The best wines for Thanksgiving dinner
Pairing wine with the many parts of a Thanksgiving meal can seem daunting, especially when family members with varying tastes are expected at the table. Sweet notes throughout the meal make semi-sweet and sweet muscadine wines some of the best wines to go with turkey and all the fixings.
Early morning turkey prep
Thanksgiving morning is the best. Tucking the turkey in the oven while everyone is still snug in their beds is a wonderful quiet time to get ready for the rest of the day. Relish the moment by sipping a steaming cup of hot coffee spiked with Duplin American Port. The port's notes of dried fruit and spice give you that cozy-all-over feeling.
Wines for appetizers
Nothing's better than buzzing between watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and sneaking bites in the kitchen. This is the time when appetizers show up, traditional things like sausage balls, pimento-cheese-stuffed celery and little brie tarts. For the nibbles hour, choose Duplin Moonlight Bliss white wine. Not too sweet but not too dry, it's the perfect refresher especially when it's mixed in a fizzy hard cider cocktail.
For a bright white wine that's just a bit sweeter, serve smooth, elegant Duplin Midnight Magnolia.
Wines for Thanksgiving dinner
Sweet wines complement the sugary flavors of sweet potato casserole and cranberry sauce. The rich, brown turkey offers a hint of sweetness, too, as does dried fruit in lightly sweet cornbread stuffing. Lots of flavors are going on for Thanksgiving, so choose a complex wine like Duplin Queen Anne's Revenge. Smooth at the start with a peppery bite at the end, this full-bodied red stands up to the holiday feast without being too heavy.
Duplin Carlos white wine is a great choice for diners who want a drier, refreshing wine. Soft-dry and distinctly fruity, Carlos is a cleansing sip after each rich bite.
Pull both of these wines back out for late-night turkey sandwiches and next-day Thanksgiving leftovers like our yummy turkey and waffles recipe.
Dessert
When the pies arrive, bring back the Duplin Port to amp up coffee. Also, reach for Goin' Coastal. Bursting with hints of citrus and fresh fruit, the wine is a stunner with rich desserts. If chocolate is anywhere on the Thanksgiving dessert table, have a bottle of Duplin Hatteras Red available. Its sweet, fruity notes adore a rich chocolate cake recipe.
