Wine With Turkey (15 Best Wines, Food Pairings)
Want to pair wine with turkey this festive season?
A Thanksgiving dinner or a Christmas feast is incomplete without a warm, inviting roasted turkey! And a sumptuous meal like this deserves no less than the best selections of fine wine.
Explore what kind of wines go well with a turkey dinner and find out 15 splurge-worthy and pocket-friendly wines for your Christmas or Thanksgiving table.
Further reading
- If wine investing is on your mind, look no further than this handy guide to navigating your way through the world of Wine Investments!
- Interested in a glass of fine white wine? We’ve selected the Best White Burgundies for you to try.
What’s A Traditional Turkey Dinner?
Turkey has been at the center of Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners for centuries.
The bird can be stuffed with generous helpings of salt, spices, herbs, and vegetables and baked for hours on end or roasted.
Or you can have brined and grilled or smoked turkey. There’s also spit roasted turkey for those who prefer the outdoors. And of course, there’s fried turkey for the good times!
Besides turkey, a Christmas spread isn’t complete without these accompaniments:
- Cranberry sauce
- Mashed potatoes
- Dressing
- Fresh vegetables: sweet potato, carrots, peas, corn on the cob, squash
- Brussels sprouts
- Gravy (made using butter and turkey broth)
- Pan juices
- Dessert: apple pie, pecan pie, and pumpkin pie
This means the wines that you choose for your turkey feast should pair well with these accompaniments as well.
This gives you a unique opportunity to experiment with a blast of wine flavors from sweet to dry and fruity to earthy.
Read more: Planning to stick to the classics this year? These Champagne bottles may just be the ones for you.
What Kind Of Wine Goes With Turkey?
Turkey breast is a light, white meat that has a low-fat content. However, the bird’s legs and thighs are made up of dense, dark meat.
This makes turkey meat a fairly versatile one to pair wine with. The white meat portions can pair perfectly with a subtle white wine, while the dark meat holds well with an aged, deep red wine.
Here are the wine characteristics and styles to look for when you pick bottles for your Thanksgiving meal or Christmas dinner:
1. Wine with medium tannins
Without a dense and meaty dish to balance it out, a wine with high tannin content can create a coating in your mouth. And a turkey dinner is mostly low on fat, especially if you prefer dark meat.
So you may go for a young wine with low to medium tannins or a well-aged red in which the tannins have integrated over time.
2. Wine with high acidity
Pan juices from cooking turkey and its accompaniments like cranberry sauce, parsnips, and Brussel sprouts burst with acidity. So choose a wine that can make the most of these vibrant flavors.
3. Wine styles to choose from
Apart from the turkey dish itself, its side dishes demand their own wine pairing as well. So a turkey dinner is your chance to bring in the big guns from your wine storage! Pair a variety of wine styles with your festive meal:
- Red: Bordeaux, California wines, Rioja, or made with Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz or, Grenache, Gamay, Lambrusco, Sangiovese, Tempranillo
- White: Burgundy or California whites made with Chardonnay, and Tempranillo.
- Dessert or sparkling wine: Classic Champagne or sweet bubblies like Asti Spumante and Prosecco
But the holidays stand for celebrations, not rules, right? So feel free to curate your own wines and try out your own wine pairing with roast turkey as well!
Further reading:
- Get the best red wines for your next party - the top Malbec bottles, thefine Châteauneuf du Pape wines, or the powerful Barbera wine!
Serving Instructions For Wine With Turkey
Serving wine may require some quick preparation before your dinner.
Start by gathering the right types of glasses. You want each guest to have a new glass for every wine. This will not only avoid flavor mixing but will also keep your hands free as you bring in one delicious course after another!
On the big day, make sure your wine is aerated enough. This allows its flavor profile and complexity to unravel after a long time in the bottle. Do this by decanting the wine into a broad-based serving container.
As a thumb rule, the older a wine ages, the lesser time it needs to aerate. Younger wines need time to open up before drinking. But wines that have spent more than 10 years in the bottle are both ripe for consumption and fragile due to the lack of preserving agents.
