Stuffed turkey, yams, pumpkin, cranberry sauce. Choosing wine to pair with Thanksgiving lunch seems an impossible task. But in Italy there are many labels that seem to have been created specifically to celebrate this day. The menu brings together many flavors – intensely savory, acidic, very sweet – but don’t worry. Italy has such a vast and varied culinary tradition that in every region there are wines that fit well with those particular flavors.
For example, in the area of Mantua, in Lombardy, there are many dishes based on pumpkin and sweet-and-sour flavor and are unforgettable in combination with a dry Malvasia from the hills of Piacenza or a Lambrusco. If you decide to change wines during the meal, first start serving those that are fresher and lighter, have good acidity and little alcohol, such as dry Malvasia, but also the Pinot Grigio del Veneto, and then move on to more structured and important wines, such as a Gewürztraminer from Alto Adige or, if you prefer full-bodied reds, a Primitivo di Manduria or an Amarone.
If, on the other hand, you decide to focus on just one wine, no problem, it’s enough that it has a medium body and a strong personality: try a Piedmontese Barbera, a Nebbiolo delle Langhe or a Valpolicella Ripasso, or go for a sparkling red wine, likethe Bonarda dell’Oltrepo Pavese or the Gutturnio dei Colli Piacentini. Finally, why not try to celebrate Thanksgiving with a rosé wine? They’re not just for the summer. On the contrary! They’re very versatile on the table and won’t disappoint you: the best choice could be a Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo.
Here’s our selection of Thanksgiving labels:
Malvasia Frizzante Emiliana 2018 – Lusenti
Lambrusco Mantovano Incantabiss 2018 – Fondo Bozzole
Terra dei Forti Valdadige Pinot Grigio Colle Ara 2018 – Albino Armani
Gewürztraminer Nussmaumer 2017 – Cantina Tramin
Primitivo di Manduria Papale – Varvaglione 1921
Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Costasera 2015 – Masi
Barbera d’Asti Bosco Donne 2018 – Gianni Doglia
Langhe Nebbiolo 2017 – Moccagatta
Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore Famiglia Pasqua 2017 – Pasqua
Oltrepo Pavese Bonarda Frizzante Cresta del Ghiffi 2018 – Agnes
Gutturnio Frizzante Spago 2018 – Il Poggiarello
Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo Rosa-ae 2018 – Torre dei Beati