Dear Kendall Jackson,

 I’m not sure how to break this to you …We’ve spent many holidays together, but this year it might be time for a change. According to my wine guru, Darren, chardonnay is oaky and too much for a large meal. But rest assured, Kendall, absence does make the heart grow fonder and you will always have your spot in my wine fridge.

 One night last week, my mom, one of my best girlfriends, Laura, and I spent the night drowning in research, or should I say wine. We spent the evening consulting with, Darren, the owner of Wineworks For You about what types of wine to serve on Thanksgiving. We had a great night and enjoyed tasting several different wines. In a nutshell, his advice is to go for the sparkling wines and white wines. Both types will pair well with the rich dishes placed on holiday tables.

 After much tasting and debating, here are our 5 Thanksgiving Wine Picks (in no particular order)…

1. The first pick is a white wine called, Barrel 27 High on the Hog which comes from Paso Robles, California. According to the wine makers, this wine is, “both weighty and silky in the mouth, flavors of candied lemon, melon, marzipan, melon and oyster shell mingle with notes sweet apple, slate and a hint of petrol.” This wine is crisp and sparkling and you can’t beat the price at $15 per bottle.

2. The second pick is another white wine called Schmelz Gruner Veltliner Loibner Garten. This one is light and mild and would go well with chicken or turkey.  It is reasonably priced at $22 per bottle. It is a white grape variety grown primarily in Austria by the Schmelz family who has been making wine for five generations. It shows!

3. Next up is D’arenberg “The Hermit Crab” Viognier Marsanne. According to the website, this wine is a, “perfumed white with a touch of green plum flavour. There are also faint apricot and herb overtones, and a suggestion of sweetness which adds to palate weight and texture.” You don’t need all of that flowery description, just trust me, this is good! This wine runs $12 – $14  per bottle.

4. Now for our pricey pick, Macphail Pinot Noir – Sonoma Coast Blend Red. Most red wines would be too heavy for a Thanksgiving dinner, but this is much lighter than a cabernet, and even me, the “say no to red wine girl” approved. Please note, this one is completely out of the single mom/teacher budget, so if you, too, fit either or both categories, skip this and move to pick #5. Had I known it had a $44 price tag, I probably wouldn’t have dared taste it. Prince Charming, if you’re reading this, this one is fabulous and is sure to impress my parents.

5. Last, but not least is Trajarinho. It actually goes great with seafood (not turkey), but I know several non-traditionalists who don’t eat turkey on Turkey Day (gasp!). This one is for you. We tried this with crab stuffed mushrooms, and both were great! It is crisp and citric with a classically dry style. The wine is made with Trajadura and Alvarinho grapes, hence the name “Trajarinho” and it runs about $9 per bottle.

Cheers to the beginning of a memory-making holiday season! So many reasons to be thankful this year!