So take care when you let that genie out of the bottle!
Read more:
- Find out how to make the popular Mimosa and thesummery Sangria!
- Also try your hand at making a Kir Royale or any other Champagne cocktail with some of the more affordable sparkling wines.
Top 15 Wines To Pair With Turkey In 2020
Ready with your shopping bags?
Here’s a great mix of splurge-worthy and affordable wines from some of the best brands in the world to pair with your turkey dinner this Christmas!
Red wines
You can’t go wrong with these red wine bottles!
1. 2005 Chateau Latour
Chateau Latour is one of Bordeaux’s premier crus or first growth vineyards, with a winemaking history going back to the 1300s.
This vintage has a minerality that finds a balance with the taste of blackcurrant and raspberry. The relatively aged Bordeaux has ultra-fine tannins and hints of Indian spices to compliment your Christmas or Thanksgiving turkey perfectly.
Price of 2005 Chateau Latour: $550
2. 2001 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogue Musigny Grand Cru 'Cuvee Vieilles Vignes
This estate is one of Burgundy’s oldest and most prestigious vineyards. Musigny ‘Vieilles Vignes’ remains the estate’s prestige Cuvee to this day.
Its robust and powerful structure contradicts its slightly pale red appearance and invites you to take in its potent aromas of red fruit jam, violets, spice, and coffee. Enjoy it with a side of turkey drumsticks and store some for the years to come.
Price of 2001 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogue Musigny Grand Cru 'Cuvee Vieilles Vignes': $433
3. 2008 Penfolds Grange Bin 95
Penfolds is an Australian star winemaker with millions of loyal followers worldwide who adore its unique style.
Their 2008, like other batches, is a singular expression of Australia’s distinctive terroir. The intensely flavored and textured Shiraz grapes have given it fruity and spicy aromas - perfect for your turkey dinner!
Price of 2008 Penfolds Grange Bin 95: $418
4. 2020 Georges Duboef Beaujolais Nouveau
No festive dinner is complete without the lively Beaujolais Nouveau - a quintessential Thanksgiving wine made by the celebrated Beaujolais cru winemaker, Georges Duboef.
The 2020 Beaujolais contains wild berry and cherry notes that complement its bright pink color. This Gamay based wine may need some decanting to unlock its relatively structured complexity.
Price of 2020 Georges Duboef Beaujolais Nouveau: $10
5. 2016 Castello di Ama 'San Lorenzo'
Castello di Ama captures Tuscany’s floral and spicy essence in its Sangiovese-based red wines.
The 2016 San Lorenzo continues is a blend of 80% Sangiovese, 13% Merlot, and 7% Malvasia Nera. Take in its powerful aromas of tobacco and earth along with crushed raspberry, licorice, and new oak.
Price of 2016 Castello di Ama 'San Lorenzo': $35
White wines
It’s a good idea to stock up some of these handpicked white wines along with red wine for your turkey dinner.
6. 2005 Chateau-Grillet
Chateau-Grillet is a small winemaker in Condrieu, Rhone valley. Their old Viognier vines make nearly 2000 cases of highly sought after wine each year.
In this pale golden wine, you’ll smell lemon and peaches. Its lively acidity makes it the perfect wine for your festive dinner table.
Price of 2005 Chateau-Grillet: $414
7. Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles Premier Cru 2014
Based in Puligny-Montrachet, Domaine Leflaive’s wine production focuses on Chardonnay-based grand cru and premier cru wines.
The 2014 Premier Cru, an oaked Chardonnay, is full of sumptuous aromas of peach and lemon cream. Its vibrant acidity and creamy texture are perfect accompaniments to the fruity elements of your Christmas or Thanksgiving feast.
Price of Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles Premier Cru 2014: $296
8. 2010 Domaine Weinbach Gewurztraminer Altenbourg Selection de Grains Nobles
This Alsace based estate is known for its sweet wines made in the Franco-Germanic tradition.
The Selection de Grains Nobles is a Cuvee made entirely with handpicked, noble rot affected grapes. Enjoy the grapefruit, peach, and smoky flavors in this sweet wine.
