Every November, it’s the same question. There’s turkey ladled with rich gravy, perhaps a sweet honey-baked ham, the shrill note of cranberry sauce, all the nutmeg and cinnamon in pumpkin pie – can any wine cope with Thanksgiving dinner?
As wine manager at Stave Wine Cellar in Pebble Beach, Jesse Salazar understands the frustration. “People want to do the right thing,” he observes. But, he adds, we are prone to overthinking the problem. To begin with, there are any number of wines that will cooperate with something on the plate. Pinot Noir is food friendly, as are many Rosés. With different styles – oaked, stainless and so on – Chardonnay is a good option, as is Riesling. A vintage Cabernet Sauvignon “is delicious,” even if it might violate some pairing rules. And there are wines of the Cru Beaujolais, “if you’re feeling European.”
And numbers matter. “I’ll bring four or five bottles to the table,” Salazar says. He likes to start with a cheerful, celebratory Lambrusco to set the mood and go from there, finishing with what is left of the Madeira (“deglazing – it’s a key ingredient,” he explains). Three bottles, however, is a can’t-miss plan – one white and two reds. As a general rule, Salazar suggests wines with pleasant fruit, easy on the oak.
Yet selecting the right wines for the big meal is much simpler than all of that. “Go with something you enjoy,” Salazar says. “You really can’t go wrong.”
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