What Wines to Serve at Thanksgiving (That are Easy and Affordable)

Quick Answer: Pinot Noir is the classic choice for Thanksgiving dinner, but don't overlook other choices like Chardonnay, Riesling, Zinfandel, and Beaujolais - all of which pair deliciously with turkey. Choose your wine based not only on how you've prepared and seasoned your bird, but also on what sides you've prepared to go with it.

Below, I'll cover all of my top wine suggestions for Thanksgiving, tailored to a variety of different turkey preparations and sides. I've made sure to choose only wines that come with approachable price tags and that are beloved crowd-pleasers.

Best Wine Pairings for Turkey

Top Red Wine Choices

Pinot Noir (Best Choice)

Pinot Noir is a classic pairing for the Thanksgiving meal for a reason. This wine generally pairs deliciously with turkey, and with most of the holiday's classic menus. Here are some reasons to stick with Pinot Noir.

Bright Acidity: Despite its light body, Pinot Noir's bright acidity can cut through rich turkey meat, preventing the wine from being overpowered.
Complements Herbs and Gravy: Pinot Noir has lush fruit notes framed in earthy essences, which are textbook pairing qualities for herbs and gravy.
Won't Overpower: Though turkey can be rich, it's still poultry and prone to being overpowered by many wines. Pinot Noir's light, bright body and mouthfeel prevent this.
Light or Dark: Whether you prefer light meat or dark meat, Pinot Noir's qualities complement both, whereas some wines only pair well with one or the other.

Beaujolais (Gamay)

Beaujolais - made from Gamay grapes - tends to have a lot in common with Pinot Noir, but is somewhat more refreshing, and features low tannins. Here's why you might give it a try this next Thanksgiving.

Light and Fruity: Gamay is light and fruity, with a refreshing mouthfeel, making it a great overall choice for most Thanksgiving combinations.
Low Tannins: With low tannins, Gamay won't dry out your palate - a must on Thanksgiving.
Festive: Beaujolais is a festive wine, and when served chilled, it is eminently food-friendly, a top quality to look for in your Thanksgiving wine pairing.
Budget Friendly: Beaujolais tends to be a budget-friendly wine, making it ideal for large gatherings like Thanksgiving.

Zinfandel

One of my go-to pairings for heavier poultry meals is Zinfandel - and that includes Thanksgiving.

Medium-Bodied: A medium body means that this wine will stand up to heavier sides, and richer turkey preparations (such as fried turkey or a bacon-wrapped turkey) that might risk overpowering Pinot Noir.
Sweet and Savory Sides: Zinfandel wine is well known for complementing sweet and savory mixes, such as cranberry sauce and turkey, or sweet potatoes prepared with marshmallows paired alongside savory stuffing. That's where Zinfandel comes in.
Slight Spice Notes: Zinfandel wines tend to have a hint of spice, which works lovely with herb-rubbed turkey or an herb-infused stuffing.
Approachable: Zinfandel, especially from California, is an easy-to-love wine, making it an approachable choice for a holiday like Thanksgiving, where you're looking for a crowd-pleaser wine.

Top White Wine Choices

Chardonnay

White wine and poultry is a classic, and it's a classic largely because of how deliciously Chardonnay pairs with all manner of birds - and turkey is no exception. Here's why.

Medium Body, Buttery Richness: Chardonnay's medium body, coupled with its buttery richness, is why this white wine pairs so nicely with things like grilled chicken, roasted turkey, and braised duck. Chardonnay and poultry are a classic pairing for precisely this combination of qualities.
Creamy Sides: Chardonnay pairs deliciously with creamy sides and rich gravies - and that makes it perfect for Thanksgiving.
Oaked or Unoaked? Purely preference. If you're looking for a touch of complexity, choose a Chardonnay with some oak. If you want a cleaner finish, opt for unoaked.

Riesling (Off-Dry)

I can't mention Thanksgiving classics without mentioning Riesling. Here's why to consider a decent, off-dry Riesling for your next Thanksgiving feast.

