Wines to Pair with Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving lands on November 26 this year, and the plate is as hard to pair as ever: sweet, savory, tart and rich all at once. Our 2022 guide covered bottles from $15 to $35. We kept those same tiers for 2026 and adjusted them for four years of inflation, so every pick below sits in the same real price range.

Consumer prices rose about 13% from October 2022 to September 2026, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI. Wine has actually run cooler than the overall index, with BLS reporting wine-at-home prices down 0.7% over the 12 months ending September 2026. European bottles carry a 15% U.S. import tariff this year, so the French picks may land a few dollars higher at some shops. Prices below are typical U.S. retail and will vary by state.

First up, it's still all about Pinot

Pinot Noir's bright acidity and soft tannins handle turkey, cranberry and earthy sides better than almost any other red, which is why it anchored our 2022 list too.

Gruet Brut Rosé (about $20 to $25). Our rosé of Pinot comes with bubbles this year. Gruet makes it entirely from Pinot Noir in New Mexico using the traditional Champagne method, with 24 months of aging on the lees. Pour it with appetizers and keep it on the table for the cranberry sauce.

A to Z Wineworks Oregon Pinot Noir (about $22 to $26). A to Z blends fruit from vineyards across Oregon into a red-fruited, food-friendly Pinot that turns up on nearly every grocery shelf. The winery is a certified B Corp, and this bottling has twice made Wine Spectator's annual Top 100. It's the safe crowd pleaser for a big table.

Elk Cove Willamette Valley Pinot Noir (about $30 to $35). Pat and Joe Campbell founded Elk Cove in 1974, and their son Adam now makes the wine. The winery calls 2024 an ideal cool-climate vintage, so the current release is a strong step up for anyone who wants a more serious Pinot alongside the bird.

It's not Pinot, but it's great at Thanksgiving: Famille Hugel Gewurztraminer Classic from Alsace (about $25 to $29). The Hugel family has made wine in Riquewihr since 1639. Their Gewurztraminer is floral and spicy with a dry finish, which makes it a natural fit for sweet potatoes, stuffing with sage, and anything with a little heat.

We’re Also Looking at Some Exciting Regions Overseas

Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau 2026 (about $15). The new vintage is released worldwide on the third Thursday of November, which falls on November 19 this year, exactly one week before Thanksgiving. It's light, juicy Gamay meant to be drunk young and slightly chilled, and it has been an American Thanksgiving tradition for decades.

Château Thivin Côte de Brouilly Les Sept Vignes (about $26 to $32). For a more serious Beaujolais, look to the crus. Thivin blends fruit from seven parcels on the slopes of Mont Brouilly, ferments in concrete and ages in large old oak vats. You get the same bright red fruit as Nouveau with real depth behind it.

Saperavi from Kakheti, Georgia (about $17 to $20). Georgia's signature red grape is still one of the best party wines we know: dark cherry and pomegranate fruit, lively acidity and enough grip for every dish on the table. Ask your shop for a young, stainless-steel Saperavi from producers such as Marani.

William Fèvre Chablis Champs Royaux (about $30 to $35). This is Chardonnay in its crisp, mineral form, grown on the fossil-rich limestone soils of Chablis. Fèvre is one of the region's benchmark houses, and Champs Royaux is its classic entry-level bottling. It cuts through gravy and buttery sides beautifully.

Mt. Difficulty Roaring Meg Pinot Noir, Central Otago, New Zealand (about $25 to $30). Roaring Meg is Mt. Difficulty's drink-now label, made from vineyards in the Cromwell Basin. Expect ripe cherry fruit and fine tannins from one of the world's southernmost wine regions.

Finally, Build Your Own Thanksgiving Trio

Why choose just one? A bubbly, a white and a red cover every stage of the day, and you can assemble a strong trio from this list for well under the $123 that our 2022 trio would cost today.

assemble a strong trio from this list for well under the $123 that our 2022 trio would cost today.

Want to spend the full $123? Add a bottle of Hugel Gewurztraminer for the sides, or swap the Chablis for Château Thivin if your table leans red.

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