Planning a fabulous Thanksgiving dinner? Are friends and family coming from far and near? Well then, it’s time to break out the notepad and start planning the feast! First and foremost you need to know that there are rules to pairing wine with food and they’re pretty simple if you keep these two concepts in mind…complementary – when food and wine have harmonizing flavors while consumed together; and complementary contrast –when food and wine have opposing flavors which end up adding a needed dimension to your food (ex. cranberry sauce brightens the taste of a turkey dinner). Here are some tips for picking wines that will pair well with whatever you decide to serve:
Let’s start with the appetizers. It’s nice to begin with a fresh, well balanced white wine to get your guests’ palates ready to receive whatever tidbits you provide. With that in mind, it’s time to choose a cheese that will provide a contrasting flavor to your white wine. Tangy and sometimes tart in flavor, goat cheese will pair nicely with most whites, including sparkling. In our lineup of Jacuzzi Family Vineyards wines, the Sei Sorelle, a non-oaked Chardonnay, is a crisp, medium bodied white with balanced acid, and a definite crowd pleaser. For guests who consume reds only (RO), our Sangiovese or Pinot Noir, with medium body and light tannins, will marry as well.
It’s time to sit and enjoy lively conversations and sumptuous foods. The first course can be something as simple as a spinach and walnut salad with a sweet vinaigrette dressing, or a cream based butternut squash soup. If you take the salad route, choose a wine that has citrus flavors such as an Arneis, or you can show off your versatility and open a bottle of Vernaccia, which will compliment the sweet yet tangy dressing. It’s hard not to have a buttery Chardonnay during a festive dinner, so make everyone happy and pull out a nicely chilled bottle with the creamy soup, perhaps our Giuseppina. For the RO imbibers, the medium- bodied, light tannin wines (Sangiovese and Pinot Noir) are very versatile and will add layers to each dish.
I think it’s time to bring out the bird…my mouth is watering! I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that you’ve 
prepared fowl for this holiday event, along with the traditional stuffing and gravy, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce and please don’t forget the pumpkin pie! What better to cover the vast chasm of flavorings than to pick a wine that is well rounded, fruity, and all around food friendly…not overly tannic (for RO). Make sure you choose a full-bodied, fruit forward wine that will not overwhelm the mixed flavors at the table. Wines to include in the mix: un-oaked Chardonnay, Primitivo, Pinot Noir, Nebbiolo, and Barbera. Each of these wines have an earthiness and layers of complex fruitiness that allow for great range… from mushroom gravies to fruit sauces, and even dessert.
Above all, choose wines that you most enjoy all year-round. If you want to try something new, host a pre-holiday tasting with some friends. You don’t have to make the full dinner, but you could make some similar items such as a turkey panini with cranberry sauce and brie. KISS (keep it simple silly) and you will be able to enjoy the holiday!
