Pinot Noir is the most dependable Thanksgiving wine: it suits white and dark meat, cranberry, and stuffing. Add a Chardonnay for the turkey and a dry Rosé to open the meal. Our Thanksgiving Table set has all three.
With the 2022 Two Forces Pinot Noir: 98 points, The Tasting Panel.
A Rosé for when everyone arrives, a Chardonnay for the turkey and a Pinot Noir for everything after. Chosen for this meal.
Pairs with turkey, stuffing, cranberry and the cheese board
98 points, The Tasting Panel. Double Gold, San Francisco Chronicle.
If you open one bottle on Thanksgiving, make it a Pinot Noir. This is our best.
94 points, Wine Enthusiast and Cristaldi Report.
Rich enough for gravy and stuffing, fresh enough to keep up.
98 points, The Tasting Panel. Double Gold, San Francisco Chronicle.
Two bottles in one, about ten glasses. We make very few.
Robb Report: one of the Top 50 California Chardonnays of the Century.
The 2021 Ritchie in magnum, the bottle people talk about.
Pinot Noir is the most dependable wine for Thanksgiving dinner: its bright acidity and red fruit suit white and dark turkey meat, cranberry sauce, and herb stuffing alike. Add a balanced Chardonnay for white-wine drinkers and a dry Rosé to open the meal. Domaine de la Rivière, a Russian River Valley family estate, packs all three as The Thanksgiving Table: 2025 Shoshana Rosé, 2021 Flora Marie Chardonnay, and the 2022 Two Forces Pinot Noir (98 points, The Tasting Panel).
Below: Domaine de la Rivière's Thanksgiving wines, what goes with turkey (white meat, dark meat, brined, smoked, fried), whether red or white is better, how to pick a Pinot Noir for the day, pairings for the sides, a course-by-course plan, how many bottles to buy, serving temperatures, what to bring as a guest or to Friendsgiving, and when to order.
Domaine de la Rivière pours three styles at Thanksgiving: Shoshana Rosé of Pinot Noir for when everyone arrives, Flora Marie Vineyard Chardonnay for the turkey and gravy, and Two Forces Pinot Noir for the dark meat, stuffing and cranberry. The Thanksgiving Table packs those three for $189 with $25 flat-rate shipping.
A magnum is two bottles in one, about ten glasses, and it is the bottle people remember at the end of a long table. We make very few.
For the Table
Chosen to carry a dinner from the first pour to the last — a Rosé to open, a Ritchie Chardonnay through the meal, and a Red Barn Block Pinot for the table.
Going to someone else's Thanksgiving? What to bring the host, how much to spend, and how to send it ahead with a note.
Thanksgiving Hostess Gift IdeasTurkey is lean and mild, so it suits wines with fresh acidity and moderate tannin rather than heavy, oaky ones. Pinot Noir is the most versatile match because it works with both white and dark meat. Chardonnay flatters white meat and gravy. How the bird is cooked shifts the choice: smoke calls for more body, frying for more acidity.
| The turkey | A good match | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Roast, white meat | Chardonnay or a lighter Pinot Noir | Lean breast meat dries out next to heavy tannin. A Chardonnay with some body, or a bright Pinot, keeps it tasting juicy. |
| Roast, dark meat | Pinot Noir | Thighs and legs have more fat and flavor, which a Pinot's red fruit and earthiness meet without overwhelming. |
| Brined or herb-roasted | Pinot Noir or Chardonnay | Brining adds seasoning and moisture; sage, thyme and rosemary echo the savory notes in cool-climate Pinot. |
| Smoked | A fuller, darker Pinot Noir | Smoke needs a wine with more concentration and spice. A lighter wine can taste thin next to it. |
| Deep-fried | Dry Rosé or a crisp Chardonnay | Frying adds richness and salt; acidity cuts through it the way a squeeze of lemon would. |
| Spatchcocked or grilled | Pinot Noir | Crisp skin and char suit a Pinot with some structure and savory depth. |
Cabernet Sauvignon is the classic answer for prime rib or a beef roast, and it's welcome if that's on the table too. With turkey, its firm tannin tends to make lean white meat taste dry, so it's better saved for the guests who want it with dark meat and gravy. Gamay, the grape of Beaujolais, and a dry Riesling are two other traditional Thanksgiving choices for the same reason Pinot Noir works: they're light on tannin and high in acidity.
For a smoked bird, Domaine de la Rivière's Two Forces Pinot Noir is the honest example of the fuller style: black cherry and rose petal over fine-grained tannin, from estate and El Diablo Vineyard fruit (the 2022 scored 98 points from The Tasting Panel). For a classic roast, the Middle Reach Vineyards Pinot Noir covers white and dark meat on one pour. The turkey guide goes cut by cut and through every cooking method.
White meat, dark meat, gravy, and smoked, brined or deep-fried birds: the wine for each.
