Pairing Wines for Thanksgiving? Here’s a Cheat Sheet

Toasted wood chips lend a smoky character to a White Wine-Brined Turkey, which shines even more brightly beside this juicy, thirst-quenching style of Châteauenuf-du-Pape blanc. With notes of crisp white pear and grapefruit, the bottling also delivers a hint of sweet spice and anise.

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Middle Eastern, European and North African flavors mingle in our unique Whole Roasted Sweet Potato with Tahini and Pomegranate Molasses side, which lands sweet and savory notes in each bite. Serve it alongside this 50-50 blend of Grenache and Shiraz, which conjures notes of ripe blueberries, violets, soft peppercorn and earthy, savory spice.

Thanksgiving dinner feeling too heavy? Even it out with a light Ash-Roasted Carrots side, which also features honey-laced granola packed with toasted flax, pumpkin, white sesame and sunflower seeds, plus hemp hearts. Pair it with this straightforward Pinot Noir, which gives classic red and black cherry notes alongside a hint of cinnamon.

A punchy side of Blue Cheese Whipped Potatoes might just steal the spotlight from your turkey centerpiece. Serve it alongside this rich and fruity Grüner Veltliner, which offers concentrated flavors of crisp apple, grapefruit and mineral.

Be the one to finally convince everybody that brussels sprouts are actually good with our bacon-laden Roasted Brussels Sprouts offering. It goes fantastically with this light yellow-hued Albariño, which packs flavors of lemon, white peach, passion fruit, dried thyme and almond.

A fresh, sweet-and-tart spin on “Canned” Cranberry Sauce finds a perfect partner in this dry red Beaujolais, which is structured with plenty of firm tannins and filled with black fruit flavor.

No matter if you’re a stuffing or a dressing person—if it’s prepared inside the bird, it’s “stuffing,” but on the outside, it’s “dressing”—Cornbread and Fennel Sausage Stuffing is sure to be a hit. The dish’s fatty undertones, supplied by rendered pancetta fat or turkey drippings, beg to be paired with this chalky-structured Chardonnay. It brims with light aromas of lemon, honey, nectarine and crushed white rock.

Why settle for regular mac and cheese when you can have Fondue Mac and Cheese? Rich and creamy, it’s a delightful counterpoint to this fresh, textured Chenin Blanc, which serves up tight acidity and notes of green fruit and citrus.

It isn’t quite Thanksgiving without pie. We’re partial to Whiskey Old Fashioned Apple Pie, which combines the heady flavors of a traditional apple pie with a those of a classic whiskey cocktail, the Old Fashioned. It cries out for a glass of honeyed Sauternes, which conveys notes of apricot fruits and ripe orange peel.

Not into apple pie? Go the nutty route with a dark brown sugar-packed Bourbon, Almond and Pecan Pie. Pair slices with glassfuls of this fruit-forward Port, which offers some youthful, wood-aging flavors.