The Thanksgiving menu is a particularly interesting one for wine pairing for several reasons.

1. There is a lot of food! The menu is longer than an average meal, which means more flavors, more textures, and more kinds of food.
2. There are some common Thanksgiving dinner ingredients that are not normally part of a menu. Let’s start with cranberry sauce, which brings bright, tart-yet-sweet flavors to basic turkey, stuffing, potatoes and gravy. To that you add a variety of possibly creamed vegetables, yams or sweet potatoes with marshmallow topping, and don’t forget a molded gelatin salad that could appear. These unique foods raise the bar on easy wine matches considerably.
3. Red wine matches must work with all of the food challenges listed above, which will rule out many traditional options.

So here we are. We want wine at the Thanksgiving table that will enhance the meal and we have the challenges listed above to overcome. Where do we go from here?

Oliver’s Corporate Wine & Liquor Coordinator Josh Kirchhoff is no stranger to the challenges of the holiday meal, and he has selected four delicious and reasonably priced wines to feature this week, all of which are guaranteed to not only work with meal, but to shine with the meal. Without further ado, here they are:

• Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs, $29.99+crv – Bubbly makes any occasion more festive, and this is a gorgeous example! Perfect an an aperitif and especially delicious with fresh oysters!
• Gundlach Bundschu Gewurztraminer, 2023 Sonoma Valley, $14.99+crv – This specialty of the producer is well known for its quality, and will serve you well amid all of the flavors of Thanksgiving!
• Triennes Rosé, 2022 Provence, $14.99+crv – Rose’ can be a great match with the Thanksgiving menu, managing everything from cranberry sauce to stuffing with grace.  This one is up for the challenge!
• Martin Ray Pinot Noir, 2022 Sonoma/Monterey County, $16.99+crv – Pinot Noir is in many ways a perfect match for the flavors of Thanksgiving. Offering its distinctive bouquet of earthy, bright red fruit and body with little oak, it can accompany everything on the table. We love the quality of Martin Ray wines, as do our customers!

A few More Picks…

For this all-important two-week Holiday ad, in addition to the four featured wines selected for the Thanksgiving table, we are featuring St. Francis Winery as our Winery of the Week. “One of Sonoma Valley’s best, for every bottle sold, they donate $1 to Canine Companions, which provides service dogs to people with disabilities at no cost. We love that!!”

We have selected three of our favorites to feature here that are ‘Ideal for the Meal’.

St. Francis Sauvignon Blanc, 2023, Sonoma County. 750 ml. Bottle $12.99+crv — Sauvignon Blanc is a perfect aperitif and a great match for salads, seafood, and more!
St. Francis Old Vine Zinfandel, 2020, Sonoma County. 750 ml. Bottle $14.99+crv –– This distinctly American varietal is a great match for Thanksgiving. The body and weight please red wine lovers, but don’t overpower the meal in ways a bigger red wine might. 
St. Francis Chardonnay, 2022, Sonoma County. 750 ml. Bottle $12.99+crv — Lively and bright, with melon, pear, and subtle spice on the palate. A great match for appetizers, stuffing, creamy sauces, and vegetables!

So there you have it: a great selection of wines to grab to welcome your guests that will work well throughout your meal, and all at reasonable prices.

Note: All quoted prices are in effect through November 28, 2024 at all four Oliver’s Market Sonoma County locations.

Don’t forget that our wine team is standing by in the Wine Departments at all four Oliver’s Market locations, ready to answer any question or solve any pairing dilemma. They are always happy to assist you in finding wine, beer, cider, and spirits for any occasion.

Cheers to a delicious Thanksgiving from everyone at Oliver’s Market!