What Wine Goes with Thanksgiving Dinner? Picks by Dish
For Thanksgiving dinner, pour Pinot Noir with the roast turkey, a fuller white such as Chardonnay with buttery sides and stuffing, Zinfandel with cranberry sauce and heartier dishes, and dry sparkling wine with starters. Finish with a dessert wine matched to the pie.
Below is a pick for each part of the meal. For menus, timing and how much to buy, see the Thanksgiving wine planner.
At a glance
Roast turkey: Pinot Noir.
Mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy: Chardonnay.
Cranberry sauce and rich casseroles: Zinfandel.
Starters and the toast: dry sparkling wine.
Pie: Tawny Port, Madeira or another dessert wine.
1. Roast Turkey: Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir offers an elegant, silky texture with bright cherry and earthy undertones that harmonize with the subtle flavors of turkey. Its vibrant acidity cuts through rich gravies and creamy sides, refreshing the palate between bites.
2. Mashed Potatoes, Stuffing and Gravy: Chardonnay
A California Chardonnay brings citrus and stone-fruit notes with balanced acidity, a natural match for roasted turkey, buttery mashed potatoes and herb-infused stuffing. Prefer white wine with the bird itself? See how to choose white wine for Thanksgiving turkey.
The rich, brambly notes of an old-vine Zinfandel enhance the savory seasoning of the turkey and add a touch of spice to each bite. Its dark fruit stands up to cranberry sauce, gravy-laden turkey and rich casseroles.
Seghesio's Sonoma County Old Vine Zinfandel: brambly and spicy, with dark fruit that stands up to cranberry sauce and rich casseroles.
4. Starters and the Toast: Sparkling Wine
Crisp bubbles and delicate flavors of green apple and toast make dry sparkling wine a versatile partner for savory starters and light salads, and the obvious choice for the first toast of the day.
Tawny Port brings notes of dried fruit, nuts, brown sugar and caramel, a luxurious finish alongside pumpkin pie. For a wine for every kind of pie, see our Thanksgiving wine and pie pairings.
A 20-year-old Tawny Port with dried-fruit, nut and caramel notes. Like all Tawny, it is ready to drink when you buy it.
Thanksgiving Dinner Wine Questions, Answered
What wine goes best with turkey?
Pinot Noir. Its silky texture and bright cherry and earthy notes suit the subtle flavor of turkey, and its acidity cuts through gravy and creamy sides.
What white wine goes with Thanksgiving dinner?
Chardonnay, whose citrus and stone-fruit notes and balanced acidity suit roasted turkey, mashed potatoes and herb stuffing.
What wine goes with cranberry sauce?
A fruit-forward red with some spice, such as old-vine Zinfandel, which stands up to cranberry sauce and rich casseroles.
What should I pour with Thanksgiving appetizers?
A dry sparkling wine. Its crisp bubbles suit savory starters and light salads.
Eola-Amity Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon ● Pinot Noir
Willamette Valley, Oregon ● Pinot Noir