Price of 2010 Domaine Weinbach Gewurztraminer Altenbourg Selection de Grains Nobles: $194
9. Philippe Colin Chassagne-Montrachet Les Chaumees Clos St Abdon Premier Cru 2017
The limestone and flint enriched soil of the premier cru Les Chaumees forms an excellent base for its bouncy, fruity wines.
The ‘17’s smooth, creamy texture prepares your palate for a blast of lemon oil, citronella, and vibrant acidity. Pick this satiny wine as the opener for your multi-course dinner.
Price of Philippe Colin Chassagne-Montrachet Les Chaumees Clos St Abdon Premier Cru 2017: $59
10. 2015 Ferrari-Carano Fume Blanc
California based Ferrari-Carano estate has been churning out a wide range of red and white wines since 1979.
Their Sauvignon Blanc based Fume Blanc is acidic with a delicious flavor of grapefruit, guava, lemons. It also charms with a hint of minerality that works well with your salads.
Price of 2015 Ferrari-Carano Fume Blanc: $13
Aperitifs and sparkling wines
And finally, are celebrations complete without some delightful bubbly wines?
So, here are our top aperitif and sparkling wine recommendations to punctuate your turkey dinner or end it on a sweet note
Premium Aperitifs and Sparkling Wines
11. 2012 Egon Muller Scharzhofberger Riesling Eiswein
Egon Muller’s Mosel estate has a past spanning 200 years, steeped in the German winemaking tradition. And their sweet and dry Riesling ice wines are among their top sells.
Made with frost-bitten Riesling grapes in the middle of the winter, the 2012 vintage is an outstanding ice wine sample. It has a snappy acidity, and a citrus filled bouquet that will delight all your senses.
Price of 2012 Egon Muller Scharzhofberger Riesling Eiswein: $1784
12. Krug Vintage Brut Champagne 2006
As one of the finest Champagne markers in the world, Krug’s bottles hold a place of honor in the world of sparkling wines.
Take in the aromas of candied fruits, smoked almonds, and caramelized apples in this exquisite Champagne. It has a generous and plush mouthfeel that’s built on a tannic base.
Price of Krug Vintage Brut Champagne 2006: $199
13. 2012 Louis Roederer Cristal Brut Rose Millesime
Cristal is Louis Roederer’s flagship Champagne and one that its reputation is firmly built on.
Their 2012 Cristal Brut Rose wine offers dark berries and strawberries in its bouquet. It is an assertive and powerful wine that will awaken your senses with its rich and intense flavors.
Price of 2012 Louis Roederer Cristal Brut Rose Millesime: $352
14. 2009 Contratto De Miranda
Contratto is Italy’s oldest sparkling wine manufacturer that’s been using the ‘Metodo Classico.’
The ‘09 Contratto De Miranda is a sweet Asti sparkler with the gentle fruit flavor of peach and apple complemented by the earthy notes of stone and minerals.
Price of 2009 Contratto De Miranda: $62
15. 2016 Cascina Fonda Bel Piasi
The Asti winemaker began producing Moscato based wines in their vineyard in 1988 and has since expanded their list of labels to include a range of dry and extra dry wines.
This light and fresh 2016 sparkler is full of sour and sweet fruit tastes like apple and peach. You can pair it with light snacks, dessert, or parts of your main course.
Price of 2016 Cascina Fonda Bel Piasi: $14
How To Buy The Best Wines this Festive Season
Wine shops may stack up all crowd pleaser wines like Barbera d’Asti and Pinot Blanc for last-minute shoppers. But you may have a tough time locating the rarer great wines (like a Pouilly Fuisse or a Chateau Lafite) especially with the holidays approaching!
Festival season is possibly the busiest time of the year for wine counterfeiters too. So watch out for fake bottles!
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Let’s Talk Turkey... About Wine!
A Thanksgiving or Christmas turkey dinner may be one of the events that your family looks forward to! It’s also a fascinating opportunity for wine lovers to indulge in every wine craving and desire.
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