Wine Can Finish Off the Perfect Thanksgiving Meal

So you've got the turkey and stuffing, the cranberry sauce and sweet potatoes, but what are your guests going to drink?

Finding the perfect wine to go with Thanksgiving dinner isn't always easy.

Should you serve a white wine since the meal includes poultry, or a red wine to stand up to the heartier flavors of the side dishes? What about choosing a sparkling wine to make the occasion more festive?

Patch sat down with Certified Sommelier Will Sugerman, the General Manager at Amanti Vino in Montclair to get the 411 on finding the best wine pairing for your Thanksgiving feast.

What is the most common misconception about picking a Thanksgiving Day wine?

"The biggest misconception is that there is a wine that's going to go with everything on the table.  If you have food with 'big flavors' you want a wine that's going to stand up to them, such as a Zinfandel.  The traditional view is that a big, spicy wine like Zin will stand up to big Thanksgiving flavors. Sometimes going with a lighter wine is a good idea because holiday meals can be so filling. The rule of thumb is red wine with red mea and white wine with fowl, but that doesn't always hold true. There are a variety of white and reds that will work for Thanksgiving.

So how do I know what wines would pair nicely with the meal?

"It's very important that the wine doesn't overpower the food and that your food doesn't overpower the wine. One wine that is light-bodied but bursting with flavor is New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Sauvignon Blanc displays bright citrus and tropical flavors, allowing it to work well with lighter, spicier dishes. Another is Beaujolais, which has a bad reputation because of the nouveau style, which was traditionally drunk one day a year to celebrate the harvest" (Will explained that a true Beaujolais, like Beaujolais Nouveau, is made in Southern Burgundy, but unlike the Nouveau style it is properly aged before being released.) It's lighter bodied and has great acidity Acidity makes your mouth water, cleansing your palate between bites. Pinot Noir also works but the best ones can be very expensive." For a more budget-friendly alternative, Will suggests trying a Malbec or a Cote du Rhone.

OK, I got through the meal, now what do I serve with dessert?

"The most important thing when serving dessert is that the wine should always be sweeter than the food. If the food is sweeter than the wine, then the wine would taste bitter. Port works very well with chocolate. A sweet Muscat, Sauternes or light sparkling Moscato d'Asti will work well with fruit based desserts.

What if I want to bring a bottle of wine to my hosts as a gift?

"A sparkling wine is always a great gift. You can go with traditional Champagne or Prosecco, a less expensive Italian alternative. The bubbles help cleanse the palate and pair with a wide variety of dishes."

Any last advice for buying wine to go with the holidays?

"The most important thing is to drink what you like. The best resource you can have is a helpful staff at a wine store or knowledgeable restaurant servers. They should know what the wines taste like and what foods pair best.

Below are some of the wines Sugerman profiled at a recent class all about Thanksgiving wine pairings:

Chateau Cambon Beaujolais 2009

http://www.amantivino.com/410320?query=cambon&mv_tmp_session=&id=9Ct4vyu4

Otto's Constant Dream Syrah 2008

http://www.amantivino.com/r/products/otto-s-constant-dream-syrah-2008

Schloss Gobelsburg Rose 2009

http://www.amantivino.com/r/products/schloss-gobelsburg-rose-2009

Conde de Hervias Joven Rioja 2008

http://www.amantivino.com/r/products/conde-de-hervias-mencos-joven-2008

 Naturally, all of the wines can be found at Amanti Vino, the wine shop on Church Street in Montclair, owned by Sharon Sevrens, which recently celebrated it's fifth anniversary.