As Thanksgiving fast approaches, many wine columnists will write about what wine pairs best with turkey. Often times, pinot noir will come up as the big winner. But keep in mind these factors: turkey is both white meat and dark meat, and it’s usually not the only dish served on Thanksgiving. And, finally, there are white wine drinkers that prefer to stick with whites regardless of the menu. Here are three crowd-pleasing white wines that complement turkey and all its fixings.
White Wines to Pair with Thanksgiving Dinner
The first wine is the 2020 Unánime Chardonnay. This Argentinian wine is a delightful chardonnay. If you are accustomed to heavy, over-oaked, buttery chardonnays that are common in California, this wine is an extremely pleasant surprise. Notes on the nose and palate include spiced-apple, ripe-mango, banana, and nutmeg. It is medium-bodied with a lovely, lush mouth feel without being heavy. Not being heavy is important when the food is the star. It has wonderful, crisp acidity throughout. Interestingly, 50% of this wine is fermented in oak, and 50% is fermented in concrete eggs. Concrete eggs do not impart any flavors to the wine as oak does, but they are slightly porous letting in a very small amount of oxygen, and they soften the texture of the wine. This lovely wine retails for $24.99.
Next wine is the 2021 Bridge Lane Sauvignon Blanc. This is a very agreeable sauvignon blanc. It is citrusy and fruit forward without being aggressive and will complement, not compete, with your meal. It’s smooth, a trait oftentimes missing in many sauvignon blancs, and has low minerality, plus a very pleasing finish. This wine retails for $15.99.
Finally, the 2020 Peconic Bay Vineyards Riesling. This is a higher end, off dry, and supremely balanced riesling. Often times when rieslings come to mind people think of sweet, one note, starter wines that white wine drinkers may have started out drinking, but grew away from as time went on. This appealing wine however might change that school of thought. Its flavors are fresh, and it is not at all cloying. The finish is crisp, clean, and evocative of a lemon drop. This wine retails for $30.