What Wine Goes With TurkeyBoth belong on the table. A light-to-medium-bodied red such as Pinot Noir is the best single choice because it handles turkey, stuffing and cranberry together. A white such as Chardonnay suits guests who don't drink red and matches creamy sides and gravy. Most hosts pour one of each, plus a dry Rosé for early in the day.
The dishes on a Thanksgiving table pull in different directions: sweet, tart, salty, creamy and herbal all at once. No wine matches everything perfectly, so aim for wines that don't clash with anything. That rules out very tannic reds, which turn bitter next to cranberry, and heavily oaked, buttery whites, which feel heavy next to butter-rich sides. Freshness is the common thread. The red-or-white guide sets out both sides of the argument, dish by dish.
| Style | Best with | Skip it with |
|---|---|---|
| Pinot Noir | Turkey (all of it), stuffing, cranberry, mushrooms, roasted root vegetables | Very sweet casseroles |
| Chardonnay (balanced, moderate oak) | White meat, gravy, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, squash | Cranberry sauce on its own |
| Dry Rosé | Appetizers, cheese boards, cranberry, fried turkey, ham | Nothing much; it's the easiest bridge |
| Cabernet Sauvignon | Prime rib, beef, dark meat with gravy | White meat, cranberry |
The best Pinot Noir for Thanksgiving comes from a cool-climate region, has bright acidity and red fruit, and isn't heavily oaked or high in alcohol. The Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast, Willamette Valley and Burgundy all produce this style. Domaine de la Rivière's Middle Reach Vineyards Pinot Noir is one Russian River Valley example built for the table.
Cool nights keep acidity in the grapes, and acidity is what lets a red wine sit next to cranberry sauce and rich gravy without tasting flat. Russian River Valley Pinot tends to show a little more ripe fruit than Burgundy and Oregon, with the same fog-driven freshness, which makes it an easy crowd-pleaser for a table of mixed tastes. Oregon's Willamette Valley is often a touch more earthy and lighter; red Burgundy is the most savory and usually the most expensive at the same quality level.
In Domaine de la Rivière's range, the Middle Reach Vineyards Pinot Noir is the table wine for a larger gathering: ripe raspberry, cola and dried herb over a savory frame (the 2021 was a Wine Enthusiast Cellar Selection at 94 points and won a Double Gold at the San Francisco Chronicle). Two Forces Pinot Noir is fuller and suits smoked turkey, mushroom stuffing and dark meat. Heritage Block Pinot Noir, from the estate's oldest plantings, is the bottle for a small table of Pinot lovers. The Russian River Valley Pinot Noir guide explains what gives the region its style.
See every Domaine de la Rivière Pinot Noir, with current vintages and prices.
Shop Pinot NoirHerb or mushroom stuffing suits Pinot Noir. Tart cranberry sauce needs a wine with at least as much acidity, so Pinot Noir or dry Rosé. Creamy sides like mashed potatoes and green bean casserole suit Chardonnay. Very sweet dishes, such as sweet potatoes with marshmallows, make any dry wine taste thinner, so keep the sweetness modest or pour Rosé.
| Side dish | Pour | The reason |
|---|---|---|
| Sage or herb stuffing | Pinot Noir | Savory herbs echo the earthy side of Pinot. |
| Mushroom or sausage stuffing | A fuller Pinot Noir | Earthy mushrooms and fat want more depth. |
| Cranberry sauce | Pinot Noir or dry Rosé | Red fruit and high acidity meet tart cranberry; tannic reds turn bitter. |
| Mashed potatoes and gravy | Chardonnay or Pinot Noir | Butter and gravy like a wine with some body and a clean finish. |
| Green bean casserole | Chardonnay | Cream and fried onion suit a rounder white. |
| Sweet potatoes or squash | Chardonnay or dry Rosé | Savory versions pair easily; with marshmallow or brown sugar, go lighter and fruitier. |
| Roasted Brussels sprouts | Dry Rosé or Pinot Noir | Bitter greens need freshness rather than oak. |
| Pumpkin or pecan pie | A dessert wine, or coffee | Dessert should be less sweet than the wine; dry table wines taste sour next to pie. |
Domaine de la Rivière doesn't make a dessert wine, so for pie the family's honest suggestion is a late-harvest Riesling, a tawny port, or simply finishing the Pinot with the cheese instead.
Start light and move toward fuller wines. Pour a dry Rosé or sparkling wine with appetizers, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir side by side with the turkey and sides, the fullest red with any second main or cheese, and a dessert wine or coffee with pie. Guests can then choose, and nothing on the table fights the wine.
| Course | Wine style | From Domaine de la Rivière |
|---|---|---|
| Arrival and appetizers | Dry Rosé or sparkling | Shoshana Rosé of Pinot Noir |
| Soup or salad | Crisp Chardonnay or Rosé | Next Door Neighbor Chardonnay |
| Turkey and sides | Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, both open | 2022 Two Forces Pinot Noir with 2021 Flora Marie Vineyard Chardonnay |
| Smoked turkey, ham or a second main | A fuller Pinot Noir | 2022 Two Forces Pinot Noir |
| Cheese | Your most special red | Heritage Block Pinot Noir |
| Pie | Dessert wine, port or coffee | Not made at the estate; see above |
Plan on about half a bottle per adult wine drinker over a long Thanksgiving meal. A 750 ml bottle pours five 5-ounce glasses, so half a bottle is two to three glasses across four or five hours. For 8 adults who drink wine, that's 4 bottles; buy 5 so you don't run short.
