Thanksgiving Wines to Put a Wobble in Your Gobble

Rieslings' slightly spicy flavor pairs well with traditional Thanksgiving dishes, says Chris Engel, Domaines and Estates area manager for Spec's Fine Wines in Texas. "The turkey will hold up to it because of the spice."

If you prefer chardonnay, Engel says, choose one that has gone through malolactic fermentation. "That creates a heavier chardonnay with more body, which then makes it more buttery and full of flavor to hold up to the dishes served on Thanksgiving."

Engel says to be sure to start your feast with roses, then whites and finally reds. "That's due to the bodies and components of the wines that you're drinking," he says. "You're going to overpower your taste buds if you go the other way around."

For a rose recommendation, Jerald says go with Pedroncelli, a zinfandel rose from California. The taste is dry, "not like a white zinfandel," he says. "It's a dry style like a French rose would be." Jerald says Pedroncelli pairs wonderfully with ham dishes. It is another Silver Medal Award winner of the World Wine Championships, and Tastings.com notes it as a "Best Buy" at only $10 a bottle.

If you're going to go with a rose, Engel says to choose a zinfandel rose, which will hold up against a holiday meal but is lighter than alcohol than a red zinfandel.