Thanksgiving Dinner Wines

[The Poet]

If you're having turkey, you want something lighter, so no reds with big body like a cabernet sauvignon. It's not easy to find a cheap pinot noir, but there are some under $20 that are drinkable. Or you can ignore that movie Sideways and get a decent California merlot for maybe 10 bucks.

As for white, many people don't like the oak-y taste of chardonnay, so maybe a sauvignon blanc or an Italian white would be best for the novice. Pinot grigios are "hit-or-miss", as you can't tell if it is tart or sweet until you crack it. Now I've been selling the p!$$ out of a Castelvero Piedmonte Cortese which is spot on - fruity and clean, and neither too sweet or tart. A German riesling can also work, if you don't mind sweet, but they can be a bit costly. If you go this way, don't sweat the "early harvest/late harvest" crap too much - those Krauts are real anal about that stuff, but there's no good reason for you to be so.

Hope that helps a little.