With all this in mind, we’ve assembled this Thanksgiving Wine Pack to help you check at least one important task off your shopping list. Check out this all-star 6 bottle lineup:

1. Grower Champagne André Clouet “Grand Reserve,” Champagne, France N.V.

My family always kicks off Thanksgiving Day with brunch, usually in the company of Champagne, before we set to work in the kitchen. As many of you already know, André Clouet’s Grand Reserve is one of my favorite Grower Champagnes for under $50 a bottle and it will definitely be the sparkler to fortify the Cauble family for the task ahead. A true farm-to-table example, Clouet crafts this Pinot Noir-driven wine from his 17th century estate and home winery with serious dedication, which includes six years of aging on its fine lees. The extraordinarily versatile expression of dried yellow apple, pineapple, red currant, preserved lemon, hazelnut and freshly baked brioche masterfully walks a high wire between a full-bodied, rich mouthfeel and crisp acidity coupled with the trademark minerality that we all crave from the best Champagnes. The ideal partner for your Thanksgiving brunch, this bottle could easily steal the show if we didn’t have such marvelous wines in store for the remainder of the day.

 

2. Maison Henri Boillot Bourgogne Blanc, Burgundy, France 2013

Around T-minus 4 hours from mealtime, kitchen work has begun in earnest and the entire family is craving a glass of fine white Burgundy. This Bourgogne Blanc is a serious overachiever. Derived from parcels in Puligny-Montrachet, Meursault, Auxey-Duresses and Pernand-Vergelesses, this wine has the texture, concentration, and mineral verve of a village Puligny-Montrachet without the price tag. Henri Boillot is the fifth-generation vigneron of his family estate, which dates to 1855. With sustainable farming, great parcels and meticulous, traditional winemaking, this wine transcends its modest Bourgogne Blanc classification. Classic aromatics of asian pear, yellow apple, hazelnut, white flowers, creamy lees and signature crushed limestone minerality will tantalize your senses as your prepare your holiday feast and will also pair beautifully with a plate of snacking cheeses. Decant for one hour and serve in Burgundy stems between 50-55 degrees.

 

3. Domaine Jean-Louis Chave, Saint-Joseph Blanc, Circa, Northern Rhone, France 2013
When it comes to the vast array of flavors on the Thanksgiving table, I tend to prefer at least one white wine and a few reds to accompany the progression of the meal. Jean-Louis Chave’s ‘Circa’ from the Northern Rhone’s Saint-Joseph is a classic, voluptuous white blend of Marsanne and Roussanne that seamlessly integrates the textures and richness of the traditional feast with pitch-perfect precision. Considered the king of the Northern Rhone, Chave is without question one of the most iconic producers in the world. Since 1481, generations of the Chave family have accumulated centuries of expertise, which they infuse into their tireless labor over the finest parcels of the Northern Rhone. Although most famous for their world-class reds from the great hill of Hermitage, the ‘Circa,’ is derived just to the west in the appellation in Saint-Joseph. The captivating profile of dried yellow apple, white mushroom, lees, blanched almonds and a touch of cream evolve through an expansive, rich, oily texture that is the ideal accompaniment to gravy over dark turkey meat, creamed spinach and buttered yams.

 

4. Jean Paul Brun, Terres Doree, Morgon, Cru Beaujolais, France 2014
If I were forced to choose only one wine to accompany my Thanksgiving feast, it would, without a doubt, be a traditionally crafted bottle of Cru Beaujolais from the historic village of Morgon. Considered by many to be the greatest of the ten “Crus” of Beaujolais, Morgon once demanded a higher price than even Romanee-Conti on Parisian wine lists a century ago. Jean Paul Brun’s Terres Doree offers a snapshot of what those Belle Epoque Parisians would have been thirsting for. The small, organic producer derives this wine from old vines, rooted in granite soils, and traditionally transforms the pristine fruit, through only indigenous yeasts, into a wine that captures the elegance and purity of great Burgundy for an incomparable price tag. Notes of wild strawberry, black cherry and wet rose petals are infused with wild herbs and crushed granite wrapped in a soft, silken mouthfeel in perfect harmony. The ideal bite of turkey, stuffing and a dab of cranberry sauce will give your taste buds something to truly be thankful for alongside this resplendent pairing partner.

 

5. Pinot Noir, Haden Fig, Bjornson Vineyard, Eola-Amity-Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon 2014
No turkey day is complete without a glass of Pinot Noir. As I’ve said many times over, Oregon currently delivers the best price to quality Pinot Noir on the world stage and this particular wine exemplifies that point ten fold. With beautiful new world fruit and savory, old world complexity that evokes memories of serious red Burgundy, this beauty from Haden Fig definitively elevates turkey as the centerpiece of your meal. A passion project of Evesham Wood’s winemaker, Erin Nuccio, Haden Fig’s high-toned expression delivers notes of wild strawberry, black cherry, huckleberry, a touch of hibiscus and wet rose petals over a thriving bed of savory complexity that captures perfect tension and ideal balance for a captivating dancing partner at your holiday feast.

 

6. La Torre, Rosso di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy 2014 

Although turkey is invariably the main event of any Thanksgiving celebration, my uncle usually brings over a rare, juicy Prime Rib, which we top with a small dollop of horseradish for good measure. After I’ve worked my way through the turkey, Beaujolais and Pinot Noir, I inevitably make room for the Prime Rib, which is elevated to even further heights by a fine Rosso di Montalcino. A true Baby Brunello, this Rosso faithfully telegraphs the spirit, might and splendor of this unique pocket of Tuscany. La Torre is a classic, small producer who faithfully allows mother nature to do the winemaking. The bounty of black cherry, blackberry, red currant, red roses, orange peel, leather, tobacco and wild Tuscan herbs are pulsating with energetic life and bolstered with robust tannins, which will elevate your Prime Rib to sheer nirvana.

 

We hope you enjoy drinking these wines as much as we enjoyed selecting them for you. From all of us here at SommSelect, Happy Thanksgiving!