I’ve tried a lot of different Reds- Zins, Cali Pinot, Burg, CDP, even Cab. This year I went a different route, while still having another amazing '07 Scherrer OMV Zin for pre-dinner. It just seems that the richness of the gravy, stuffing, yams, Mashed Potatoes, etc… just doesn’t seem to work for me…
Problem is now solved- 2002 Bert Simon Serriger Würtzberg Riesling Auslese
Up there with the best food matches that I’ve had. Reisling and Turkey = major win
Good call Joe. Had a 2007 Weingut Heymann-Löwenstein Uhlen Riesling “B” Blaufüsser Lay with dinner and it was a nice pairing too.
I’m another who believes in the Riesling conquers turkey camp. Had a lovely 2005 St. Urbans-Hof Ockfener Bockstein Kabinett that was super delicious with the bird.
Beaujolais
Turkey isn’t the problem. It’s the flippin’ cranberries and marshmellowed sweet potatoes.
Wine pairing shouldn’t be an issue with Marshmallowed sweet potatoes. Those should never ever ever be on the table in the first place, so there is no need to pair them with wine. 
One of the thanksgiving dishes I will NEVER understand.
In terms of general pairing- Have really good luck with pinot. Either burg or Oregon. Agree with Beaujolais as well, and have had good success with Gruner Veltliner as well.
I think it really has to do more with what you’re trying to pair the wine with - the entire meal or just the turkey . . . And how the turkey is prepared . . .
We had an sweet maple smoked and bbq’d and had my 07 Camp 4 Grenache with it - it worked very well . . . Also had a nice Tantara 06 Rio Vista Pinot that was okay - but didn’t stand up as well as the grenache did . . .
Just another $.02 on the issue . . .
Burgs usually work well for me. I also had a JJ Prum Reisling for the white. I agree that Thanksgiving is such an eclectic collection of food that trying to match one wine with all is asking too much. I do stay away from Big Cali Reds or modern style Bords.
Good info, thanks. I’ve found that a light-on-its-feet Zinfandel like a Scherrer, or a well balanced Pinot can also pair well.
I had a Chidaine Montlouis (Chenin Blanc) on the table last night that was a superb match. This one was very dry, I think I’d actually prefer one with a little more RS. That and a 97 Dehlinger Pinot were perfect to cut through the richness of turkey, gravy, sweet potatoes (no marshmellows!)
I agree that a bit of RS is a good thing for this type of meal. Big dry wines and overly alcoholic or tannic wines just don’t work for me. No oaky chards. I do like the idea of a Chablis or something that is lower in alcohol and more on the malic acid side of the equation.
exactly–it’s the sides which dictate the wine.
alan
Had a '75 Chateau Palmer last night that matched up well, but I don’t each cranberries or sweet potato (with or without marshmallows)
Amen. After trying everything and finding nothing completely satisfactory, the 2009 Beaujolais we did this year were the best. Foillard and Thevenet Morgon both worked well. Brun moulin not quite as much. I think its the combination of acid and some fruit (but not too much fruit because of the slight bitterness of turkey) that makes it work.
75 Palmer is a different entity - I don’t have a lot of aged Bords - and what I have I am not sharing with everyone at Thanksgiving!!! Not that I don’t love my family but non wine geeks are not likely to give a flip - and usually the wife doesn’t care for older wines - she finds them tired if anything and prefers napa cali cab fruit bombs and young ripe Bords over everything else (she really does have a Parker Palate). Despite all these disclaimers, aged Bords would be another decent choice but not my first.
Or you can do what I do: Skip the sides to save my palate for a red.
We’re fortunate in that no one misses the yams and berries if they’re MIA until the pie course. Opens up a lot of options. I brought cava and auslese anyway, because that’s an easy choice that offers something everyone in the family will drink.
good call, Joe. while there may be some reds that work well with turkey, i think there’s a wide variety of whites that perform much better. we had a 2008 M. Chapoutier - St. Joseph blanc (100% Marsanne) with our turkey and it was an amazing pairing.
how was that Bert Simon? I happened to purchase a bottle of that wine a couple weeks ago b/c K&L had a good deal on it.
It was so Good!!
Champagne is our family wine of choice for Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. I gave up on reds as well many years ago…