In past years, I have been thankful for Italian and Sonoma wines at the Thanksgiving table, and have happily shared my favorites with you. Napa was always going to be the next wine region I featured in my annual write up of Thanksgiving wine pairings; this year, after the devastating Glass Fire, my desire to highlight Napa wines has never been greater. The region will need our support as they rebuild and wait for tourism to return.
It brings me great pleasure, therefore, to propose these perfect Thanksgiving wines coming from my favorite small to mid-size producers in Napa.
Please note: these wineries ship! I’ve included links below. Please support Napa with your wine choices this Thanksgiving. And, let’s all raise a glass for the heroic first responders who have managed to contain the Glass Fire (97% contained as I write this). Cheers to them!
Leslie Rosa
Sommelier + Founder of La Dolce Vigna Wine + Culture Tour Co.
Thanksgiving Wine Pairing 101
Before we get to the wines, I wanted to share with you these key characteristics to look for when picking wines for Thanksgiving dinner—and why.
Red fruit flavors for red wines; Apple and citrus for white wines
The red fruit flavors will emphasize that heavenly mediator of the Thanksgiving table: cranberry sauce. The apple and citrus will draw out those beloved ingredients in autumnal dishes.
Umami flavors and/ or Baking spices
The umami of the gravy and mushroom dishes and the autumnal spices in many sides are even more pleasing to the palate when they are present in the wine as well.
Light tannins and medium acidity
Turkey, while it has some nice fat to it, doesn’t require the big astringent tannins of a Cabernet Sauvignon or a Barolo as a nice steak or meat stew would, but a nice level of acidity is key in clearing your palate.
Congratulations, you are now a Thanksgiving wine pairing pro. On to the wine!
Thanksgiving Napa Wine Guide
MASSICAN
Sauvignon Blanc 2019 - $30
Pretty much any wine Dan Petroski crafts would be an excellent addition to your Thanksgiving spread. He is known for making Mediterranean-style white wines that are complex, fragrant, and bright. The lemony, briny quality of his 2019 Sauvignon Blanc, together with its generous acidity, make it a heavenly pair to those creamy mash potatoes or green bean casserole (yes, the one with the onion rings!).
If you can get your hands on them, his Hyde Chardonnay and Annia white blend (Tocai Friulano, Ribolla Gialla and Chardonnay) are stunning as well!
STONY HILL VINEYARD
NAPA VALLEY Chardonnay 2018 - $54
The McCreas know something about Chardonnay; the family has been making their Stony Hill estate Chardonnay since 1952. Their preference for making elegant and acid-driven wines is clear in the 2018 Chardonnay. It is vibrant and fresh with a prominent minerality, offering flavors of just-picked green apple and a touch of spice.
Also recommended for Thanksgiving: their Gewurtztraminer—great acidity and aromatics that will harmonize with the sweet potatoes and roasted carrots.
FROG’S LEAP
NAPA VALLEY CHENIN BLANC 2018 - $45
Napa Valley used to have over 700 acres of Chenin Blanc. Today, only about 18 acres are planted to this versatile French grape variety. Always a champion of the underdog, owner and winemaker John Williams decided to add Chenin to his stable of organically-certified line of wines, and has been pleased with the results. Fermented and aged in small concrete tanks, his Chenin Blanc retains its bright, natural acidity while adding a beautiful texture to its savory flavors.
ROBERT SINSKEY VINEYARDS
Abraxas 2017 - $36
This white blend is known as a shape-shifter; its flavor profile can change dramatically based on which food it is served alongside: citrus and mineral-driven one minute, aromatic with a touch of sweetness the next. Made from organically grown Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Gewurtztraminer, the versatility of Abraxas will serve you well. Yes, even with brussel sprouts.
Other Thanksgiving-friendly Sinskey wines to consider: Vin Gris of Pinot Noir — always a crowd-pleaser— as well as his RSV Pinot Noir 2016
MATTHIASSON
Ribolla Gialla 2018 - $49
Steve and Jill Matthiasson became smitten by Ribolla Gialla years ago, and decided to grow the white grape variety on their estate vineyard in Napa. As a nod to the traditions of Ribolla Gialla’s homeland—Friuli in northeastern Italy and neighboring Slovenia—the Matthiassons skin-ferment this wine, giving it light, pleasing tannins. Its complex flavors are at once sweet and savory: stewed pear, apple, baking spices, celery salt and hazelnuts. And, with a low alcohol content (12%), the Matthiason’s Ribolla Gialla is a wine you can enjoy throughout the entire Thanksgiving dinner without needing a nap.
ps: Ribolla Gialla is pronounced ree-BOWL-la JAH-la
FAILLA
Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2018 - $36
While the grapes in this wine are grown in the Sonoma Coast AVA, Failla’s winery and tasting room are just off the Silverado Trail in Napa. This is consistently one of my go-to Pinot Noirs coming out of Northern California—always a joyous expression of the vintage and variety. Failla’s 2018 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir sings of pomegranate, blood orange and dried Mediterranean herbs. And, with a price tag more reasonable than most quality-minded Northern California Pinot Noirs, you won’t regret getting a few bottles.
Tip: Failla grows pinot noir in quite a few AVAs; it’s fun to open two bottles side by side and taste the different expressions.
HEITZ CELLAR
Grignolino 2016 - $25
Heitz Cellar is a historic Napa Valley winery known mostly for their elegant, organically-farmed Cabernet Sauvignon, but they have also been making a lighter red wine from the Piemontese grape variety Grignolino since its inception in 1961. Light in color and tannins, medium in body and generous with red fruit flavors (cranberry, red currant) and notes of rose petals, Heitz’s Grignolino will harmonize with everything you crowd on your Thanksgiving dinner plate: from the turkey to the cranberry sauce. Mmmmm, cranberry sauce…
While you’re at it, buy a few special bottles of their Cabernet Sauvignon for the people you are most grateful for.
ASHES & DIAMONDS
Cabernet Franc No. 3 2016 - $75
If you are looking for a bolder wine to accompany Thanksgiving dinner without overpowering it, I recommend Ashes & Diamonds’ Cabernet Franc made by Steve Matthiasson. The 2016 vintage is a fresh and elegant expression of the variety, with aromas of black currant, raspberry and a dash of clove and pepper. It will give you something to meditate on while waiting for dessert.
Also worthy of your attention are the wines by Diana Snowden Seysses for Ashes & Diamonds and the get-it-while-you-can Karen O Rosé (100% of the proceeds goes to The Okra Project, which provides assistance to Black Trans people.) Another reason to join their Wine Club!
Napa Needs our Tourism Love!
Get in touch if I can help you plan a wine tour of smaller producers in Napa based on your wine preferences and the types of experiences you are looking for. Napa has it all!
About Leslie Rosa
Sommelier + Founder of La Dolce Vigna Wine + Culture Tour Co.
After a decade of working in the art world for eminent institutions and artists in New York and London, I moved to Italy, fell in love with Italian wine and became a certified sommelier with the Associazione Italiana Sommelier. In 2014, I created La Dolce Vigna in response to the large, impersonal tours I came across while living in Italy. My company offers curated experiences that impart a full sense of place through family-run and historic wineries, regional cuisine, stunning natural scenery, charming hotels, and, of course, colorful characters. When not leading tours, you can find me doing pop-up wine tastings, writing for Slow Food’s Wine Guide and Wine Tourist Magazine, or getting lost someplace beautiful with my watercolor set.