If you haven’t picked up your Thanksgiving wine yet, then use this guide for your shopping. There are many options, whether it be white, red, rose, or sparkling, for all your guests’ diverse palates. Because of the season, I tend to focus on reds for the holiday season now through Christmas. Of course, the holidays are a celebratory time for many so a sparkling or that special bottle in the cellar would suffice.
If you prefer whites or roses that would pair well with turkey dinner or is your go-to, then you are set. I have the snob-less philosophy of drinking what you and your guests like regardless of the food, season, or what the wine snobs say. After the holiday is over and your guests depart, you are left with wine you can enjoy yourself.
I may be a little biased (I write about it a lot), but I feel that Pinot Noir is a happy medium no matter what you like. Not only is it a lighter and medium style of red with low to medium tannins and good acidity, but is food-friendly and pairs incredibly well with all the Thanksgiving fixings and turkey. It is also approachable for non-red wine drinkers and those who prefer not to sip a heavy, tannic red with or without food.
In the realm of Pinot Noir, there are many different styles produced around the world (some of which are new and upcoming regions rarely explored) with varying flavor profiles that won’t require you to spend upwards of $30. The price point on good quality Pinot from Burgundy, California from Russian River Valley, and some Oregon from Willamette Valley will cost you. See my previous Pinot posts on the blog. If price isn’t an issue and you prefer those styles of Pinot Noir, then go for it.
Below you will find my value PN recommendations for the holiday season along with other reds and whites that will match your menu and satisfy your guests regardless of their wine preferences for under 30 bucks. Most Pinot Noir enthusiasts know about and have tried Pinot from California, Oregon, and Burgundy, but who else in the world produces fine Pinot that actually fits the season better and won’t cost you an arm and leg?
I have recently discovered some excellent PN from Germany and the Alsace region of France, both of which are well known for Riesling and the latter for sparkling wine as well, which often contains a percentage of Pinot Noir in its blend or 100% Pinot Noir. Some other countries and regions produce excellent Pinot Noir which can be drunk all year long, but ones from these places are ideal right now and throughout winter.
Bright, juicy, and easy to drink Pinot Noir from Alsace in the northeast corner of France is definitely under the radar. If you’re not a wine scholar, you may not be familiar with PN from France not named “Burgundy” or “Bourgogne”. It has grown in Alsace since the Middle Ages. Pinot Noir was considered a table wine at the time so it was overlooked in the original 1975 decree of the Alsace grand cru designation as well as in later revisions, until the designation changed in 2022. Wow! that’s recent!
Created as a pure expression of the fruit, Alsatian Pinot Noir is generally made in an unoaked style and is the only red variety allowed to be grown in the regional cru, or vineyard classification system, in Alsace.
The wines from here are medium-bodied and offer fresh red berry notes of strawberry, raspberry, and cherry. When some oak is used, the wines are well-balanced and add warm baking spices to the red berry flavors.
Many Alsatian Pinot Noir wines reflect a Burgundian style of winemaking showing elegance and the ability to age for a decade or two. These Pinots offer awesome value when compared to average price points of wines from Burgundy. Alsatian wines are also leaner than wines from warmer regions, like California and Australia. They also offer more red berry fruit than the dark, cherry flavors found in Oregon Pinot Noir.
Cremant d’Alsace rosé, or pink sparkling wine from the region made in the traditional style using 100% Pinot Noir grapes, is a light and lively sparkler with soft aromas of strawberry and cherry blossoms with some round peach, floral, and raspberry notes on the palate.
What about German Pinot Noir? Did you know that Germany produces Pinot Noir? Well, it makes sense considering the climate and overall geographic location and proximity to Alsace. Alsace and Germany are close neighbors. German PN is not well known and goes unappreciated due to the lack of exposure worldwide, lack of exports, and what it is sometimes called. It is a very splendid style of Pinot right now.
The German word for Pinot Noir is Spätburgunder, translating to “late” (spät), referring to the grape’s later ripening when compared to other Pinot clones, and Burgundy (Burgunder), the antiquated term for Pinot Noir.
German Pinot Noir is typically light in color, body, and tannins, with flavors of cranberry, cherry, baking spice, and a stony minerality. Some can be earthy and savory, but the general consensus is that it contains a bigger fruit and more acidity than most Pinots. Traditional German Pinot Noir is lighter than Pinot Noir from warmer climates and Alsace, but some contemporary winemakers are producing fuller-bodied wines similar to Alsace.
Other great styles of wine for the season include:
Reds – Beaujolais/Gamay/Gamay Noir (France), Cabernet Franc (France, NY, Virginia, Chile), Zinfandel/Primitivo (California, Italy), Blaufrankisch/Lemberger (NY, Germany, Austria)
Whites – Riesling/Semi-Dry Riesling (NY, Mosel, Germany, Austria, Alsace, France, Washington State), Gewurztraminer (Alsace, France, NY, Italy), Gruner Veltliner (Austria, NY)
Any Sparkling/Champagne – Blanc de Noirs (Pinot Noir) from NY, France, and California and Rose Champagnes are excellent choices.
Shopping List
Check your wine rack or cellar for the wines above, but if you are looking to stock up for the holidays and season, then look for these wines by grape varietal, country, and region. The list below includes Pinot Noir, Beaujolais, Cabernet Franc, and Riesling.
