The Two Bottles You Should Bring to Thanksgiving Dinner

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I am too dumb to figure out “analytics” but I suspect “what wine pairs with turkey?” is an oft-Googled search term this time of year. Pinot and Beaujolais are popular options but they are, in my highly valued opinion, not the best bottles to bring to a Thanksgiving or other seasonally festive dinner. That distinction belongs to Champagne and amaro.

Interesting people bring amaro

Obviously there is nothing wrong with either pinot or Beaujolais (all wine is precious), but they’re most likely already on the guest list. Anyone can (and will) bring wine. Interesting people bring amaro. (We’ll get to the kind of people who bring Champagne in a moment.)

A bottle of amaro is my favorite thing to bring to a dinner party of any kind. (If this opinion sounds familiar, it’s because I’ve shared it before.) This category of alcohol is broad and kind of complex, but refers to a class of herbal Italian liqueurs that range from syrupy and bittersweet to dry and bracing. Their ABV also varies wildly, falling anywhere between 16% and 40%. At the risk of belaboring a point I’ve made elsewhere, here are five (5) good reasons you should bring a bottle of amaro to your next festive gathering:

1. It will last your host longer. Even if your host does decide to share, the pour size from a bottle of amaro is much smaller than that from wine, meaning your they get to enjoy their gift that much longer.
2. It’s a conversation starter. If you think wine bottles are pretty, check out the labels on amari. They tend to be more ornate and, in the case of Cynar, will have your guests asking questions like “Wait. Is that an artichoke?”
3. It settles the stomach. Sipping on bittersweet amari really calms a full and tumultuous tummy. It’s like medicine, but more fun.
4. It isn’t that expensive. A bottle of amaro will usually cost you somewhere between 20 and 40 bucks, depending one where you live, which is the low end for a good bottle of wine.
5. It makes you seem very refined. Unless you really know your wine, bringing a bottle can seem a little last-minute. Busting out a bottle of amaro, however, makes you seem very cool and worldly.

The stomach settling properties are welcome at any dinner party, but they are downright needed after consuming massive plates of turkey, mashed potatoes, and pie.

Sexy, smart people bring Champagne

Champagne is by far the most festive, celebratory, and fun wine, but there are plenty of practical reasons to serve it with your turkey dinner. Bringing a bottle of bubbly means you’re not only The Bitch Who Pops Bottles, you’re The Bitch Who Understands Flavor. To quote myself (once again), Champagne (or any acidic, sparkling wine) prolongs the party in your mouth with its palate cleansing power. It pairs with the entire meal:

...its acidic, bright, effervescent nature makes it the perfect foil for salty, fatty food, which is exactly what a good Thanksgiving menu is comprised of. If you doubt this, eat a potato chip dipped in sour cream, and chase it with swig of bubbly. Your life will be forever changed. But even outside of fat and salt, Champagne isn’t bad with anything. Though dessert wines are technically supposed to be sweeter than the dessert they’re served with, I have had Champagne with a custardy pie and found it quite pleasing.

Of course, no one will be upset, disappointed, or unappreciative if you show up with a bottle of chardonnay or pinot, or a case of beer. No ethanol will be rejected from the party, but—if you view family gatherings and dinner parties as a competition—bringing a bottle or herbal, complex amaro or crisp, festive bubbly will definitely help you win Thanksgiving (showing your SIL who’s boss once and for all).

 

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