There’s only one place we turn when we need advice on selecting the perfect bottle of wine for any type of meal – Maine & Loire. Owners, Peter & Orenda Hale, make the best, tailored suggestions for your taste and budget, and can select the perfect wine pairing for literally anything from a bowl of chicken noodle soup to a hearty bolognese. Since their recommendations are always spot-on, we were thrilled when they agreed to help us compile a list of Thanksgiving-appropriate wines. Here are their seven go-to picks for bottles to pass around your table this Thanksgiving holiday!
Sparkling
R. Pouillon et Fills Champagne Brut Reserve – $48
A classically-styled, “proper” champagne from Aÿ, France, this Brut Reserve is organically farmed and a fantastic way to begin any special occasion meal.
2015 Les Capriades La Bulles Rouge – $62 (Magnum)
A sparkling rouge made of three varietals of Gamay from the Loire, La Bulles Rouge is tart with residual sweetness and is light enough to drink even if your holiday fun kicks off before noon. Maine & Loire only has magnums of this in the shop – perfect for a bustling, bubbly-loving Thanksgiving table.
Red
2016 Pearl Morrissette Pinot Noir – $28
Both Peter & Orenda are really psyched about this emerging Canadian winemaker and, in particular, this younger vine Pinot Noir from the Niagara Peninsula in Ontario. It’s bright and cheerful with just enough tannic structure – the result is a perfectly light, plummy Pinot.
2015 Nicolas Reau Anjou Enlèvement Demande – $22
100% Cabernet Franc, bright, and alive. Listening to Orenda describe this fruity, sophisticated wine made me want to try it on the spot.
2015 Guy Breton Morgon Vieilles Vignes – $38
This high altitude Beaujolais is a classic Thanksgiving wine. According to Peter, 2015 was a tough year for Beaujolais, but because “this wine was made by one of the most consistent masters of the style, he still managed to make a wine with great finesse.” A Morgon has always been our own personal go-to Thanksgiving wine, so we’re especially excited to sample this particular bottle next Thursday!
White
2014 Beurer Riesling Stettener Kieselsandstein – $34
Where Beaujolais is a classic Thanksgiving red wine, Riesling, and this southern German wine in particular, is a classic Thanksgiving white. It’s racy, bone dry, high energy, and most importantly, its acidity allows it to really hold its own against the rich, carb-filled meals we all indulge in on Thanksgiving.
2014 Vallée Moray Semillant Chenin – $29
While the acidity of this Montlouis-sur-Loire Chenin might be similar to the Riesling mentioned above, the texture is much fleshier, making it a fruitier wine with more body.
Be sure to swing by Maine & Loire’s tasting with SelectioNaturel & Devenish Wines this week Thursday, November 16th at 5pm. There will be 20+ (!!) bottles open and it’d be a perfect time to stock up on some of these Thanksgiving bottles!
Photos by Meredith Perdue for Map & Menu.