Wine Dogs Talk Turkey

Thanksgiving Wines that Won't Bust Your Budget

Alexandria, Virginia

The Wine Dogs hosted their first official wine tasting,  "Thanksgiving Wine Pairings that Won’t Bust Your Budget," on Friday for about 50 neighbors at Marina Towers. It was fun – and with the positive feedback, we thought we’d share our recommendations to our fans.

Remember, the food is the star on Thanksgiving – they call it Turkey Day for a reason. So you don’t need showboat wines to upstage the food. 

Sparkling for Appetizers

Bubbles make any occasion festive – so why not start with a sparkling wine to pair with your appetizers? A dry (Brut) will keep the palate fresh for the feast to follow. 

Ecco was lobbying for her namesake Prosecco. But ultimately, we decided on Cava, the “champagne” of Spain. Small, tight bubbles without the big price tag. Our choice was Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Cava, available at Total Wine for $8.99 a bottle.

Going native with Virginia wines? Try Rappahannock Cellars Prestige (Traditional Method, Chardonnay grapes).

A Clean Crisp White

We were excited to introduce our neighbors to the lesser known Gruner Veltliner. The name translates to “Green Wine of Veltlin,” an area in the lower Alps that is now part of Italy. Gruner is the main grape of Austria, and can also be found in Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia.

The Gruner is clean and minerally, letting food stand out while offering refreshment from the buttery, creamy excesses of the meal. We chose the Paul D (Direder) Gruner Veltliner, available at Balducci’s for $12.99 a bottle.

Other “clean” white grapes to consider are Viognier, dry Riesling, Albarino, and even a steel Chardonnay. Avoid the more tropical varietals like Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio.  

Going native with Virginia wines? North Mountain Vineyard and Winery harks to its Austrian roots with a Gruner Veltliner of its own.

Or an Oaky Chardonnay 

Going in the opposite direction, consider Chardonnay, the most commonly planted white varietal.

Chardonnay comes in different styles, but in this case, we wanted barrel fermented with oak and butter notes to play off the roasted meat and rich gravies and sides of our Thanksgiving meal. 

The VINTJS 2021 Chardonnay from Sonoma filled the bill at a price tag of just $8.99.

Going native with Virginia wines? Keswick Vineyards 2021 Chardonnay just made Wine Enthusiast’s list of the top 100 wines of 2023 (only a touch of oak).

The Classic Thanksgiving Wine

Yes, you can drink Red with your turkey; in fact, Pinot Noir is considered the classic Thanksgiving wine. Made famous in Sideways. Pinot Noir is a medium-bodied grape with acidity to melt though buttery gravies and stuffing and stand up to turkey. Its tart, tangy red fruit notes complement the cranberry sauce. 

Oregon is the go-to for Pinot Noir in the United States, and we selected Samuel Robert Pinot Noir Willamette Vintner's Reserve 2021, which sells for $15.99 at Total Wine (discount coupons brought price down to $12.66). 

Other red option include Beaujolais, Cabernet Franc, and the current in vogue GSMs (and the Syrah by itself). Avoid the heavier reds such as Cabernet and Meritage blends; I find Merlot too fruity and Zinfandel a little too jammy.

Going native with Virginia wines? Virginia’s Ankida Ridge has the cool climate conducive to an excellent Pinot Noir. 

Wine Dogs "Human" Terri Hauser relaxes after the presentation. Terri holds a Level 2 Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET2)