Holiday Wines, From Top Shelf to Great Value
It’s time to pick out some delicious wines for your holiday meals. When choosing a wine for a Thanksgiving feast, it’s best to stay away from big, heavy, rich wines that are high in alcohol. When eating so much rich food, it’s recommended to choose cool climate wines that are light, crispy, and bright, with minimal oak and low alcohol.
The higher-cost wines are wonderful for more formal elegant dinners, or great gifts for the wine lovers on your list.
The good-value wines are perfect for Thanksgiving or any meal, especially when there are numerous people. Bright, light, and crisp, so not to add to many more flavors to a big, rich meal.
That being said, you should always choose wines that you enjoy!
Great value whites
TERRES DE CHATENAY MACON PERONNE (Burgundy, France): This is a great food pairing wine. Clean and bright with beautiful fruit flavors, and mouthwatering minerality, the finish goes on forever!
FOXGLOVE CHARDONNAY (Edna Valley, Calif.): This made the New York Times list of Top 20 Wines Under $20. It is the value label of Varner, which makes excellent wines in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
This is a rich, ample Chardonnay unadulterated by oak. It is juicy, lively, and a great value.
ANDREA FELICI VERDICCHIO (Marche, Italy): A fresh, succulent expression of Verdicchio. This is a crisp, clean, wine with mineral undercurrents and flavors of pear, peach, and citrus. It has a long, tantalizing finish.
AUNTSFIELD SAUVIGNON BLANC (Marlborough, New Zealand): This is a single vineyard in the Marlborough region. It offers pure aromas of fresh passion fruit, ripe citrus, stone fruit, and gooseberry.
The lovely acidity flows softly to a refreshing finish.
LA CANA ALBARINO (Rias Baixas, Spain): A vibrant Albarino, very fresh and bright, with flavors of lime zest, nectarine, and green apple. An impeccably made, clean, pure, and juicy wine. Consistently delicious!
High-end whites
LA SIRENA CHARDONNAY (Russian River Valley, Calif.): This amazing Chardonnay is made by the famed Heidi Barrett. It has brilliant straw color, with beautiful fruit aromas of Asian pear, green apple, and pineapple with complementary notes of honey and crème brulee. A touch of toasty French oak enhances the aromatics and fruit flavors across the palate. The mouthfeel, texture, and flavor profile are delicious and reminiscent of a white Burgundy.
RAMEY ROCHIOLI CHARDONNAY (Russian River Valley, Calif.): Very few wineries are lucky enough to be able to make Chardonnay with grapes from the Rochioli vineyards. “The wine has great depth and impeccable balance and is beautifully proportioned,” Wine Enthusiast reports. “It is silky but balanced at the same time. Bright acidity mingles with ripe Bosc pears, cream and toast flavors that lingers nicely on the finish. Collectible and age worthy, it will only improve.”
FAMILLE ISABEL FERRANDO CHATEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE BLANC (Rhone, France): Isabel Ferrando has been making high-quality wines since she launched Domaine Saint Prefert in 2003. The quality of her wines continues with her new wines, Famille Isabel Ferrando. The wines have all been farmed organically; since 2019, the vineyards are being managed following biodynamic methods. The 2021 Chateneuf du Pape Blanc was scored 97 points by Decanter: ”Disarmingly lovely on the palate. Very well balanced with all the beauty of Clairette – the minerals, the freshness, the acidity, the silkiness!
Great value reds
VALERY RENAUDAT REUILLY ROUGE (Loire, France): The nose is understated but complex, with aromas of strawberry preserves, pomegranate, sandalwood, and fresh tea roses. The wine is supple and medium-bodied with a silky texture and a solid core of sweet red fruit and spices.
ODDERO BARBERA D’ALBA (Piedmont, Italy): Intense with a ruby red color and a bouquet of cherry, blackberry, pepper, and mineral flavors, with an excellent dash of freshness.
PODERI LUIGI EINAUDI DOGLIANI (Piedmont, Italy): This 100% Dolcetto is grown in the finest area of Piedmont. This is a traditional wine, lush and easy to drink, with a rich fruity bouquet and flavors of black cherry, blackberry, and violets.
TERRES DOREES MORGON (Beaujolais, France): Beaujolais along with Pinot Noir are always great choices for Thanksgiving feasts. Although this is quite a delicate wine, it has a pronounced smoky note, blackberry fruit, and a clean, fresh finish.
MONTSECANO PINOT NOIR (Casablanca Valley, Chile): This is a biodynamically farmed wine from a small-production winery that is quickly being recognized as one of the best in South America.
The wine is subtle, has detail and elegance, with fine tannins and a very balanced palate. It is harmonious and elegant.
High-end reds
VASO CELLARS CABERNET SAUVIGNON (Napa Valley, Calif.): VASO Cellars brings together grapes from sustainably farmed vineyards that prioritize organic, biodynamic, and fish-friendly practices with dry farming. This is a vibrant and complex wine with supple tannins and a perfect balance of rich fruit, minerality, and freshness. Thanks to its dynamic energy and harmonious structure, this wine is approachable now and will age well for a decade or more. A fantastic Napa Cabernet!
SAINT PREFERT CHATEAUNEUF DU PAPE COLOMBIS (Rhone, France): “The 2019 sports a ruby/purple color, as well as a classic Grenache bouquet of black pepper, raspberry, herbs de Provence, spice and flowery incense,” says Jeb Dunnock. “Already complex, it’s full-bodied, has a wonderful sense of purity, beautiful tannins, and a great finish. This is power paired with elegance, and few wines do it so well. It’s going to drink beautifully for 15-20 years.”
MOUNT EDEN PINOT NOIR (Santa Cruz, Calif.): The 2019 Pinot noir offers savory, layered, aromas of earth, charcuterie, and orange peel, along with red and black fruits. The palate is grainy and fresh with a kaleidoscope of spices and a very long finish.
RAMEY PINOT NOIR (Russian River Valley, Calif.): Coming from the top Pinot Noir sites in the Russian River Valley, “this Pinot Noir has a medium ruby color and aromas of cranberries, pomegranate, and orange peel, with wafts of woodsmoke and dusty earth,” according to Wine Advocate. “It is medium-bodied, soft and silky, with a concentrated core of fragrant red fruit and a long finish.”
Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season!
Please drink responsibly.
