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7 Versatile Red Wines To Celebrate Thanksgiving

Author Gina Birch

Many Americans are finalizing their shopping lists for Thanksgiving meals. I have some ideas to help in the beverage department. For Wine Wednesday, here are 7 versatile red wines to celebrate Thanksgiving. They come from around the world and are a variety of grapes and styles.

I like a mix of wine on my Thanksgiving table. You can’t go wrong with fresh whites to lighten the load of some of the heavy and fatty sides dishes. Click here for some good ideas. Next week, I have some sparkling alternatives. But today, it’s all about the reds.

Italian Red Wines To Celebrate Thanksgiving

Let’s start in Italy. Italians might not have come over with the Pilgrims. However, they found their way to the U.S. continent in droves, brought vines and planted vineyards. Pasqua is from Verona, home to Romeo and Juliet

It is said to be inspired by love. The label resembles the sentiments of love written on the wall of Juliet’s home in Verona. Hopefully love is the sentiment that will prevail around your holiday table.

bottle of Passione Sentimento Romeo & Juliet Rosso Veneto on a table with a lamp behind it.Red Wines To Celebrate Thanksgiving
Gina Birch
Passione Sentimento Romeo & Juliet Rosso Veneto is an Italian blend in which some of the grapes were slightly dried before fermentation. I love this wine for Thanksgiving for both the label and the juice. It is balanced blend of merlot, corvina and croatina with dark fruit, dried herbs and lighter tannins, $14.99

Spanish Red Wines To Celebrate Thanksgiving

Spaniards have also been important to weaving the fabric of our nation. This Conde Valdemar Rioja is by respected winery Bodegas Valdemar. The family has been making wine in Spain from some 130 years and are highly regarded. Many Spanish wines have a nice rustic characteristic that is nice with Thanksgiving foods.

Bottle of Conde Valdemar Reserva Rioja on a dinner table with plates a full glass of wine
Gina Birch
Conde Valdemar Reserva Rioja is 79% Tempranillo, 13% Garnacha, 5% Graciano, 3% Maturana. It is a little earthy but still elegant with nice dark fruit, some spices and herbs and a lingering finish. Good with herb encrusted meats and more on your Thanksgiving table. $29.99

American Red Wines To Celebrate Thanksgiving

You can rarely go wrong with pinot noir for this holiday. They often have earthy flavors such as mushrooms and can be herbal. While the concentration of fruit can vary, those fruits are often lighter and complimentary to many of the dishes on the Thanksgiving table.

EnRoute was created by the award winning Far Niente Winery and Nickel & Nickel wineries in Napa. However, these grapes come from Sonoma.

two bottles of EnRoute Les Pommiers Pinot Noir, Russian River and a wine glass full of red wine in the middle
Gina Birch
EnRoute Les Pommiers Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley has lots of silky red fruit and baking spices. It is a fun wine and a versatile red wines to celebrate Thanksgiving.. $60

Blends are always a good idea for a smorgasbord of flavors. This one comes from Spring Valley Vineyards in Washington state. I originally picked this up for a story on WAugust, a clever title for Washington Wine Month in August. A wine like this is meant to be on a Thanksgiving table.

single bottle of Spring Valley Vineyard, Frederick Red Wine
Spring Mountain Vineyards
Spring Valley Vineyard, Frederick Red Wine is a blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, and syrah. Like some of the other wines listed here, this one has a lovely herbal element for your Thanksgiving foods. It is juicy with dark fruit, a little tobacco and pepper. $60

More Red Wines To Celebrate Thanksgiving

On to California. Quilt Napa Valley Fabric Of The Land Red is a tribute to the character of Napa Valley and its patchwork of vineyards. Kind of like the folks who will be at your Thanksgiving table, a patchwork of characters.

Bottle of Quilt Napa Valley Fabric Of The Land Red on a white counter with a cheese tray in background
Gina Birch
Quilt Napa Valley Fabric Of The Land Red is a blend of petite sirah, merlot, zinfandel, and petit verdot. With all of these powerful grapes, the blend has layers of flavors such as mixed berries, dried cherry, a little chocolate, spice and even a hint of clove. $35

Finally, don’t overlook a good zinfandel. Pedroncelli make some beautiful zins and The Legacy Block is new to their portfolio. The family owned winery has been in the business since the 1920’s.

Single bottle of 2022 Pedroncelli Legacy Block Zinfandel Dry Creek
Pedroncelli Vineyards
2022 Pedroncelli Legacy Block Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley, is a gorgeous, full-bodied wine that is softer than what you might expect from a zin. It has raspberry, plums, pepper and a hint of licorice. A Thanksgiving homerun. $45

Finally, Cabernet Sauvignon. Some can be a little heavy for a typical Thanksgiving meal. This one however seems tailor made. You might be more familiar with La Crema Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. They are easy to find and on the affordable side.

The winery released its first ever cabernet in September. So if you serve this one, it will likely be a new discovery for many of your guests.

Bottle of La Crema Cabernet with a wine glass half full of red wine
La Crema Vineyards
La Crema Cabernet is from Sonoma and it is a potpourrie of scents. The wine had lots of black berry and medium tannins. It can go with a variety of meats and sauces. $45

Put one of these versatile red wines to celebrate Thanksgiving on your table this season. Or use than as a guide for something similar. Cheers.

Drink responsibly.

Gina Birch brings the sunshine to Sunny 106.3 every weekday morning from 6-10. She has worked in radio, television and print in Southwest Florida for nearly 30 years. During that time, she has become an advocate for numerous charities including those that support animals, children, women and wellness. In addition, she has written for numerous local, regional and national publications about food, wine and travel. Those are her longtime passions...along with shoes.

5 Delicious Side Dishes For Thanksgiving

The turkey might be the star of the show this holiday, however, it’s not the only food item that gets Southwest Floridians excited. It’s what accompanies the big bird every year that has mouths salivating. Here are 5 delicious side dishes for Thanksgiving that will leave your guests wanting more.

Every family has their Thanksgiving traditions. Not everyone cooks a turkey. Some families cook several turkeys using a different method for each. Regardless of whether you cook turkey, a leg of lamb or a plant based tofu turkey, filling the table with lots of sides is an important part of giving thanks.

About Side Dishes For Thanksgiving

Side dishes for a regular evening or weekend meal are usually thoughtfully planned to integrate flavors and themes. But at Thanksgiving, all rules and common sense food pairings are thrown out the window.

It’s a free for all and it’s one reason this meal is so beloved. Sure there are staples and they vary from house to house. If you are like me, there are some that are non-negotiable. If they are absent the meal seems incomplete regardless of how much is on the table.

However, I’m always looking for something new to try. It might be a new spin on an old favorite or something that is completely different from what I’ve made in the past.

Since we are on the countdown to Thanksgiving, my social media feeds are starting to fill up with food. It’s getting me excited to sit around the table this year with family and friends and try a couple of these dishes. I threw in a bonus appetizer at the end.

If you don’t have a TikTok account, don’t worry. I’ve made it easy by taking these links from mine. Simply scroll down and watch from this post. Some of the recipe details are in the captions so you might have to click to see them in full.

Finally, share these videos and recipes with friends who also enjoy cooking or might be looking for some new side dishes for Thanksgiving this year.

Enjoy These 5 Delicious Side Dishes For Thanksgiving

 

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