Thanksgiving Wine Picks: Hand-Selected Gems for Your Table
K&L's 2023 Thanksgiving Buying Guide
We know the feeling. It happens every year. Before we know it, the holidays are upon us, and it's time to start planning for multiple feasts and days filled with entertaining friends and family. Our buying guide takes the guesswork out of your wine selections with expertly chosen candidates for any table and any food pairing, all selected by our team of buyers, who will be pouring these proven performers at their own holiday tables this year.
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This time of year, our inventory is deep with an array of ideal choices for the holiday table, so we've asked our buyers to team up and add their selections to the categories that are always on everyone's mind when they're shopping for Thanksgiving wine. Leading off, Pinot Noir is the surefire winner at any feast, and these selections will impress virtually any crowd or seasonsed connoisseur. Next up, a roster of off-the-beaten path whites provides a surprising range of pairing options, each one offering its own singular yet food-friendly profile. Finally, when you need to take things up a notch (or three), we've got the perfect set of top-tier reds to make a big impression on your guests.
PINOT NOIR: THE PERENNIAL HOLIDAY FAVORITE
2022 Diseño de California Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir (Elsewhere $50+) $19.95 View
2020 Fromm Pinot Noir Marlborough 94SK $24.99 View
2018 Thomas Fogarty Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir (Elsewhere $45) 95WE $29.95 View
2019 Martin Woods "Hyland Vineyard" McMinnville Pinot Noir 97DC $54.95 View
2019 Brittan "Gestalt" McMinnville Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 98WA $59.95 View
2019 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir Martinborough 98BC $64.99 View
DYNAMIC, FOOD-FRIENDLY WHITES
2019 Voyager Estate Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon Margaret River Western Australia (Previously $25) 93JH $9.99 View
2022 Bodegas Puelles Blanco Rioja $15.99 View
2020 El Enemigo Chardonnay Mendoza 96 $19.99 View
2020 Planetary Estate "Larissa - Heintz Vineyard" Sonoma Coast Chardonnay (Previously $50) $19.99 View
2022 Domaine Cherrier Frères Sancerre$19.99 View
2020 Château de L'Ou "Secret de Schistes" Côtes Catalanes Blanc 95JD $29.99 View
2018 Crescere "Ritchie Vineyard" Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc (Elsewhere $60) 98JD $29.99 View
2020 Domaine Guillemot-Michel Viré-Clessé "Quintaine" 93WA $34.99 View
TOP-TIER REDS FOR ANY SPECIAL FEAST
2009 Tronquoy-Lalande, St-Estèphe 94WE $54.99 View
2019 Jaffurs "Upslope" Santa Barbara County Syrah 98JD $74.95 View
2000 Xavier Vignon "2000" Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Previously $100) 94JS $74.99 View
2016 Ferrero Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 93VN $79.99 View
2019 Dominus "Napanook" Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend 96JS $89.95 View
2019 Fèlsina "Colonia" Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 96WS $89.99 View
2019 Robert Craig "Estate" Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 97VN $99.95 View
2019 Léoville-Barton, St-Julien 97DC $119.99 View
Hand-Picked Feast Wines from Our Buyers
Kate Soto, K&L Social Media Manager
I cherish childhood Thanksgiving memories, marked by an '80s-themed family table filled with classics like canned Ocean Spray cranberry sauce and Mrs. Cubison's stuffing. Such menus reflect a family's unique nature, with flavors created by the era's trends and the cook's temperament. Now, my adult Thanksgiving table varies, with old favorites and interestingly, a list of meticulously selected wines—a real gastronomic brain teaser. Leading off our Thanksgiving Buying Guide, we're featuring three of our wine buyers' top Thanksgiving picks. They are as unique as those who chose them, sure to accentuate your holiday spread and create new, unforgettable memories. Read more.
