Last week we shared 9 beautiful, crowd-pleasing wines, each of which will pair perfectly with the all of the flavors on the Thanksgiving plate. This week we have wines that are a bit more daring: they may not be for your beer-drinking Uncle Tom, but your sommelier-in-training cousin Susan will undoubtedly thank you for elevating her Thanksgiving dinner to new heights.

Broc Cellars Carignan 2013, CA $26.99

“A vibrant wine, Broc’s Carignan has zesty flavors of cranberry & blueberry, white pepper, and a touch of citrus zest. I love how it cuts through the heavier flavors of turkey & stuffing (much like a cranberry sauce does) and brings clarity to the whole Thanksgiving meal. A fun wine for a fun time.” – Liam

 

COS Frappato 2014, Sicily $34.99

“I’m a huge fan of Frappato – a still relatively-obscure grape to most. This one is light-bodied, has bright fruit and an earthiness with a lot of food-friendly acidity. The lively freshness keeps your palate from getting fatigued as you load up on that second plate, or third…” – Nick

 

2011 Dr. Pauly Bergweiler Riesling Kabinett, Mosel, Germany $27.99

“After a long day of pre-dinner snacking, your mouth needs a second wind and this Riesling is your answer. Have a glass or two as you sit down to dinner as the tastiest palate-fatigue cure you’ve ever had.” – Eric

 

NV Westport Rivers “Farmer’s Fizz” MA (off-dry) $15.99

“Because I hate candied yams, but love how their sweetness balances buttery mashed potatoes, rich roasted squash and a creamy green-bean casserole. These semi-sweet bubbles mimic that candied-ness and their ripe pear, juicy apple and bright melon flavors are tailor made for the turkey-day table.” – Katie

 

Michael David “Petite Petit” 2012, CA $19.99

“Not only will you show up to family dinner with the coolest looking bottle, but you’ll win brownie points for pouring this big, bold wine. A blend of 85% Petite Sirah and 15% Petit Verdot, this wine offers rich, dark fruit flavors with hints of licorice and vanilla. A meal so full of flavor deserves a wine this rich to stand up to it.” – Alex

 

2013 Charles Smith Boom Boom Syrah, Washington State  $17.99

“From one of my favorite winemakers, this Syrah is bold and earthy with black cherry notes. It pairs really well with fruity and herbal flavors and is, thus far, the best wine to pair with my Mom’s roasted garlic mashed potatoes.” – Rico

One Plate. One Wine.

The classic Thanksgiving dinner isn’t comprised of course after course of individual flavors and tastes; rather it’s a wholly-American one-plate mashup of differing flavors and textures that somehow equals a sum greater than its parts. For your table this year we’ve chosen wines grounded in this one-plate tradition: wines that within one glass heighten every flavor on your one plate to new levels of deliciousness.

Though from different regions of the world and from different grapes, what these wines have in common is a medium to high acidity (to cut through the richness of classic side dishes), a depth of fruit flavor (which will match flavor intensity) and, in some cases, a decent tannic structure (which primes the palate for an onslaught of cream and butter).

2014 Clos de Rocs “En Pres Floret” Macon-Loche, France (Chardonnay)

Crowd-pleasing chardonnay meets exceptional winemaking chops to bring to your Thanksgiving table refreshing minerality and lean apple flavors with minimal oak presence.

2013 Chalk Hill Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast, California

An opulent, fuller-style chardonnay rich with yellow apple, lemon curd and toasted bread flavors. Its robust yet balanced oaky finish will impress.

2012 Santa Barbara Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills, California

Pinot Noir was made for Thanksgiving dinner. Its high-acid, bright berry flavor mimics the effects cranberry sauce has on rich foods: it enlivens even the heaviest of side-dishes.

2012 Domaine Foretal, Moulin-a-Vent, Beaujolais, France (Gamay)

Moulin-a-Vent produces wines with slightly stronger tannins than other appellations in the Beaujolais. Its deep blackberry and savory notes are balanced by a crisp minerality – just what our palates crave at the Thanksgiving table.

2014 Tenuta di Gracciano, Rosso di Montepulciano “Della Seta,” Tuscany, Italy

Ripe cherry flavors and refined tannins give this elegant, dry wine a place at the Thanksgiving table, right next to the earthy and herbal stuffing, the roast bird, and the green bean casserole.

2012 Zenato Valpolicella Superiore, Veneto, Italy

Ripe black cherry and spice notes give this bottle the brawniness it needs to stand up to the roast bird, yet its northern Italian (read: cooler climate) acidity keeps it from clobbering the turkey.

2013 Dry Creek Heritage Vines Zinfandel

Dark berry flavors abound in this zesty zin from the good ‘ol US of A. It’s full of warm and savory allspice and pepper notes, too – just like many classic turkey side dishes.

2012 Yardstick, “Ruth’s Reach,” Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California

A cornucopia of big aromas and flavors (chocolate and butterscotch on the nose, raspberry, caramel and oak on the palate) are contained in this medium-bodied, single-vineyard Napa cab. It’s a voluptuous complement to the bounty of the Thanksgiving table.

2014 Georges Vigouroux “Gouleyant” Cahors, France (Malbec)

This lively and beautifully-fruity malbec has suede-like tannins that give buttery potatoes and silly gravy something to grab on to.

From all of us at Bottles to you and yours – Happy Thanksgiving!