toward chardonnay - a buttery one like the chardonnay produced by Napa Valley’s Miner.
Sweet Potatoes
Peterson Bates likes the Stereo Sec from Illinois Sparkling Company or Zardetto Prosecco Valdobbiadene with this sweet, rich dish. “These are all priced for the average consumer to afford,” she says. “No splurge wines.”
Pumpkin Pie
Now’s the time to break our your hot, spiced Glühwein, Sink says. Or opt for a rich red grappa. Peterson Bates would steer pumpkin pie-eaters toward an intense Ramos Pinto 20-year Tawny Port or the dry, late-harvest Riesling from Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Heather Lalley is a Chicago-based journalist and author of "The Chicago Homegrown Cookbook." She never met a fried potato she didn't adore. Find her on Twitter @flourgrrrl.