Ina Garten's Top Wine Suggestions For A Perfect Thanksgiving

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When we're trying to plate a gracious and delicious holiday meal, we turn to none other than Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa. We recently learned that Garten prefers pumpkin cupcakes to pie as a holiday dessert, but that doesn't even come close to scraping the bottom of the barrel on her Thanksgiving hosting tips. On her Substack feed, Garten instructed readers on what can be quite a tricky topic: Turkey Day wine pairings.

"I always choose something special to celebrate Thanksgiving," she divulges. "Traditionally, I like to serve a light red such as a Morgon." Don't despair, however, if you are one of the unlucky folks for whom red wine causes headaches, as Ina's got you covered. "If you prefer white, I'd choose a Burgundy like a Meursault or Montrachet, which tastes delicious with turkey." 

She goes on to say that, in terms of picking a bottle, she likes to opt for a U.S. winery's product, since this Thanksgiving is an American holiday. However, that doesn't stop her from grabbing a Champagne or prosecco for dessert! We already know that Champagne is the perfect accompaniment to roast chicken, so maybe Garten would approve of it for the turkey course as well. All you need are some pretty flutes — we like the visual appeal of these stemless glasses by KooK, which are pretty enough for even the most formal holiday meal — and the question of what wine to serve with dinner comes to a perfectly effervescent conclusion!

Ina Garten often places wine as a star of her Thanksgiving dinners. She's penned an untold number of recipes that would qualify as holiday-worthy, including sips that place vino front and center. In her cookbook, "Cook Like a Pro: Recipes and Tips for Home Cooks," Garten recommends an autumn sangria with cabernet sauvignon as its base. Unlike a summery sangria laden with citrus, Garten spikes her cab with apple and pear brandy, along with apple cider, for a wine-based cocktail that's as warming as a hug from a favorite relative you haven't seen all year. Rushed on time to make a festive welcome drink for your guests? How about Garten's deceptively simple, incredibly pretty Raspberry Royale, which is simply raspberry liquor with chilled Champagne poured on top immediately before serving?

At the end of the day, the right wine for any meal is one that fits your budget, tastes good, and doesn't clash with the food that you've spent so much time and energy preparing. There may not be actual hard-and-fast "rules" for Thanksgiving wine choices (no matter what snobby oenophiles will say!) but, with Garten's guidance, you can select a bottle or two that will marry happily with the comfort foods on your table and add a festive note to your beloved traditions. All you need to do is think of the perfect toast!