Slightly Sweet: Riesling's slight sweetness (off-dry) helps balance out the heavier, more savory notes of most Thanksgiving menus.
High Acidity: This wine's high acidity will help cleanse the palate, especially for guests who prefer dark meat or if you have a lot of heavier sides on offer.
Sweet Sides: Riesling is a fantastic choice to pair with sweeter sides, such as yams and cranberry sauce, especially when accompanied by citrus or apricot flavors.

Sauvignon Blanc

If you're serving an herb-roasted turkey with lighter sides, consider a decent Sauvignon Blanc as your wine pairing.

Crisp and Refreshing: Sauvignon Blanc is crisp and refreshing, and these are the qualities you want in a wine and poultry pairing when you've prepared the poultry with herbs, or a mix of herbs and garlic.
Light Body: Sauvignon Blanc's light body won't compete with delicate herbal flavors, nor overpower lighter sides.
Herbal Notes: Sauvignon Blanc features herbal notes of its own, which means it will complement, rather than compete, with herb-forward main courses and sides.

The Rosé Option

An underrated choice for the holidays to be sure, but if you're planning a lighter or light-yet-festive Thanksgiving menu, you might consider a Rosé as your pairing. Here's why.

Light and Refreshing: Rosé is nothing if not light and refreshing, and as such, it pairs deliciously with savory yet light menu items that won't overpower it.
Fruity: If you're planning to prepare a herbed turkey breast instead of a whole bird, the fruity notes from a Rosé would play beautifully as a pairing.
Try Dry: A dry Southern Italian Rosato is a perfect pairing alongside heavier stuffing preparations or hardier mashed potatoes.

Sparkling Wine Options

Champagne or Prosecco

A good bubbly or two will deliciously enhance your Thanksgiving wine menu, so consider these as options for your guests. Here's why.

Palate Cleansers: The bubbles beautifully cleanse the palate.
Festive: By their nature, bubbling wines are festive, making for ideal choices for the holidays.
Versatile: Sparkling wine generally pairs very well with poultry, and turkey is no exception.
High Acidity: Bubbly wines, especially prosecco and champagne, tend to have high acidity, making them good choices for rich foods such as those classic to Thanksgiving.

Pairing by Preparation Style

Traditional Roast Turkey

If a traditional, oven-roasted turkey is your main course, then your best bet is either a Pinot Noir or a Beaujolais (Gamay). Both of these wines will complement the turkey deliciously, without either overpowering the turkey or being overpowered by the turkey.

Herb Roasted Turkey

Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Noir are the wines you'll want to pair with a turkey that's been rubbed down with garlic and herbs.

Brined Turkey

For a brined turkey, opt for a Chardonnay. You might also consider a Sauvignon Blanc here as well.

Smoked Turkey

Zinfandel and smoked turkey are simply delicious together. A good Syrah would also be a great pairing.

Consider Your Side Dishes

When considering your wine pairing, remember that the side dishes often feature stronger flavors or more pronounced textures than the turkey itself.

Sweet Sides: If the cranberry sauce is very sweet, or you've made dessert-worthy sweet potatoes, consider a Riesling or a Zinfandel.
Rich, creamy sides: If you've made very decadent mashed potatoes (with a lot of heavy cream and butter), or you've made a thick gravy, consider a chardonnay.
Herb-Forward Stuffing: If the stuffing has lots of herbs or spices, consider a pinot noir or sauvignon blanc.

The Bottom Line

The reality is that turkey by itself is fairly mild, and that makes it incredibly wine-friendly. And remember, no matter what, when it comes to Thanksgiving, you really can't go wrong with a decent Pinot Noir or a good Chardonnay - those are my top two recommendations for the holiday. Basically, when in doubt, choose wines with high acidity and a moderate body.

And that's our answer to which wines pair well with turkey. If you enjoyed this article, or have any questions or suggestions, be sure to let us know in the comments below.

Cheers!