The Thanksgiving menu is a particularly interesting one for wine pairing for several reasons.

1. There is a lot of food! The menu is longer than an average meal, which means more flavors, more textures, and more kinds of food.
2. There are some common Thanksgiving dinner ingredients that are not normally part of a menu. Let’s start with cranberry sauce, which brings bright, tart-yet-sweet flavors to basic turkey, stuffing, potatoes and gravy. To that you add a variety of possibly creamed vegetables, yams or sweet potatoes with marshmallow topping, and don’t forget a molded gelatin salad that could appear. These unique foods raise the bar on easy wine matches considerably.
3. Red wine matches must work with all of the food challenges listed above, which will rule out many traditional options.

So here we are. We want wine at the Thanksgiving table that will enhance the meal and we have the challenges listed above to overcome. Where do we go from here?

Oliver’s Corporate Wine & Liquor Coordinator Josh Kirchhoff is no stranger to the challenges of the holiday meal, and he has selected four delicious and reasonably priced wines to feature this week, all of which are guaranteed to not only work with meal, but to shine with the meal. Without further ado, here they are:

NV Angels and Cowboys Brut, $16.99
Have a dish you’re not sure which wine it should be paired with, or looking for something to get the afternoon meal started? The answer is always sparkling wine — it pairs with darn near anything! The Angels and Cowboys Brut features Pinot Noir and Chardonnay sourced from Mendocino, Sonoma, and Solano counties. Crafted in the Traditional Methode with twelve months of aging on the lees. Bubbly and aromatic with bouncy notes of ripe apple and citrus. Yum!

2022 Flowers Sonoma Coast Rosé of Pinot, $24.99
One of the more exciting new wines in our department is Flowers Rose! Who doesn’t love rosé?? It can be paired with many dishes on your table, from vegetables to your Thanksgiving turkey. Freshness and vibrancy characterize this gem of a rosé. With floral aromas and predominant grapefruit citrus flavors, the wine is also layered with bright red fruits brimming with bright acid. A current staff favorite. Enjoy!

2021 Banshee Sonoma County Pinot Noir, $16.99
This wine screams one thing very loudly: “Please pair me with your turkey…now!!” Banshee is a Pinot Noir we love here at Oliver’s. Brimming with bright cherry, subtle earthiness, and forest floor aromatics at the incredibly affordable price of $16.99, this wine has a lot to offer. Show up to your Thanksgiving with this beauty, and you will be on the receiving end of high fives all around!

2021 Raeburn Sonoma County Chardonnay, $13.99
One of the most versatile Chardonnays in our wine set, Raeburn is a must-have for your Thanksgiving table. With just the right balance of oak and stainless steel, this one is an absolute crowd pleaser. Toasty vanilla intertwines with green apple and tropical fruits. Framed in firm acidity, this is a Chardonnay that covers all the bases. No thanksgiving table is complete without some Chardonnay. At $13.99, the bang for the buck inside this bottle is crazy! Stock up on this beauty!!

A few More Picks…

For this all-important two-week Holiday ad, in addition to the four featured wines selected for the Thanksgiving table, we are featuring La Crema Winery as our Winery of the Week.

We have selected three of our favorites to feature here that are ‘Ideal for the Meal’.

2022 La Crema Monterey Pinot Noir, $16.99 – Exciting raspberry and earthiness on the nose, followed by cranberry, boysenberry and black tea notes, this Pinot Noir is a steal…the ultimate turkey companion!

2022 La Crema Monterey Chardonnay, $14.99 – A lively, bright Chardonnay with tropical fruit aromas accompanied with melon, pear, and subtle spice on the palate. Oh boy, we’ve struck gold with this beauty! Pair with stuffing, creamy sauces and vegetables!

2022 La Crema Monterey Rosé, $16.99 – Aromatics lead the charge for this beauty: fresh watermelon, with bright mineral notes. Red fruits dominate the palate, finishing with lush acidity. Versatility rules the day for this rosé!!

So there you have it: a great selection of wines to grab to welcome your guests that will work well throughout your meal, and all at reasonable prices.

Note: All quoted prices are in effect through November 23, 2023 at all four Oliver’s Market Sonoma County locations.

Don’t forget that our wine team is standing by in the Wine Departments at all four Oliver’s Market locations, ready to answer any question or solve any pairing dilemma. They are always happy to assist you in finding wine, beer, cider, and spirits for any occasion.

Cheers to a delicious Thanksgiving from everyone at Oliver’s Market!