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Poultry · Wine pairing

What wine goes with thanksgiving turkey?

Thanksgiving is a buffet of flavors, so choose flexible wines: Pinot Noir, Beaujolais and dry Riesling (or a bottle of each). They handle turkey, stuffing, cranberry and sweet potatoes.

The rule: Pick versatile wines with bright acidity and low tannin, not one ‘perfect’ match.

By Rate This Wine editors · Updated · How we rate

Thanksgiving turkey

The 3 best wines with thanksgiving turkey

  1. Pinot Noir

    1 Pinot Noir Light-bodied red

    The single best all-rounder for the whole plate, from turkey to cranberry sauce.

    Serve 55-60°F Decent from $15; good from $25; Burgundy can be any price

  2. Gamay (Beaujolais)

    2 Gamay (Beaujolais) Light-bodied red

    Cru Beaujolais is juicy, affordable and works with everything.

    Serve 54-58°F From $12; cru Beaujolais $18-$30

  3. Riesling

    3 Riesling Aromatic white, dry to sweet

    Dry or off-dry Riesling loves sweet potatoes, stuffing and the spicy sides.

    Serve 45-50°F From $12

Best on a budget: Beaujolais-Villages and a German Riesling cover a table for under $30.

Planning Thanksgiving dinner? Our dish-by-dish Thanksgiving wine guide covers turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes and pie, plus how much to buy.

Also good

Chenin BlancGrenache (Garnacha)ChardonnayRoséChampagneGewürztraminer

What to avoid

  • Heavy oaky Cabernet. Overpowers turkey and fights cranberry sauce.

It depends how you cook it

If you’re having…Pour
Dark meat and gravyZinfandel or Grenache: the American option.
Deep-fried turkeyChampagne or Cava.
Lots of guestsPlan about one bottle for every two wine drinkers: see our party calculator.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best wine for Thanksgiving?

Pinot Noir is the safest single choice. For variety, add a Beaujolais and a dry Riesling.

How much wine do I need for Thanksgiving?

Roughly half a bottle per wine-drinking adult for a long dinner. Our party wine calculator does the math for you.

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