Pair pumpkin pie with Moscato d'Asti, pecan pie with Malmsey Madeira, a lemon almond tart with Sauternes, apple cobbler with sweet (moelleux) Vouvray and cherry pie with Brachetto d'Acqui. For anything chocolate, reach for Banyuls or an Australian fortified Muscat.
Rich, sweet pie and dessert wine are a comforting way to close the Thanksgiving meal. Below is why each pairing works, with a bottle to try for each pie.
1. Pumpkin Pie and Moscato d'Asti
Pumpkin pie is rich and silky, and it reaches even greater heights with Moscato d'Asti. The wine's perfumed aromatics are a fine counterpoint to the pie's warm spices, while its gentle bubbles cut through the richness. Moscato's sweetness also matches both the pie and the whipped cream on top of it.
A creamy-textured Moscato d'Asti from Piedmont. Its perfume offsets the pie's spices, its bubbles cut the richness, and its sweetness matches the pie and the cream.
2. Pecan Pie and Malmsey Madeira
Sticky, nutty and ultra-sweet, pecan pie deserves an equally intense, sweet wine, and the sweetest type of Madeira, known as Malmsey, is just the ticket. What really nails down this pairing is the wine's acidity, which cuts through the pie's gooey sweetness while brightening a very rich combination. Want to know how Madeira differs from Port? See Port vs. Madeira.
A 10-year-old Malmsey from Blandy's, the sweetest style of Madeira. Its acidity cuts through the pie's gooey sweetness and brightens a very rich pairing.
3. Lemon Almond Tart and Sauternes
With its mix of sweet and savory, a lemon almond tart begs for the botrytis-driven richness that Sauternes delivers so well. A honeyed, floral, fruity Sauternes plays off the tart's zesty citrus.
A half bottle of Sauternes: honeyed, floral, fruity and rich, which plays off the tart's zesty citrus. The small format suits a dessert course.
4. Apple Cobbler and Sweet Vouvray
Packed with apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar and butter, apple cobbler speaks the sweet language of fall as well as anything. Pair it with a sweet (moelleux) Vouvray, made from Chenin Blanc, whose lush texture plays against juicy acidity.
Domaine Huet's moelleux Vouvray from the Haut-Lieu vineyard: a sweet Chenin Blanc whose lush texture plays against juicy acidity, a match for apples, cinnamon and butter.
5. Cherry Pie and Brachetto d'Acqui
The bright, sweet-tart essence of cherry pie calls for something just as lively. Brachetto d'Acqui, a lightly sparkling red from Italy's Piedmont, carries refreshing red-fruit notes that match the cherries, and its fresh character plays off the richness of the dessert.
Banfi's Rosa Regale, a lightly sparkling Brachetto d'Acqui from Piedmont, with fresh red-fruit notes that match the cherries and cut the pie's richness.
6. Chocolate Pie and Banyuls or Australian Muscat
Chocolate cream pie, chocolate pecan pie or any other cocoa-based dessert has its own pairing challenges and rewards. Banyuls, a fortified red from the south of France, is one fine solution. Another is an Australian fortified Muscat, a luscious "sticky" (Aussie slang for fortified dessert wines) with notes of caramel, toffee, chocolate, spice and cream. For more ideas, see our wine and chocolate pairing guide.
Every wine above can also serve as dessert all on its own.
Banyuls, Roussillon, South of France, France ● Other Dessert
90 Robert Parker
Sold Out - was $31.00
Why we picked it
M. Chapoutier's Banyuls shows dark chocolate, spice, orange peel, dried fruit and chocolate-covered cherry, so it meets a chocolate pie flavor for flavor.
Thanksgiving Pie and Wine Questions, Answered
What wine goes with pumpkin pie?
Moscato d'Asti: its perfumed aromatics offset the pie's spices, its bubbles cut the richness, and its sweetness matches the pie and the whipped cream.
What wine goes with pecan pie?
Malmsey, the sweetest type of Madeira. Its acidity cuts through the pie's sweetness.
What wine goes with cherry pie?
Brachetto d'Acqui, a lightly sparkling red from Piedmont with fresh red-fruit notes.
What wine goes with apple cobbler?
A sweet (moelleux) Vouvray, made from Chenin Blanc, with lush texture and juicy acidity.
What wine goes with chocolate pie?
Banyuls, a fortified red from the south of France, or an Australian fortified Muscat with caramel, toffee and chocolate notes.
