Tannic Panic! Issue #81: Gobble & Glug
Nail your Thanksgiving pairings by matching flavors with flavors.
Hot take: color matching isn’t wine pairing.
People often ask us for guidance on pairing food and wine, and for a lot of folks out there it can feel like flying blind. Not surprising — the way “experts” throw around the profound suggestion that red wine pairs with “red meat” and white wine pairs with “fish,” you’d think there were only two foods in existence.
But what about the extremely rare occasion where a wine or food can be described by more than just a color? Where do you start?
Well it’s useful to know some basic principles, like high acidity in wine tends to make it more food friendly, sweet wines go with sweet foods, or high alcohol wines tend to clash with chili heat. But the reality is that there are no hard and fast rules, and memorizing all of those tidbits can be overwhelming.
There is one method, however, that is far more intuitive and which can be employed by even the most inane dunce at your local Zeus juicery: flavor matching.
Yes, you do need some concept of what the flavor profile of a wine is, but approaching pairing this way can take a lot of the guesswork out of the process.
The idea is to select pairings where the wine and the food share common tasting notes. For example, you might pair a peppery dish with Syrah, which often shows pepper notes itself.
This week, in honor of Thanksgiving, we’re bringing you a slew of recommendations based on some of the classic associated flavors. We of course kept in mind other factors, like acidity and structure (we’re not animals), but the main theme here is congruent pairings — and don’t you frugal little lushes worry, there’s picks for every budget.
So without further ado…
Classic Thanksgiving Flavors
Flavor 1: EMPTY STOMACH
Okay this immediately goes against the concept of flavor matching, but in the spirit of jovial pre-prandial guzzling, “empty glass” seemed like a cop out.
When considering wines to enjoy on an “empty stomach,” it will often benefit your “experience” to select options that are on the lighter side (LIKE ME), fruit-forward, high in acid and lower in alcohol (e.g. crisp whites and sparkling wines).
This classic approach “wakes up” your hungry little palate by triggering that salivation response we all know and love, preparing your gizzard for the ensuing “feast,” and minimizing the adverse effects of severe alcohol absorption that may occur when chugging higher ABV wines. Plus these crispy clean starter wines are better for keeping your palate “fresh” for the panoply of flavors yet to come.
2023 Oyster Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc / $10
Profile: Lime, passionfruit, green bell pepper, sea shells, wet stones
Palate: Dry, high acid, medium body, long finish
Champagne Pannier Sélection Brut / $36
Profile: Apricot, pear, baked apple, peach, cherry, white pepper, crushed stones, almond paste, biscuit and brioche
Palate: Dry, medium+ acidity, medium+ body, long finish
Flavor 2: Orchard fruit, nuts & cheeses
Wines to consider: Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Albariño, Champagne, Prosecco
Orchard fruit flavors typically come from varietal character, creamy and cheesy notes from the winemaking process (Malolactic Fermentation, lees aging, oak barrels), and nutty flavors primarily from aging and oxidative winemaking (oak and lees may also contribute).
Say, for example, you’re serving a salad with sliced apples and pears, walnuts and crumbled blue cheese — varieties and styles that commonly feature apples and pears are a good bet, and if you want to go even deeper, try looking for wines that have seen a little oak or undergone malolactic fermentation.
2023 KVW Chenin Blanc, South Africa / $10
Profile: Green apple, lemon, melon, wet wool, crushed shells, white flowers, honey
Palate: Dry, high acid, medium body, medium finish
2019 Cuvaison Carneros Chardonnay / $30
Profile: Pear, baked apple, lemon, lemon curd, vanilla, cream cheese, nutmeg, clove
Palate: Dry, medium+ body, medium+ acid, long finish
Flavor 3: Cranberries & herbs
Wines to consider: Sangiovese (Chianti, Brunello), Nebbiolo (Barolo, Barbaresco, Langhe), Barbera, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, southern Rhone red blends
Italian red wines often feature high toned red fruits along with herbaceous characteristics, making them a great pairing option for cranberry sauce and dishes containing the “classic” thanksgiving herbs like rosemary, thyme and sage. Their high acidity also makes them a great food pairing option. Other good candidates include Old World Pinot Noir, Cab Franc, and Southern Rhone reds, all of which can also show notes of bright red fruit and earthy herbaceous character.
