Countdown to Thanksgiving: Thanksgiving Wine Picks

Picking a bottle of wine to serve with turkey and all the trimmings can be a challenge. Some bottles simply don't have the versatility to pair with the diverse tastes on your holiday table. The wine I would pick to go with a delicately roast turkey is not necessarily the same one I would open to go with herb and spice-spiked sausage stuffing.

Others are simply too big. I want a big California Cab with my steak. But the same wine is likely to overpower the more subtle flavors at play on Turkey Day.

That said, I have, through lots of trial and error, come up with a really dependable list. It's varied enough to keep all of your guests satisfied. And value-priced enough that you can pour generously without qualms. THe great news is that all of these wines are less than $15 each.

(Oh, and, of course, they're all from right here in the good old U.S. of A. I'm certainly not serving anything else on this most American of holidays.)

Let's start with the whites.

Sparkling: Gruet Blanc de Noirs
My first experience with this bubbly from New Mexico (!) was a pleasant surprise. It's well-balanced with both toasty and creamy notes. It's not quite as big as Gruet's rosé (which would also be a good choice), but has a nice salmon color nonetheless. Now I don't know that I would keep drinking this throughout the meal. I'm not sure it will stand up; it's still a pretty delicate wine. It's definitely a great start though with nibbles. You could return to it at dessert time also.

Chateau St. Jean Fumé Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is an often-recommended varietal for the Thanksgiving meal. Bracing acidity and a hint of sweetness can be a great foil for the rich foods you'll be serving. I like this bottle thanks to a twist...Chateau St. Jean ages this wine in oak for a bit. It gives it a real smoky character that I think is a great asset.

Sebastiani Chardonnay
While more and more Chardonnays, even from California, are getting back to a cleaner, more European profile, this one has just a hint of the old buttery, oak bombs of recent decades. Don't get me wrong...it's well-balanced. I just think its oaky backbone gives it the heft it needs for this particular menu.

Stay tuned for more picks. I'll post my red list next week sometime.