Two days to Gobble Day and you don’t have your wines picked out yet…shame on you! But don’t worry, I have a few ideas for you. Maybe these are not the wines you would choose first or maybe have even heard of, but I think they are perfect with Thanksgiving dinner. While most of you will be reaching for Burgundies or Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from somewhere in the wine world, I suggest considering these wines for your holiday meal: 

First, a wine from just south of the great French region of Burgundy, one of the Cru Beaujolais. No, not Beaujolais Nouveau, which is nice to have a few bottles of during the holidays. I mean one of the delicious wines made from the Gamay grape, such as a wine from Brouilly, Morgon or any of the other eight Crus (wine areas) that make up Beaujolais. These wonderful wines are sometimes overlooked because of some of the less than wonderful “factory” produced Beaujolais that have very little in common with the serious wines made in the 10 Crus of Beaujolais. The two wines I recommend you give a try are the 2011 Signe Vigeron Domaine de l’Oseraie and the 2011 Chateau de Bagnols Brouilly. The de l’Oseraie  is a just a little bit lighter in style than the Bagnols Brouilly, but those of you planning on opening an equally priced California Pinot Noir for the fourth Thursday in November, this $14.99 bottle will be right up your alley…you’ll probably wished you’d bought more than a couple bottles. The 2011 Chateau Bagnols Brouilly, a more structured wine than the Domaine de l’Oseraie, has a more intense nose of ripe cherries and luscious flavors of blueberry, raspberry and a hint of spice. This juicy, balanced wine is a terrific complement to your Thanksgiving dinner.

If you're looking for a white wine, I will tell you to look no further than to France, the northeast corner, in the storybook region of Alsace. This culinary epicenter of France is home to some of the very best food wines in the world. Primarily a white wine region, Alsatian wines like Gewurztraminer seem to match well with spicier dishes, while more tame meals, such as Thanksgiving dinner, pair well with Pinot Blanc. This flying-under-the-radar varietal is perfect with a roast, fried or grilled turkey. I will be serving the 2011 Zinck Pinot Blanc Prestige alongside a butterflied turkey on the grill and another bird done in an infrared fryer. The relatively low acidity, tropical fruit notes and perfectly clean finish in this Pinot Blanc makes a pleasing match with turkey, regardless of how it’s prepared. Those of you that automatically reach for Chardonnay will be pleasantly surprised to find there really is life after Chard. 

Give the wines from Alsace and Beaujolais a try this Thanksgiving--your palate and wallet will be forever in your debt. Whatever you choose, please have a safe and happy Thanksgiving. I look forward to sending out some ideas for Christmas, and if you have any ideas, pass them along on this blog and I will share them with the world! 

Ken Amendola, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits Wine Supervisor

Follow him on Twitter @abcwinekena