When Thanksgiving rolls around, I’m usually consumed with choosing wines for the occasion. Whether we’re celebrating with family, dining with friends, or cooking just for ourselves, the wine selection occupies my time. This year, though, Gabe and I won’t be doing the traditional dinner. We’ve opted to enjoy a delicious meal at one of our favorite restaurants, Fleming’s Steak House. They’ll be serving turkey and all the accompaniments, as well as steak – something for everyone. And I’ll look forward to choosing a lovely wine from their list.

But that doesn’t mean I haven’t thought about which wines I’d have on my table if I were hosting Thanksgiving. Over the past year I’ve had the pleasure of sipping some excellent American wines that would be right at home with the turkey and fixings.

Here’s a quick snapshot of my hypothetical line-up, a few tasting notes, and why I love them so much. Enjoy!

Bubbles

Sokol Blosser Bluebird Cuvée Sparkling Wine (Willamette Valley, OR)

Bluebird Cuvée is a proprietary assemblage of multiple white grape varieties made in the Méthode Traditionnelle style. On the palate it is dry, offering notes of ripe stone fruits, citrus, apple and pear along with a creamy texture and crisp acidity that makes it a perfect food wine.

This wine is named in honor of Sokol Blosser’s long-time support of the Prescott Western Bluebird Recovery Project. For more than 20 years, Sokol Blosser has offered needed shelter and support to preserve a breeding habitat for Western Bluebirds, with 15 bird houses on its organically-farmed property. It would make an excellent addition to your holiday festivities, with appetizers or even throughout the meal. I’d love to sip this alongside my mom’s scalloped oysters, a dish she made every year.

White Wines

Smith-Madrone Riesling (Napa Valley, CA)

If you follow my social media accounts, you already know how much I love this wine! Actually, all of their wines are excellent, and it would be easy to pair an entire Thanksgiving meal with Smith-Madrone. The Riesling is a near-perfect match for everything on the table, though. Dry but with complex fruit aromas and flavors and tons of acidity, this wine won’t disappoint.

Dracaena Wines Chenin Blanc (grapes from Clarksburg, CA)

Grapes were grown on well-drained silt soils using organic practices. The flavor profile is dominated by intense citrus and orchard fruit, ripe but balanced by high acidity. It is a crowd-pleaser and would make a great aperitif. At our holiday table, my sister always serves my grandmother’s cole slaw, which includes grated apple and a tangy vinaigrette. This Chenin Blanc would be absolutely perfect with it – and any other sides that have a tangy, spicy character – perhaps a chutney.

Skin-Fermented White Wines (Orange Wines)

Two Shepherds Centime (California)

Of all the wines in this portfolio, I love the Centime the most. It’s named after the old French penny aka, centime, and looks very much like its namesake in the glass! The precise blend of white grapes changes with every vintage but you can be sure it will be delicious. My favorite pairings for Centime are vegetable dishes. Last year I poured it with a cauliflower soup drizzled with rosemary oil (heaven!). If I were cooking this year, I’d pair it with a Yukon Gold potato and celery root gratin. An experiment a few TGs ago, it was a showstopper. This is the wine for it.

Field Recordings Skins (California)

An eclectic blend of grapes (43% Chenin Blanc, 18% Pinot Gris, 16% Riesling, 13% Albariño, 5% Vermentino, 4% Albillo Mayor, 2% Verdelho) adds up to pure deliciousness. Golden color reflects the golden fruit character of the wine; the skin contact adds a bit of texture to the palate that gives the wine some substance, not unlike a red wine. In a multi-course dinner, Skins could go the distance, working well with each and every bite.

Red Wines

Acquiesce Vineyards Christina’s Outlier Grenache (Lodi, CA)

What a delight this wine is! Its name comes from the fact that Acquiesce makes white wine in a predominantly red wine area. They see themselves as outliers. Well, winemaker Christina had a notion to craft a red wine – an outlier! – in the white wine outpost. It’s light, full of juicy red fruit (cherry, pomegranate, berries), low tannin, moderately high acidity. In short, it’s the perfect red wine for just about everything on the table. Maybe even the cranberry sauce! Pop and pour this wine whenever you need a boost. Case buy, for sure!

I’d love to sip Outlier with a Mediterranean rice salad with dried cherries and chopped grape leaves. An alternative to the more traditional sides, this salad has tons of flavor and looks lovely on the table.

Meeker Wine Handprint Merlot (Sonoma, CA)

With this gorgeous bottle on the table, who needs a centerpiece? Each one is hand painted by the winemaker in a unique design. And what’s inside is pretty nice too! Juicy red and black fruit, moderate acidity, smooth tannins, yum! I really enjoy their wines, especially the Bells Echo Malbec – perfect if you’re grilling a steak.

Merry Edwards Pinot Noir (Sonoma, CA)

I first fell in love with Merry Edwards wine after tasting the Sauvignon Blanc – a variety I didn’t much care for at the time. If you’re like me, do yourself a favor and pick up a bottle. It’ll change your world! Merry Edwards is really known for its Pinot Noir selections. They are elegant, well-balanced, and a real pleasure to drink. If you want to impress a special guest, pour one of their single-vineyard Pinots and wait for the praise!

Happy Thanksgiving to all! Enjoy your time with loved ones, making memories and sharing laughs. As for my wine recommendations: if they’ve reached you too late for Thanksgiving, just remember that Christmas is just around the corner. Same advice applies!