by Anita Skogland

Happy Thanksgiving, UP readers! Whether you are having a traditional bird with all the sides, beef Wellington, maple glazed salmon, or a vegetarian feast, you will find wines to fit your budget and your palate in our holiday wine guide, with wines selected from local wine shops. Have a wonderful feast!

Sparkling Wine

Sparkling wine is a great way to welcome guests into your home. It is also a very flexible food wine. You do not need to serve sparkling wine in a flute glass; in fact, in the Champagne region, producers present tastings in white wine glasses. So don’t despair if you only have general all purpose wine glasses — they’ll do fine. Just ensure that they are super clean with no soap residue so the beautiful bubbles and creamy mousse on the top last for a while. You can get eight pours of sparkling wine per bottle if you carefully pour three ounces per glass. Sparkling wines should be served at 42 to 45 degrees or they may explode.

Château de la Roche Bousseau from Saumur, Loire Valley, France. 80 percent chenin blanc, 20 percent chardonnay, this refreshing wine has lively acidity, notes of peach and apricot, and persistent fine bubbles. $14.99, winestore.

Pierre Tailleur Blanquette de Limoux, southwest France. 90 percent mauzac, 10 percent chenin blanc. The mauzac grape is not a household name. It is a very popular grape in Limoux, which makes a lot of sparkling wine, blending mauzac with either chenin blanc or chardonnay. This wine has aromas of juicy apple with a hint of spice, and a cleansing palate. $25.99, Foxcroft Wine Co., all locations.

Atmospheres by Jo Landron Extra Brut, Muscadet region, Loire Valley, France. 90 percent folle blanche, 10 percent pinot noir. Crisp, dry and cleansing with minerality. This dry sparkler would be good with a charcuterie board. $27, Bar à Vins, NoDa.

Domaine Carneros by Taittinger 2017, Napa, Calif. Tattinger is a power house in the Champagne region. They bring decades of experience to their California property, and make this wine from pinot noir, chardonnay, and a hint of pinot gris. Pear, toast and lemon zest on the nose; creamy texture on the palate. Aged three+ years in the bottle. $29.99, Arthur’s Wine Shop on the lower floor of Belk, SouthPark.

All of the above wines are made in the methode traditionnelle, which means that they are aged nine months to three years in cask and bottle. Sparkling wine is also a good consideration for dessert — it is palate cleansing and rarely over 12 percent alcohol.

Rosé

Rosé looks beautiful in a glass, and the pink color brightens your table. Rosés run the gamut from sparkling to sweet, lightly sweet, and bone dry, and can be packaged with corks, screw caps, or in cans. Rosé pairs well with starters, cheese, squash soup, salads, and chicken or turkey.

Broadbent Vinho Verde Rosé, Portugal. Vinho verde has a light hint of sparkle, and this wine is no exception. Dry, floral with raspberry and cherry notes on the nose and palate. At 10 percent alcohol, you can pour this without angst about overconsumption. $10.99, Foxcroft Wine Co., all stores.

Es Okay Rosé, Rootdown Wine Cellars, Sonoma County, Calif. A blend of merlot, pinot blanc, trousseau, and a proprietary white grape, with watermelon on the nose and tropical fruits on the palate. As a wine pro, I am more focused on the bottle’s contents than the label; however, this fun label caught my eye, and I was pleased by the contents! This wine would be perfect with grilled foods. $19.99, Laurel Market, Myers Park.

Cider

Cider is a staple on the tables of Brittany and Normandy, France, Belgium, and throughout the Alps. Our Thanksgiving traditional meal reflects the type of winter meals that those European regions would also eat. Look for apple-based cider with a cork, which will indicate a very lively fine bubble structure, similar to a quality sparkling wine. 

Divona 2016 Domaine J. Cecillon Sevignac, Brittany, France. Hand-harvested, indigenous organic apples shine through this beautiful bottle of cider. Lovely color, a distinct apple aroma and palate that would work well with roasted turkey.  5.5 percent alcohol. $12.99, winestore, all locations (call ahead for a special order).

