What Wine Goes with Turkey?
When planning a meal, you have to think about how everything goes together. It’s why turkey and roast potatoes are a classic pairing in USA for Thanksgiving — they just work! Add on the cranberry sauce, delicious gravy, and a plenty of veggies, and you have the makings of a real American feast.
But don’t forget the wine! In our opinion, no dinner is complete without wine on the table.
But what wine goes with turkey? We believe that pairing the right wine with turkey is as important as making roast potatoes, stuffing, or gravy. You want to find the wine for turkey that enhances the flavour of your bird, and which can stand up to all of your side dishes and, at the end, make your dinner a truly unforgettable meal!
General Tips for Pairing Wine with Turkey
Turkey is a lean meat, but with plenty of flavour, particularly in the legs.
If you’re looking for the right pairing for wine with turkey, we have one simple recommendation: avoid excessive tannin! Tannins are perfect for high-fat meats and cheeses, as they will be softened by the meat.
With a low-fat meat like turkey, high-tannin wines can come across harsher and more accentuated.
Of course, you can’t forget that turkey, served with gravy and mashed potatoes or stuffing, can be a fairly salty dish. Therefore a wine with some fruitiness, acidity and low tannin works brilliantly.
Best Red Wine with Turkey
The low-tannin wines are ideal for bringing out the light flavours of the meat, but without overpowering it with sweetness. Lush, fruity reds are our recommendation for the best pairings of red wine with turkey.
We have four wines we believe are best for serving with your Christmas turkey:
- Valpolicella Superiore DOC “Vigna del Peste” 2016 from Terra di Pietra.
If you’re going for a richer style of turkey (with rich gravy, glazed, or other strong flavours), you’ll want to try this amazing Valpolicella red.
With its flavours of red fruit and flowers, especially cherry and rose, and a hint of minerality, it’s an excellent wine with both character and just a touch of bite to make it stand up to richer foods.
A great wine that’s full of flavour, but light and refreshing at the same time.
Best White Wine with Turkey
The beauty of pairing white wine with turkey is that you don’t need to worry about overpowering tannins:
This Gavi, made with indigenous yeasts, is elegant and flavourful, with intense flavors of wildflowers and hints of stone fruit, like peach or apricot. A great match with turkey.
The good thing about turkey is that it can be both light and rich. Serve it with gravy, stuffing and pigs in blankets and you have a rich meal that can stand up to heavier wines. Serve it simply roasted with vegetables and you’ll be better off pairing it with a lighter wine.
Whatever your wine preferences, you’ll be able to find a wine that matches the dinner you’re serving.
Source: https://www.vintageroots.co.uk/wine-with-turkey/
Image credits: Zachariah Hagy