First up is a red wine, suitable for dinner and providing a wonderful juxtaposition to what might normally be considered a white-wine meal of turkey. This Californian wine, a 2013 vintage, is smooth. It's also spicy, but not over-powerfully so, due to its oak aging. Fruity, it's heavy on cherry and would be an interesting counter to sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce. At $13, my Thanksgiving red recommendation is Donati Family Claret.
For a white, I find a perfect wine to go with apple pie. It's not a dessert wine. This wine, a 2015 vintage also out of California, is smooth, drinkable, but with a slight tang. It's tart on the palate, probably due to grapefruit and lime, and I instantly think about Granny Smith apples when I taste it. Also coming in at $13, my Thanksgiving white recommendation is Honig Sauvignon Blanc.
Of course, you don't have to take my word for it, especially since my word is filtered down from the real experts around me. At this time of Thanksgiving, I'd also like to thank my local wine shop circuit and all the fine experts who make me sound like I actually know something. I know nothing ... except what I like, so thank you to the experts who open bottles for me to taste, and thanks to the people reading who humor my wine obsession.
Happy Thanksgiving a little early, folks.
