Setting the table for family and friends this Thanksgiving might seem complicated but at Scoperta! we have the path to Easy St.

The biggest mistake people make (and the worst advice received) is attempting to pair wine with side-dishes. It’s simply not feasible to assume one wine can extend itself into the Thanksgiving matrix that is the most diverse of any season. The honest truth and pathway to success is to concentrate your efforts on the prize protein – Turkey! (or Ham, or Turducken, or whatever it is your featuring) I’m attaching a super fun matrix of Thanksgiving classics that will spotlight a few producers and their offerings to make your holiday pairing a slam-dunk AND you’ll be shopping smart, local, and efficient.

If you want to expand a bit further and really get cooking, here’s a few singular wines that I find to be extremely well suited for the dinner table and are sure to impress – take a look!

GENERAL FOOD & WINE FUN

Here’s a tip for food pairing in general that I think is helpful and has guided me through multiple Michelin Star menus: 

Food density vs. Wine Density

I try to align the textures/intensity of the ingredient with the body/structure of the wine.

A typical adage is that acid cuts fat but if you don’t match the densities then you have a problem – here’s an example: 

• A Sauvignon Blanc doesn’t “cut through” the creaminess of mashed potatoes…it gets bulldozed! Even though its made with butter, cream, onion, garlic – the pairing still doesn’t work. So evaluate just how dense or airy/light the food item is.

It may sound crazy but thicker-heavier bodied reds actually do the trick here.

See my Thanksgiving matrix attached for more pairings :-) 

Happy Scoperta'ing!

Dan