Do we use turkey to set the tone when pairing wine for the meal? Sommelier Fahara Zamorano of Nite Thyme Wine Bar says finding wines that pair well with poultry and sweet sides like yams and cranberries is tricky. She suggests having multiple bottles open on the table instead of trying to pair something with the bird.
A rosé or blanc de noir champagne goes well with the richness of the meal, serving as a palate cleanser. Open a light red that has fruit forward notes such as Gamay or Schiava, a grape from the Alto Adige region of Italy. For white wine, a Grüner Veltliner works with difficult-to-pair dishes such as vegetables.
"Dessert wines are underrated," says Zamorano. Madeira, a fortified wine, is one of her favorites. "Everything that could go wrong with a wine has intentionally been done to it. So if you don't finish it, the wine will also last you forever."