Exploration 6-Pack: Thanksgiving Wines (Advanced)

Some people have a clear idea of which wines they want to serve on Thanksgiving day; others aren't so sure and may even fret about which wines to choose. Whichever camp you’re in, this 4-Pack will make that part of planning for Thanksgiving easier.

For me, the ideal wines for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, including appetizers, are bright, juicy and fruit forward, have very little to no oak, and make for excellent pairings with all sorts of food. I lean towards light to medium bodied, but as long as the previously mentioned qualities are present, a fuller wine is not out of the question. This pack meets all the requirements and even includes a fuller-bodied option.

This year we have two packs to consider. One includes four wines, a white, a rosé, and two reds. The second pack has those four wines and includes a sparkling white and a Late Bottled Vintage Port for dessert. These wines are essentially crowd-pleasers and are great bottles to pair with Thanksgiving dinner, before and after. While these wines are crowd-pleasers, they are also wines with personality, style, and definitely not ordinary.

This Exploration pack is discounted at more than 15% off regular prices. No further discounts apply.

	Oyster River Winegrowers 2023 “Morphos” Pet-Nat Seyval Blanc and Cayuga. Typical Pet-Nat aromas of apples, cider, flowers, bread dough and yeasty notes with a hint of funk. Very nice bubbles, not aggressive but assertive in a very pleasurable way. Flavors follow the aromas without a hitch. A fresh New England sparkler to pair with light foods or to just pass the time. Maine winery but grapes sourced from the Finger Lakes. No added Sulfites.
	Teutonic 2023 Riesling Pear Blossom Vineyard Willamette Valley 100% Riesling. Green apple, lime, apple blossoms, honeysuckle, and stony. Very bright with clear flavors. High acidity with a light sweetnes on the mid-palate that attnenuates to a dry finish. This is very light, with low alcohol levels, making this a great aperitif or appetizer wine, but don't hesitate to pair with a quiche or fowl of any kind. Sustainable. Vegan.
	Pallus 2023 Chinon “Messanges” Rosé 100% Cabernet Franc. Raspberries, cranberries, citrus, subtle tomato leaf, and savory herb. Bright fruit flavors with an unmistakeable but light herby Cabernet Franc note. Direct press. One of the more interesting and delicious rosés. Pair with the outdoors, light fare, fish, chicken, quiche, etc.
	Burgaud, J-M 2022 Morgon Cote du Py V.V. 100% Gamay. Deep strawberry aromas with cherry and mineral notes of crushed blue stone. Gorgeous fruit supported by sneaky light tannins and surprising complexity. This Beaujolais is almost always forward and ready to drink on release, but will also age for a few years surprisingly well.
	Easton 2019 Zinfandel Fiddletown “Zinster” 100% Zinfandel. Very primary fruit aromas with red and black berries mixed with a hint of compote. The wine goes through a partial carbonic maceration and so retains a very fruit-forward nature. Intense fruit flavors but not jammy. Medium-plus to full-bodied with a dry but juicy finish. Organic.
	Niepoort 2019 LBV Port 375ml (half-bottle) Touriga Nacional, Tinta Francesca, etc. Deep aromas of plums, prunes, cherries, blackberry compote, spice, cocoa, and almond. This is a traditional LBV (Late Bottled Vintage Port) and therefore unfiltered. This dessert wine is best paired with a ripe wedge of Blue Stilton.