You’ve got the turkey ordered and made a list of all of the side dishes you want on the table. Which wine should you serve your guests and more important how do you decide which wine(s) to serve?
I’ve outlined several strategies that you may select from below:
Pick the wine to complement the turkey: Since the turkey is the center of the meal, select a wine that complements the turkey. Two dry wines from Tassel Ridge stand out for this purpose: White Blossom and Candleglow® White. White Blossom offers tropical fruit on the palate with a green apple finish. Candleglow® White offers more in the way of softer fruit notes like pineapple, pear, melon, and apricot.
Select the wine to work with the entire meal: A Thanksgiving dinner is much more than just the turkey so the wine needs to be big enough to carry the big flavors of the cranberry salad and even the stuffing. The 2015 Iowa Nouveau will carry the flavors in most side dishes without overwhelming the turkey and mashed potatoes. Also, it is fruity enough that even people who don’t like dry wine will find something nice to say about it.
Set the flavor note for the entire meal with a Cranberry Wine: Tassel Ridge Cranberry Wine or Oskyfizzante® Cranberry will start the meal off with a bang and leave you asking for the turkey. These are sweet wines that will be very popular among sweet wine fans.
Serve two or more wines to complement courses: Start with Oskyfizzante® Cranberry and use it as an appetizer or aperitif to accompany toasts before dinner. Then, switch to 2015 Iowa Nouveau for main meal. Dessert with traditional pies might best pair with coffee. Enjoy Finalé Iowa Red by itself or with salted, roasted nuts for an after dinner treat.
Approach this decision understanding that there is no “right” way to pair wine with a complex holiday dinner: Consider starting with your guest list and think about what they might like. Look at your menu to determine which wines might work best. And, be sure to think about the atmosphere that you want to create at your holiday dinner.