2001 Barde-Haut, St-Emilion (Elsewhere $80) 95JD $49.99 View
2021 Raventós i Blanc "Blanc de Blancs" Brut Conca del Riu Anoia 91JG $21.99 View
2022 Nervi-Conterno "Il Rosato" Vino Rosato 92VN $24.99 View
A Bevy of Domestic Selections for a Marathon Feast
Ryan Woodhouse, K&L Domestic Buyer
Thanksgiving is a food and wine marathon in comparison to Christmas, which offers other amusements. As an Englishman, I relate it to our traditional Sunday Roast—a cherished family affair involving roast beef, Yorkshire puddings, and roast potatoes. Thanksgiving is an all-American holiday that I adore due to its focus on feasting with loved ones and the culinary ritual. Preparation is a joy and a perfect excuse for day-long libations, considering a bubbly breakfast and rosé pre-dinner appetizers. The expansive nature of Thanksgiving dinner allows for diverse wine pairings—leaving room for aromatic whites, classic Pinot Noirs, or richer options like Grenache, depending on the turkey. Below, I share my recommendations for a delightful Thanksgiving wine selection. Read more.
APÉRITIF AND APPETIZER PAIRINGS
NV RGNY North Fork Long Island Sparkling Wine (Zero Dosage) $25.95 View
NV Vara "Silverhead - Método Tradicional" Washington / Penedes Brut Sparkling Wine $19.95 View
NV Domaine Carneros "Cuvée de la Pompadour" Brut Rosé Sparkling Wine (Elsewhere $45) 95WE $37.95 View
2010 En Tirage "Late Disgourged" Extra Brut Blanc de Blanc Carneros Sparkling Wine $39.95 View
NV BXT "McCormack Ranch" Solano County Brut Blanc De Noirs$44.95 View
Gray Whale Gin (750ml) 90WD $39.99 View
ROSÉ TO START THE SHOW AND KEEP IT GOING
2022 Bedrock Wine Company "Ode to Lulu" California Rosé 92VN $21.95 View
2022 Paysan Central Coast Rhône Blend Rosé $17.95 View
2022 Ragtag Wine Co. "Greengate Ranch" Edna Valley Rosé of Pinot Noir (Previously $28) $9.95 View
AROMATIC WHITES TO PAIR WITH ANY FARE
2022 Localism Wines "Mokelumne Glen Vineyard" Mokelumne River Kerner $29.95 View
2022 Unti "Bianco del Campo" Creek Valley White Blend $24.95 View
2022 K Vintners "Art Den Hoed Vineyard" Yakima Valley Viognier 94JD $19.95 View
THE RED PAIRING TRIFECTA: PINOT, GRENACHE, & ZINFANDEL
2021 Stolo "Estate" SLO Coast Pinot Noir (Elsewhere $55) 95WA $29.95 View
202 2Arterberry Maresh Dundee Hills Pinot Noir $34.95 View
2018 Brittan "Cygnus" McMinnville Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 97WA $59.95 View
2021 Clementine Carter Sta. Rita Hills Grenache 95VN $29.95 View
2022 The Language of Yes "Cuvée Sinso" Central Coast Red Blend $29.95 View
2021 Carlisle "Piner-Olivet Ranches" Russian River Valley Zinfandel 96VN $37.95 View
A Trio of Thanksgiving Champagnes: Proven Performers Over the Years
Gary Westby, K&L Champagne Buyer
In addition, to all the things most people are thankful for during this time of year, my gratitude extends to the fantastic relationships we've built over the years with our long-time partners in Champagne. From the tireless, indefatigable Paul-Vincent Ariston and his spectacular, sub-$40 Brut and Brut Rosé to the iconic Billecart-Salmon, whose own Brut Rosé sets the standard for the category, these wines have held places of distinction at my family's Thanksgiving table for many years now, and they'll be centerpieces once again this year. Read more.
NV Ariston Aspasie "Réserve" Brut Champagne $34.99 View
NV Ariston Aspasie Brut Rosé Champagne $39.99 View
NV Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé Champagne 94JD $84.99 View
New Spanish QPR Champion for the Holidays
Kirk Walker, K&L Spain Buyer
As the standard bearer for the Jumilla D.O., José Maria Vicente's Casa Castillo is the benchmark by which the region is judged. Single-vineyard stunners from high-elevation sites are the core of the line-up, made mostly from Monastrell (aka Mourvèdre). Like all of Casa Castillo's wines, the 2020 La Tendida offers so much for so little. A perfect holiday red wine, it is medium-bodied with supple tannins and fresh acidity. It is lively, aromatic, and easy like a Pinot, the default holiday wine, but there is more substance here—think bold Châteauneuf-du-Pape without the edges that Syrah can bring. This is a wine that can engage with and be enjoyed by just about all red wine drinkers. Read more.
2020 Casa Castillo "La Tendida" Jumilla 94DC $21.99 View