Perfect Pairings
Discover the perfect pairings for your holiday table with tenderloin, turkey, and lobster tail! Whether you’re serving rich, savory meats or delicate seafood, our wine experts have the ideal wine and sides to complement every dish and elevate your holiday meal.
Beef Tenderloin
Malbec – Malbec is a medium structured wine, but its notes of vanilla, leather, tobacco, molasses and cocoa blend well with the savory flavors in beef tenderloin. It has a light finish, which makes it best for lean cuts of meat.
Grenache – Grenache is an excellent choice for steak, particularly leaner cuts like beef tenderloin, due to its fruit-forward, medium-bodied profile and lower tannins. The fruity and balanced nature of Grenache complements the steak without overpowering it,
Turkey
Zinfandel – Zin is a fruit-forward, medium-bodied red that’s kind of jammy and chewy and can handle the richness of the meal and can hold up to all the big flavors that surround the bird.
Viognier – The aromatic nature of the Viognier complements the flavors of roast turkey beautifully. Its floral notes and hints of stone fruit cut through the richness of the meat.
Lobster Tails
Riesling – This misunderstood grape is known for its great acidity and can range from sweet to very dry. A dry riesling – one from Alsace in France or the Eden Valley in Australia – is a great choice with lobster.
Chardonnay – There is no grape variety as versatile as Chardonnay. It ranges from light to full-bodied – which means there is always a style of Chardonnay to suit any lobster dish, from lobster tail to lobster claws and even lobster bisque.
THANKSGIVING WINE PAIRING
When thinking about wines for Thanksgiving, don’t get caught up in the “what pairs with turkey” trap. EVERYTHING PAIRS WITH TURKEY! TURKEY IS TASTELESS! Instead, think about all the dishes that surround your bird. You can ‘compliment’ or you can ‘contrast’. If your wine is going to stand up to all the savory, spicy, peppery, and sweet tasting notes, you need something that’s a little jammy, a little chewy, with plenty of spice. For me, that’s Zinfandel. It’s big and bold and richer that Pinot Noir, and can stand up to Thanksgiving spices like pepper, clove, cinnamon, and allspice. It also adds a smokiness that pairs well with the overall savory notes of the feast.
When I say contrast, I’m talking about not only taste, but also mouthfeel and temperature. I have two picks for my contrasting wine.
First is a nice Rose’ from Tavel. Tavel is a small region in the southern Rhone Valley that is famous for having Rose’s that have a little more body and lusciousness. They also show greater weight, structure, firm minerality and a hint of tannin. It’s a great pick to pair with seriously weighty and robust food such as barbecues, autumn game, tomato sauces and heavier meals throughout the winter. It is a great wine that lets your Thanksgiving dinner be the star.
When it comes to white wine, Chardonnay is a great, everyday wine, but it can be too buttery and intense to be among my best Thanksgiving wine picks (unless you opt for unoaked Chardonnay). Instead, try a wine that is refreshing, tangy, and fruity to pair with the lighter Thanksgiving salads and sides. My pick to pair with your feast is Viognier. It’s floral and fruity, with essences of peach, apricot, and pear. With low acidity, it coats the palate and stands up beautifully to the savory, salty, and spicy sides. Take it out of the fridge about 30 before you’re going to serve it. A great chilled white will refresh the palate and help let your accompanying dishes pop.
I hope this helps in assisting you to pick out that perfect wine to pair with your Thanksgiving feast. And as always, please feel free to ask Jonathan, Ericha, or me for any suggestions. It’s our pleasure to help make your dinner the best it can be.
Carpe Vinum!
Bill