2021 Carpineto Chianti Classico / $16
Profile: Red cherry, red plum, dried strawberry, roses, violets, dried oregano, thyme, walnut, driftwood, cocoa powder
Palate: Dry, medium+ tannin, high acid, medium body, long finish
2020 Produttori del Barbaresco / $44
Profile: Dried cranberry, sour cherry, dried strawberry, rose petals, pomegranate, black pepper, orange peel, cinnamon, tobacco, wet stone
Palate: Dry, high tannin, high acid, full body, long finish
Flavor 4: Thanksgiving spice - cinnamon, nutmeg, clove
Wines to consider: Bordeaux varieties (Bordeaux, Cab Sauv, Merlot), Tempranillo (Ribera del Duero, Reserva Rioja), Chardonnay (oaked), Gewürztraminer
These flavors typically come from oak spice, but in some cases (Gewürztraminer, for example) spice notes can come from varietal character. For our recommendations, we’re focusing on big, bold reds that hit the mark.
2019 Novelty Hill Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley / $26
Profile: Blackberry, black plum, blueberries, cedar, wet stone, graphite, violets, milk chocolate, cinnamon, clove, vanilla
Palate: Dry, high tannin, medium+ acid, full body, long finish
2018 Château Tronquoy Lalande St-Estephe Bordeaux / $45
Profile: Blackcurrant, blackberry paste, black plums, figs, cedar, crushed rocks, dark chocolate fudge, licorice, ballpoint pen ink, dried violets, nutmeg, hint of cinnamon
Palate: Dry, high tannin, medium+ acid, full body, long finish
Flavor 5: Pick a pie — pumpkin, pecan, berry, apple
Wines to consider: Port (tawny for nuts & spice, ruby for red fruits), PX Sherry, Sweet Lambrusco, Late Harvest Gewürztraminer, sweet Riesling
When pairing wine with dessert, sweetness level in the wine can be just as important as flavor matching, so these suggestions factor that in. All kinds of desserts make appearances at the most thankful time of the year, but some common flavors are pumpkin, pecan, apple, berry, and chocolate. Sweet fortified wines, like Port and PX Sherry, are great candidates for pairing, as they can feature flavors that cover the whole spread.
Quinta Das Carvalhas 10-Year-Old Tawny Port / $21 (375ml)
Profile: Prunes, toasted hazelnut, nutmeg, ginger cookie, molasses, fig, vanilla, chocolate rum cake
Palate: Sweet, medium+ tannin, high acid, full body, long finish
Ximénez-Spínola PX Sherry, Jerez de la Frontera / $75
Profile: Bruléed banana, molasses, maple syrup, wet autumn leaves, walnuts
Palate: Sweet, high acid, full body, long finish
Want more suggestions for pairings? Check out our post from last year (IT HOLDS UP)
Tannic Panic! Issue #28: Last-Minute Wine Picks You'll Be Thankful For
Let’s be honest — you forgot to pick up wine to bring to Thanksgiving this year. This, dear winos, is an inescapable fact. And if you wrongly believe you already do have enough bottles, take a moment to ask yourself: “Will it be enough to make it through another full night of Uncle Steve rambling about the golden years when he could have gone pro?”
Now go out there and waste a bunch of money on wine (THE GOOD KIND!).
Any pairing favorites we overlooked? Drop em in the comments. And if you try any of our suggestions, let us know how it went!
Until next time, HAPPY DRINKING PEOPLE.
Cheers!
Isaac & Zach
Great practical advice! Cheers!