Thanksgiving is nearly here and it’s the rare person who isn’t fretting over picking the right wine for that special meal or wondering what wines to bring when invited out for the big day.

Of course it’s daunting to think about all the “what goes with what” possibilities; turkey is sort of like chicken, so should I serve it with white wine? Will it make a difference that I’m making oyster dressing instead of sausage dressing? Will my pick clash with the cranberry sauce? Candied yams? Pumpkin pie? Oh my!

These questions could make a trained chef go nuts. No wonder you’re suffering holiday stress!

But help is here with a few simple tips to help navigate that holiday wine minefield with grace and ease.

Tip 1 – For the Hostess, pick good but not great wines. Coming from a winemaker that might sound weird, but let me assure you that an over-the-top wine is going to be wasted on Aunt Tilly, whose taste runs more to Southern Comfort than an ’82 Margaux. So, unless you’re serving James Beard, thoughtfully-chosen local wines will better serve you and your guests than an extravagant selection. Let’s face it, when the proceedings become, well, shall we say, convivial – even the most dedicated wine fan will find their attention wandering from the wine, no matter how impressive its pedigree.

Tip 2 – Save those BIG wines for another time. It’s true that holiday meals are extremely varied in flavors, textures and sweetness levels. It’s equally true that those hugely tannic or highly alcoholic wines won’t be good accompaniments. So unless your Thanksgiving meal is wild boar, save those big Cabernet Sauvignons and Zinfandels for a different meal.

Tip 3 – Have a variety of wines on-hand. If you’re having a large Thanksgiving dinner with lots of side dishes, the meal will scream for wine versatility. You’ll want to serve different wines with different courses. Maybe a Bubbly or crisp white at the start and then something medium-bodied and red for the main course with a sweet dessert or Port for the conclusion. Don’t worry about rules like white for fish and red for meat, the real food matching rules are about matching to textures and flavors. If you’re confused at all by this and want more topic dept, you can find that at my website www.crickethillwinery.com/winetalk.html.

Tip 4 – You’re living in an incredibly rich wine country, take advantage of it. There is hardly an excuse for not picking a wine that you’ve actually tried and decided would work with your meal. Don’t rely on critics or ratings; rely on your taste. If you’re reading this, you’re in the right place to tour the Applegate Valley – where you’ll find more wineries per square meter and more different wines than anywhere else in Southern Oregon. Take advantage of your good fortune and try a variety of wines before you make your selections. And you’re in luck, there’s an upcoming UnCorked Barrel Tour the Sunday before Thanksgiving. 15+ Applegate Valley wineries will be presenting selections of their wines paired with foods, creating the chance to make your taste-based holiday selections. See Whitman Parker’s article on UnCorked here.

Last Tip – Thanksgiving is a long day. So, if you’re going to be drinking wine, be sure to pick varieties or styles you know you can drink all day – in other words, wines that are lower in alcohol and lighter in weight. Look for crowd-pleasers that won’t overpower your palate or your head. Personally, I like to look for medium-bodied wines under 13 or maybe 13.5% alcohol.
So there you are with a few tips to help manage a little holiday stress, whether you’re the host or a gift-giving guest. Enjoy that Thanksgiving meal and the pleasures of a well-chosen wine!

Duane Bowman

Duane Bowman is a Director of Applegate Valley Oregon Vintners Association and winemaker at Cricket Hill Winery located at the 2 mile marker on Little Applegate Rd. Find him at www.crickethillwinery.com or email duane@crickethillwinery.com