White Wine

These white wines vary from light body and refreshing to medium body and more complex flavors. If you are unsure about the best fit for a traditional meal, you will be pleased with white wines from Austria, Alsace, France, Germany, and Oregon. Wines from these regions are made to complement food,  gently integrate with the palate, and lift the food flavors.

Saint Guilhem le Desert Premier Reserve 2021, Maison Latour Renard Les Silex Fumes, Southern France. Light body, refreshing blend of vermentino and clairette. Balanced citrus notes, a white for many palates. If you are going to someone’s home for Thanksgiving, or any day, the packaging on this bottle is stunning and would make a great gift. The cork has a wax cover, and the label makes it look like a $50 bottle. $14.99, winestore, all locations.

Weingut Koehler-Ruprecht Kabinett Trocken Pinot Blanc 2020, Pfalz, Germany. Light body, refreshing and crisp apple, balanced citrus — a good fit with fish and vegetables. $25.99, Foxcroft Wine Co., all locations.

Macon Milly-Lamartine Les Heritiers du Comte Lafon 2020, Macon-Villages, Burgundy, France. Notes of pear carry this structured chardonnay to a clean palate and lively acidity. This comes from a biodynamic producer who is making a positive impact on southern Burgundy’s wine production, a region that lagged in quality wines recently. $39.99, Foxcroft Wine Co. (call ahead by location)

Lange Pinot Gris 2021 Willamette Valley, Oregon. White flowers and melon on the nose; bright acidity and medium body, this wine will complement all but your beef or lamb dishes. $25.99, The Loyalist Market, Matthews

Weingut Forster Bischofgarten Riesling Kabinett 2018, Pfalz, Germany. German wines are light on alcohol, and pair very well with traditional Thanksgiving foods. Stone fruit, citrus, and mineral notes. $24.99, Foxcroft Wine Co.

Red Wine

Red wine varies from light body, red fruit flavors to very tannic, bone dry, and full body. While your favorite wine might a cabernet sauvignon from Napa Valley, it may not be the best wine to pair with turkey and mashed potatoes. The wines below are listed in order from light to full bodied. The full-bodied wines would be great with beef and lamb, while the pinot noir, cabernet franc, and zinfandel are flexible.

Domaine des Farondes 2019 Red Burgundy (pinot noir), France. Pinot noir is my go-to for flavorful meals with a variety of textures. This Farondes has light cherry, raspberry, and a bit of earthiness. $16.99, winestore.

Raeburn Russian River Valley Pinot Noir , Calif. Bright fruit, good acidity, medium body, 14 percent alcohol. This red is well integrated. $26.99, winestore.

Stoller Family 2021, Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. Stoller wines are consistent across vintages with red fruit, a hint of forest, medium body, and a good finish. $24, Arthur’s Wine Shop at Belk, SouthPark.

Le Grand Bouqueteau 2019 Chinon Reserve (cabernet franc). Dried blueberry, hint of cranberry, cinnamon, light coffee note, medium+ body, lingering finish, balanced alcohol. $29.99, Foxcroft Wine Co. 

Bedrock Wine Company Old Vine Zinfandel 2019, Calif. Zinfandel is an American grape that most likely morphed from grapes planted in California by Croatians or Italian farmers. How fitting for this quintessential American meal! The vines for this bottle are 80+ years old, so the juice is very concentrated. Spices, blackberry, plum, cedar shavings, full body, well integrated alcohol, long finish. $29.99, Arthur’s Wine Shop at Belk, SouthPark.

Jean Marc Barthez 2018 Bordeaux Rouge/Mary Taylor, France. A blend of 50 percent merlot, 25 percent cabernet sauvignon, and cabernet franc. Medium body, balanced fruit with plum, blackberry, spice, and integrated tannins. A good value at $14.99, Foxcroft Wine Co.

Uncut Gemtree 2019 Shiraz, McLaren Vale, Australia. Made with biodynamic, organic grapes, the Uncut is full bodied, with a chewy texture, long finish, and notes of sage, blackberry and chocolate. Balanced alcohol. $21.99, The Loyalist Market, Matthews.