Next Thursday is Thanksgiving and while some will spend the day watching football and parades, I plan on cloistering myself in the kitchen to cook untill I drop. For the first time in years, we are having company over for the holiday so I get a chance to flex my culinary muscles. The menu is going to be some of the usual Thanksgiving fare with extra vegetarian options.

For many people, Thanksgiving dinner poses a problem in the wine department. For the traditional turkey, we naturally think of white wine as the the obvious pairing. While most of the time there is not a problem pairing white wines with poultry, Thanksgiving is again a different ballgame all together.

Whenever you are pairing wine with your Thanksgiving meal, think not just of the bird you are cooking but the entire meal. Think of the traditional dinner with dressing, potatoes and one very important item…cranberry sauce. It is the cranberry sauce you should be taking your cue from whenever it comes to pairing wine. It is the sharp, sweet yet tangy snap to the cranberry sauce that makes it pair so well with the rest of the meal. So, why not try a wine that has a similar flavor profile?

It sounds easy, and it is. Just go to your favorite wine store and ask the proprietor for a red wine with a higher acidity and good strong fruit flavors. Think refreshing. If you explain it that way, I am certain that the people in the store will know what you are looking for. That is one of the reasons that the Beaujolais Nouveau goes so well with turkey dinner. It has those qualities.

But, what if you are not a big red wine drinker? Will white wine work? It will definitely work. Again…think of the whole meal, not just the turkey. I usually tell people to think of what fruit would go nicely with your meal and then find a wine that exhibits those qualities. For me, I make a lemon and parmesan dressing to have with the turkey. This means that a white wine with a lemony zing to it should pair nicely. Slightly sweet Riesling and very herbal Sauvignon Blanc work very nicely with the meal.

The good thing is that you cannot go wrong. You are with friends and family, enjoying the best holiday of the year, so no matter what wine you chose I promise it will be fine. If you are still at a loss for what wine to serve, I recommend seeking the help of your local wine store. They should be plugged in to what would work. Heck, Everyday Wine in Kerrytown even has an entire wall of the store devoted to wines that they think go great with Thanksgiving dinner.

So…enjoy your holiday dinner and feel free to post what you are making and what wine you plan to serve in the comments section below. I also welcome questions.

Oh...and don't hesitate to serve Champagne, regardless of what you make. You will be pleasantly surprised!

Cheers.

Ron Sober is a Learning Specialist at U-M by day and an international wine judge, consultant and educator by night. He blogs about wine for AnnArbor.com.