Good Morning!

It’s the Friday before Thanksgiving and I have received dozens of emails asking me what wine do I suggest for everyone, well…it kinda depends on several factors.

First factor and my first rule of wine…drink what you like, your palate is all about you, so if you like a certain wine, go for it. If you make something very nontraditional for Thanksgiving you might want a wine I would never have thought about.

Second most ask question is how much wine should I plan on each person drinking so I can figure out how much to buy…great question and answer again is well..it kinda depends on several factors. Are they normally wine drinkers, how long will they be staying there and do you drink more during the holidays?

Next question I seem to get a lot of is do I get different wines for different courses, the answer again is well…it kinda depends on several factors as well.

Let me walk you though my thought process on this whole Thanksgiving wine thing and maybe I will help a little.

We fly to my in-laws every year for Thanksgiving. They live just outside of Palm Springs, CA and honestly only myself and my step son drink any wine. Of the 20 plus folks that will be there, I will be ask to bring wine and what they tell me each year, is next year can you bring some sweet wine. First year, they were all disapointed in my selections. The first year, I brought four bottles of wine, all top dollar and they included Burgundy from France, Riesling from Germany and 2 California wines, a bottle of Merry Edwards Pinot Noir and a bottle of Ceago Sauvignon Blanc. This was a wasted effort for the crowd at Grandma’s house.

What they wanted was the cloying sweet really bright red wines they like once a year. So the next year, I brought some sparkling sweet white wines, they drank a little bit, but again they said they wanted “sweeter” wines. Last year, I showed up with the syrupy sweet bright pink stuff and they LOVED it. So listen to what they say when you are buying for others. The wine I prefer with Thanksgiving will look something like this….

Start out with some great pink bubbles! If Thanksgiving were to be held at my place, I would be severing all the traditional things, turkey, sage stuffing, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, scalloped corn and we would have pumpkin pie for dessert. So when folks arrived I would serve some Chandon, Mumm or Gloria Ferrer and let the bubbles help them build their hunger.

Next, I would open both a Pinot Noir and a Riesling and have them out for everyone to choose whatever they want. These two grapes seem to be the most food friendly wines when it comes to Thanksgiving day variety around the table. Then for dessert I would break out some port and I’d skip the pie until round two of eating!

This is just my way to enjoy what I like during this food driven holiday. This side of the family gets together once a year and it really is all about my step-son seeing his grandparents and cousins and letting him connect. I have yet to find the perfect wine that goes with his grandma’s stove top stuffing but since I am really the only one who will be drinking it, I will get what I like and also pick up a jug of the red, sweet stuff, for the rest of them while I sip on a Pinot Noir from Sonoma County during the day.

As for how much wine to buy per guest, it is a good rule to use the 2 glass per guest rule, but if you are like me, I tend to have an extra glass or two when I get around family. We are there all day and honestly, it keeps me relaxed when the football game is blaring and little kids are flinging themselves around when a semi professional wrestling match breaks out in the living room.

I love this holiday more than I can say, it is all about food and family. No gifts are needed, no expectations just food and family and I love watching my step-son reconnect with his uncles and grandparents. There is not a “trick” to picking wine for the big day, find what you like and if you are buying for others, well, listen to what they want and go find it!

Have a great weekend and prep for next weeks’ start of the holiday season!

Much LOVE and wine,

Tammi