The math: adult wine drinkers × 0.5 bottles, rounded up, plus one spare. Count only the guests who will actually drink wine, and add a bottle if the afternoon starts early or runs late. For the split, roughly half red, a third white and the rest Rosé suits most tables; lean further to Pinot Noir if your family drinks mostly red.
| Adult wine drinkers | Bottles (½ bottle each) | Buy (with a spare) | A simple split |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 Pinot Noir, 1 Chardonnay |
| 6 | 3 | 4 | 2 Pinot Noir, 1 Chardonnay, 1 Rosé |
| 8 | 4 | 5 | 3 Pinot Noir, 1 Chardonnay, 1 Rosé |
| 10 | 5 | 6 | 3 Pinot Noir, 2 Chardonnay, 1 Rosé |
| 12 | 6 | 7 | 4 Pinot Noir, 2 Chardonnay, 1 Rosé |
| 16 | 8 | 9 to 10 | 5 Pinot Noir, 3 Chardonnay, 2 Rosé |
| 20 | 10 | 11 to 12 | 6 Pinot Noir, 4 Chardonnay, 2 Rosé |
Unopened bottles keep, so buying a little extra costs nothing; a leftover Pinot Noir is welcome with turkey sandwiches the next day. For a different headcount or a longer party, the party wine guide has charts by guests and hours.
See how many bottles you need for 10 to 150 guests, split into red, white, and rosé.
How Much Wine for a PartyTwo or three wines is the practical sweet spot. One Pinot Noir can carry the whole meal if you want it simple, but a Chardonnay alongside gives white-wine drinkers a choice and suits the creamy sides. A Rosé at the start covers appetizers. More than three bottles open at once is usually more than guests will use.
If you're serving only one wine, make it a Pinot Noir; it has the widest range with the food. If you have two, open a Pinot and a Chardonnay together and let people choose. If the group is large, buy several bottles of each chosen wine rather than many different labels, which keeps pours consistent and makes it easy for whoever is helping in the kitchen.
Serve Pinot Noir slightly cool, around 55 to 60°F, which means about 15 to 20 minutes in the refrigerator. Chardonnay tastes best at 50 to 55°F, so take it out of the refrigerator 15 to 20 minutes before dinner. Dry Rosé is best colder, at 45 to 50°F. A warm kitchen heats red wine quickly.
| Wine | Serve at | How to get there |
|---|---|---|
| Dry Rosé | 45–50°F | Straight from the refrigerator; keep it in an ice bucket on the table. |
| Chardonnay | 50–55°F | Out of the refrigerator 15–20 minutes before pouring. |
| Pinot Noir | 55–60°F | Into the refrigerator 15–20 minutes before pouring; keep it away from the stove. |
| Fuller reds | 60–65°F | Cool room temperature; open 30 minutes ahead if young. |
Keep the bottles off the counter next to the oven, which on Thanksgiving is the warmest place in the house. If the cork gives you trouble, the guide on how to open a wine bottle covers every method, and the one on red wine stains is worth bookmarking before the gravy boat and the Pinot share a tablecloth.
Bring a versatile, food-friendly bottle that fits the meal: a Pinot Noir is the safest choice, with a Chardonnay or dry Rosé as good alternatives. Ask the host what's being served if you can. Hand it over as a gift they can open now or keep, and don't expect it to be poured that evening.
A bottle from a named region and a small producer reads as more considered than a familiar grocery-store label, and a short note saying what it is and what it goes with helps the host decide. Two bottles, one Pinot and one Chardonnay, cover both colors. The full etiquette, including how much to spend, is in the guide to what wine to bring to a dinner party. A guest who wants something special often brings Domaine de la Rivière's Shoshana Rosé of Pinot Noir; the 2020 won Best of Show at the Tournament of Rosé, NOLA Food & Wine Experience.
Going to someone else's table? What to bring, how much to spend, and how to hand it over.
What Wine to Bring the HostOrder wine for Thanksgiving a couple of weeks ahead. Shipped wine takes a few business days in transit, carriers are busy the week of the holiday, and an adult 21 or older has to be home to sign. Ordering early leaves time for a missed delivery and lets the wine rest before you open it.
Domaine de la Rivière ships to most U.S. states through Vinoshipper, which handles the compliance for each state. An adult 21 or older must sign at delivery, and wine can't be sent to a P.O. box, so a work address is often easier than home. The guide on how to ship wine as a gift covers the rules in more detail. To send bottles to someone else's Thanksgiving, the estate can include a note with the order.
We'd love to be on your table this year. The Thanksgiving Table is our Rosé, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir for the meal in one box, with a note if it's going to someone else's.
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