Uncommon Wines for the Thanksgiving Feast

The holidays are officially here! Everyone is planning their big Thanksgiving feast with turkey, stuffing and of course the perfectly paired wine.

Most common wines for Thanksgiving are Pinot Noirs, for a few reasons. The light, fruitful body of a Pinot Noir matches perfectly with the typical Thanksgiving meal; turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing. Also, most Thanksgiving meals include a lot of people with all different kinds of palates. Pinot Noir is common ground, appeals to just about everyone.


Here's a few non-traditional Thanksgiving pairings:

1.) Sparkling Rosé - Every great night begins with sparkling. Who doesn't love to pop open that bottle of bubbly to get the celebration started! I've come across some great sparkling rosés recently and think it's a great option to sip on while preparing last minute details before the big meal.

2.) Sauternes (saw-turn) - This slightly sweet, white wine produced in the Sauternes region of France is a perfect pairing for that salty ham. The classic pairing of salty and sweet is pronounced. Sweet wine with a savory meal? Oh yes, there's no better pairing for this sweet wine.

2.) Sémillon (sim-e-yon) - A crisp, food friendly white wine has gained popularity in the wine world. Usually a blended grape, some of single varietal wines have popped up recently. This bright, fresh wine has hints of pears and other stone fruits and is an easy crowd pleaser, much like the typical Pinot Noir.

3.) Beaujolais - Released just last week, pick up a bottle of Beaujolais, maybe not the Nouveau but a Cru or Village, and share it during your Thanksgiving meal. The fruit-forward, light-body of a Beaujolais pairs nicely with turkey and cranberry sauce, similarly to a Pinot Noir.

4.) McPherson Cellars Les Copains - What's on my table this Thanksgiving! This white blend is from Texas! YES, and actually really tasty! It's a blend of Grenache Blanc, Viognier and Roussanne. I came across it recently at a Swirl and Sip tasting event. The distributor, Vino50, mentioned that it may be hard to get your hands on, it's been selling out across the area the past few weeks. Thankfully I grabbed a bottle from Swirl & Sip just in time.

Speaking of which....Enter this week's giveaway! $20 credit towards your next purchase at Swirl & Sip, a new online wine retailer. This giveaway can be used in many different states, not just the local DC area. $20 credit will also buy that bottle of McPherson Les Copains so enter now by posting a picture of your favorite Thanksgiving wine! Post either on the Facebook page or tweet to enter. Good Luck!

*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. ALL FEDERAL, STATE,  LOCAL AND MUNICIPAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS APPLY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. This contest is open to all US residents age 21 or older. The contest begins on November 19, 2012 at noon EST and will end on November 23rd at noon EST. Entries submitted before or after contest period will be discarded. Limit 1 entry per person. Winner will be chosen on November 23rd at noon via information input at random.org Winner will be notified via email. Winner approves of any public announcement via social media.