By Virginie Boone

As many a realistic recommender has said, Thanksgiving is no time to worry about perfect pairings when it comes to food and wine. There is such a diversity of dishes and diversity of guests that really there’s no point in figuring out what goes best with turkey, what goes best with cranberry sauce, what your mother/brother/neighbor/random guest prefers to drink. Instead, this is the ideal meal for breaking out a wide range of wines to pass around and share.

A uniquely American holiday, Thanksgiving is also a good time to drink American wines. There’s no better place to find a diversity of wines to meet the range of moments than Sonoma County.

Always have bubbles…

Breathless Sonoma County Blanc de Noirs – good with wintery herbs like rosemary and lemon thyme, and anything with wild mushrooms, this blends 87% Pinot Noir, 6% Pinot Meunier, 5% Pinot Grigio and 2% Chardonnay

Iron Horse 2019 Gratitude – what better time to serve a wine named gratitude than Thanksgiving? On top of that, $5 of every bottles goes to Redwood Empire Food Bank to ensure others are fed

Some fun whites on hand…

Keller Estate 2020 Petaluma Gap La Cruz Vineyard Pinot Gris – made from a rare grape for our region, this white offers aromas of apple pie and would be delicious with anything apple

Orsi Family 2022 Dry Creek Valley Fiano – Italian wine lovers will love this lush, rounded white that tastes of lemon and honey and will please and delight open-minded white wine fans

Unctuous Chardonnay for a hint of decadence

Hartford Court 2022 Sonoma Coast Stone Côte Vineyard Chardonnay – textural and flinty, with a depth of stone fruit richness, as the name suggests, this is one of the winery’s longest standing, most esteemed vineyard estates and will wow red and white wine drinkers alike

J 2021 Russian River Valley Bow Tie Chardonnay – combining a richness of butterscotch with the lift of fresh citrus, this will make a lovely accompaniment to all manner of dishes but also tastes great on its own

Rosé is always nice…

Inman Family 2023 Russian River Valley OGV Estate Endless Crush Rosé – one of the first Sonoma County Rosés to hit it big, Endless Crush is floral and fruity and crisp and juicy and everything you want in a wine that can transcend from aperitif to digestif

Rodney Strong 2023 Sonoma Coast Rosé of Pinot Noir – another crowd-pleaser, this’ll impress in its bright bursts of fresh strawberry and melon, while its low ABV makes it sessionable and the right wine for those who don’t care to imbibe too much

Pinot Noir, please

Lynmar Estate 2021 Sonoma Coast Monastery Pinot Noir – earthy, savory and seductively rich in texture, this cuvee of Pinot clones delivers a bouquet of spicy aromas and flavors spectacular enough to quiet a crowd

Peay Vineyards 2022 West Sonoma Coast Ama Estate Pinot Noir – the late fall forest notes in the description of this wine capture how much it will impress your guests and offer a fresh, savory component to the meal

Rhone Reds to spice things up

Dutton Goldfield 2019 Russian River Valley Cherry Ridge Vineyard Syrah – the last vintage of this wine, there’s spice and meaty bacony notes galore that make it easier to raise a toast and acknowledge that sometimes even good things must come to an end

Ramey 2021 Sonoma Coast Syrah – from two great vineyard-designate sites and co-fermented with 9% Viognier, this wine will get you thinking and wanting more of its gravelly, complex mix of violet aromas and peppery, meaty game

Cabernet Sauvignon worthy of contemplation

Serres Ranch 2019 Sonoma Valley Serres Ranch Marshall Cabernet Sauvignon – named for the family’s fifth-generation son, John Marshall Serres, this is an estate-grown beauty with a hearty helping of Cabernet Franc and smaller percentages of Malbec and Petit Verdot

Vérité 2021 Sonoma County La Joie – leading with Cabernet Sauvignon, this classic, oft 100-point wine also carries within its textural soul a good percentage of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and a handful of Petit Verdot; this is a treat-yourself wine, and no one would be the wiser if you choose not to share

And some Zinfandel for a nod to Sonoma County’s roots

Munselle 2021 Alexander Valley Osborn Ranch Zinfandel – from Primitivo vines planted by the current generation’s great-great grandfather, this is a brambly berry-forward, black pepper-spiced red that honors its heritage packed with flavor

Nalle 2022 Dry Creek Valley Estate Old Vine 1927 Block Zinfandel – Thanksgivings come and go, but vines that have been in the ground since 1927? The wine’s light on its feet, too

Happy Thanksgiving and remember always to drink the good stuff, especially with family and friends.