Perfect Red Wines for Your Thanksgiving Feast
A Guide to Reds That Play Nicely With Your Meal
Thanksgiving is the ultimate food lover's holiday—a celebration of abundance and gratitude featuring an almost overwhelming variety of flavors. Roast turkey, tangy cranberry sauce, creamy mashed potatoes, savory stuffing, and a smorgasbord of sides. With all this complexity, picking the right wine can feel daunting. But don’t worry—the key is to choose reds with vibrant acidity, good structure, and subtle flavors that enhance the meal rather than overpower it. Here are four excellent choices that strike the perfect balance for Thanksgiving:
Why Acidity and Balance Matter
Thanksgiving is a medley of savory, sweet, and tangy dishes. To keep up, your wine must have a good backbone that cuts through rich gravies, refreshes the palate after buttery sides, and complements bright flavors like cranberry and citrus. “Structure” comes from acidity, alcohol, and tannin. The important thing for a cornucopia at Thanksgiving is balance and subtlety.
You also want wines with elegant, not overpowering, tannins and a flavor profile that blends well with the meal’s earthy, herbaceous notes. These wines don’t need to be the star; they’re the supporting cast that lets the food shine.
Thin skinned grape varieties grown in cooler climates or at altitude are ideal. Hence, we’re looking at Pinot Noir, Gamay, and Xinomavro. Vibrant acidity. Beautiful red fruit aromas. And a touch of minerality and earthiness to compliment stuffing, gravy, mushrooms, and fall spices.
Three red varieties for Thanksgiving: Pinot Noir, Gamay, and Xinomavro.
1. Pinot Noir – Burgundy or Oregon
Why It Works
Pinot Noir is like the dinner guest everyone loves—elegant, versatile, and quietly confident. Its bright red fruit notes (think cherry, raspberry, and cranberry) and earthy undertones (mushroom, forest floor) make it a natural partner for turkey and herb-forward sides.
Burgundy Pinot Noir
Classic Burgundian Pinots from villages like Volnay or Chambolle-Musigny bring a refined earthiness and minerality. They offer a touch of floral aromatics and light tannins, creating a graceful match for roasted turkey and stuffing.
Burgundy has serious caché, so if you want to find a better value that is still very well made and enjoyable, look for a Village-level wine from a well respected Burgundy négociant like Joseph Drouhin.
Oregon Pinot Noir
With a slightly riper profile, Oregon Pinots often showcase lush red berry flavors, balanced by lively acidity and hints of spice. These are perfect if you want a wine with a touch more fruitiness to handle sweet potatoes or cranberry sauce.
Pro Tip
Serve Pinot Noir slightly cool (around 55–60°F) to highlight its freshness and acidity.
Suggestion
Joseph Drouhin Rully Rouge, Cote Chalonnaise, France (Wine-searcher)
2. Beaujolais Cru – A Step Up from the Usual
Why It Works
Beaujolais Cru wines (from one of the ten Cru villages like Morgon, Fleurie, or Moulin-à-Vent) offer an ideal combination of bright red fruit and savory depth. Made from the Gamay grape, they’re approachable yet layered, with soft tannins and a silky texture.
Flavors: Ripe cherry, raspberry, and plum with hints of violet and spice.
Food Pairings: The light body and juicy profile make Beaujolais Cru a delightful match for turkey, roasted vegetables, and dishes like green bean casserole or mushroom gravy.
Pro Tip
Beaujolais is also excellent with anything from the grill. Serve with a slight chill in summer.
Suggestion
Philippe Pacalet Moulin-a-Vent, Beaujolais, France (Wine-searcher)
3. Beaujolais Nouveau – A Fun Conversation Starter
Why It Works
Released just weeks after harvest, Beaujolais Nouveau is fresh, fruity, and playful. Its exuberant flavors of strawberry and bubblegum bring a lighthearted energy to the table. Some people turn their noses up - but I prefer to see the value in products that are honest and simple. Beaujolais Nouveau isn’t trying to be fancy - it just works well with insanely diverse feasts like Thanksgiving; celebratory, fun, and lively.
Flavors: Simple and fruity with a slight tartness.
Food Pairings: This wine is a palate cleanser for salty or fatty dishes like the bacon in your succotash or green beans, or buttery mashed potatoes. You may also serve it as an aperitif to get everyone in the festive spirit.
Pro Tip
If the weather outside is frightful, heat it up on the stove with mulling spices (clove, cinnamon, orange peel, and lots of sugar) to make mulled wine (Glühwein).
Suggestion
Joseph Drouhin Beaujolais Nouveau (Wine-searcher)
4. Xinomavro – Greece’s Answer to Pinot Noir
Why It Works
From Naoussa in Macedonia, northern Greece, Xinomavro (pronounced ksee-no-mah-VRO) is an exciting pick for adventurous drinkers. Known for its red fruit flavors, savory herbs, and high acidity, it’s like a cross between Pinot Noir and Nebbiolo.
Flavors: Sour cherry, sun-dried tomato, olive tapenade, and hints of spice.
Food Pairings: The earthy, herbal notes of Xinomavro harmonize beautifully with stuffing, roasted squash, and spiced cranberry dishes.
Pro Tip
Greek wines are still largely undiscovered, and their price point reflects their temporary obscurity. As such, you can find exceptional Xinomavro for a fraction of the cost of Burgundy or Oregon Pinot Noir.
Suggestion
Alpha Estate 'Ecosystem' Vieilles Vignes Single Block Reserve Xinomavro (Wine-searcher)
All three wines are from thin skinned grapes grown in generally cooler climates or at altitude. The wines appear pale or partially translucent in the glass. They have medium plus to high acidity, complex red fruit aromas and flavors, and interesting earthiness that compliments the diversity of Thanksgiving dinner.
Final Thoughts
The best Thanksgiving wines are team players, balancing the rich, savory, and tangy flavors of the feast without stealing the spotlight. Whether you stick with classics like Pinot Noir and Beaujolais or surprise your guests with a bold Xinomavro, these reds bring just the right mix of fruitiness, acidity, and earthiness to your table. So, pour a glass, savor the feast, and let the food take center stage—your wine will be the perfect supporting act.
Cheers to a delicious Thanksgiving!
Offer
It’s not too late to plan your ski vacation in the alps. With costs skyrocketing in North America, the value of a European ski holiday has never been better. Contact Eat Drink Fun for a free consultation on a Custom Adventure.
