THANKSGIVING WINE GUIDE
Here are some general wine + food pairing tips that you can apply beyond your Thanksgiving meal. Below, we’ve made a few selections based on our “keep it light” motto.
ACID
Lighter wine tends to be higher in acidity, which is a welcome counter to all the rich fatty items at the
Thanksgiving table. Acid refreshes your palate and cuts fat. Studies consistently show that wine and acid can influence the production of gastric juices and aid in digestion.
TANNIN
Lighter wines aged in stainless steel or large neutral oak will have less tannin (of course there is exception to this rule, but generally speaking…). Unless your Thanksgiving spread involves steaks or other red meats, there is really no need for a heavily tannic wine. Tannins pair with protein and while some tannin are welcome with a bite of turkey, especially the dark meat, too much will overpower your meal and detract from all the nuanced flavors. A lighter and brighter wine will counter the rich and heavy meal.
SUGAR
There’s not much way around the sweeter dishes unless you’re willing to drink a sweet wine. Instead, try a fruitier wine. The fruit flavors will not be sweet in the sugary sense, the wine will still technically be dry, but not so austere as to fade away when combined with cranberry sauce or sweet yams.
ALCOHOLat
Let’s be real, it’s an indulgent holiday and the wine will be flowing. Keep it chill and consider staying at or below 14% abv so you can drink throughout the meal and do as the Italians do, treat wine as food!
Cittavino & Co. has put together a selection of THANKSGIVING WINES the according to the above guidelines that we consider either to be universal pairings, or so perfect a pairing with a quintessential Thanksgiving dish that it will be a wine+food pairing revelation.
Valle dell'Acate Frappato Rosso
Frappato is an aromatic variety with violet, strawberry/ raspberry notes, countered by savory Mediterranean herbs.
This wine is everything we love- it’s organic, no additive, small production wine at its finest. One of the best expressions of this grape variety. It also checks all the boxes for our ideal Thanksgiving wines: Great acid, ripe red fruit, dry, low tannin, moderate alcohol.
Produttori di Manduria AKA Rosato
If you’ve been following Cittavino & Co. since the beginning, you know this is our year round rose’. The deep pink styles of southern Italy have more body and fruit, but are still dry. This plush style is a great white meat pairing and its notes of pomegranate and minty herbs make it a delicious stuffing pairing. Its low alcohol makes it an easy sipper throughout the meal.
Marco Carpineti Bellone
This obscure grape variety only grows in the little town of Cori in the region of Lazio. No more than 5 producers make wine with it! We are still learning all of Bellone’s wonders, but Carpineti has proven to be the best expression we’ve tried so far. The fruit is balanced with the bright acid and minerality, making it an almost medium bodied white with texture, yet a clean finish. It is a white wine that will not get lost in all the bold flavors of the Thanksgiving spread.
Murgo Brut Bubbles
Bubbles are no doubt, festive and celebratory. They are also often high in acid and lower in alcohol than your average still wine. These Champagne style sparklers from Mt. Etna have more body than your typical champagne, but are still dry and bright. The acid+rich fruit profile make them great pairings with the Thanksgiving pregame platters of strong cheeses and charcuterie.
