I promote drinking locally, especially since Thanksgiving is an East Coast American tradition. Here are a couple of guidelines if you plan to observe Thanksgiving with a traditional menu:
You can find the best wine matches for the traditional menu with East Coast/Midwest wines instead of West Coast/European wines.
Think “ABC”, or “anything but Chardonnay and Cabernet.” You need vibrant, fruity wines with good acidity to match the rather heavy/fatty Thanksgiving fare, and reds should be low tannin varieties like Chambourcin, Norton, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir or Gamay.
Look for wines made from these varieties:
WHITE WINES
For vinifera (European grape varieties), I recommend:
Riesling
Gewürztraminer
Viognier
Petit Manseng
Pinot Gris (not grigio)
Vermentino
Vermentino is a white Italian grape that has an aroma with Meyer lemon and hints of tropical fruit, medium weight, and tangy acidity that is very stylish.
Petit Manseng is an obscure white grape from the Jurancon region of France that was recommended to be planted in Virginia by retired Virginia Tech viticulturist Tony Wolf. It has thick skins and is rot-resistant so it works in the vineyard, and it is like Riesling with big fruit and also high acidity. It can be made in styles between dry and very sweet.
Petit Manseng has become a real regional star for Virginia white wines, as it’s not really made as a varietal elsewhere (even in France). In March, a Petit Manseng by Paradise Springs Winery in Clifton made a dry style which not only won a gold medal in the Governor’s Cup Wine Competition but also placed in the Governor’s Case (top twelve-scoring wines of the competition). Here’s what Rob Cox, the winemaker for Paradise Springs, says about their 2022 Petit Manseng: “Petit Manseng is often made into a late harvest dessert wine, however our version is a dry style with
tropical notes and citrus zest. It is a fuller-bodied white with lots of pineapple and lemon
intensity on the palate, which is emphasized by the amount of acidity that the variety is
known for.”
For white hybrids, I recommend:
Traminette (a hybrid from Cornell University; one parent is Gewürztraminer, the other is a Seyve white French hybrid)
Vidal blanc (a long-standing French hybrid that does well from the Midwest to the East Coast, making an aromatic Loire Valley-style white wine from dry to dessert-style)
Diamond (also known as Moore’s Diamond, an old American hybrid that is delicately floral/aromatic and can make elegant wine from dry to sweet styles)
For a listing of top 2025 gold medals from the Virginia Governor’s Cup Competition, visit https://www.virginiawine.org/governors-cup/awards/2025
RED WINES
For vinifera (European grape varieties), I recommend:
Pinot Noir
Gamay (Noir)
Blaufränkisch/Lemberger (an Austrian grape with boysenberry-like fruit, low tannins but bright, fresh acidity)
For red hybrid grapes, I recommend:
Cabernet Franc but only if fermented/aged in neutral oak. Rachel Vrooman of Stinson Vineyards has introduced a new innovation, with partial carbonic maceration which gives a much livelier, fruit-forward taste experience, even in a dry wine.
Chambourcin (long-standing French hybrid making dark-colored reds with bright red cherry aromas and flavors and fresh acidity, like a hybrid version of Gamay)
Norton (“Virginia’s grape”, an accidental hybrid that is ¼ vinifera, with unique and assertive dark plum flavors and fresh acidity)
Chancellor (seen more in Michigan and New York than in the Mid-Atlantic, with nice black cherry and berry flavors, moderate to low tannins and balanced acidity).
Blends
Consider blends as well as varietals. Muse Vineyard’s Non-Vintage “Erato”, a blend of 82% Vidal Blanc, 7% Picpoul, 4% Muscat and a bit each of Albarino, Marsanne and Roussanne, won the Shenandoah Valley Cup this year, and is a good example of an elegant, stylish wine that combines fresh fruitiness with depth and a little weight, and is a great candidate for a Thanksgiving wine.
My Personal Favorites
***>*Southwest Mountains Vineyards Viognier 2023, Monticello, VA
One of the first releases from South African winemaker Boela Gerber, who is a fan of Virginia Viognier. On the nose, this Viognier is very subtle, with a hint of white flowers. Palate: rich, round, full-bodied yet elegant and balanced with lees adding complexity to both texture and flavor. Ripe varietal flavors of apricot, peach, honeysuckle and papaya! Layers of texture and flavor; great style and finesse! This Viognier will actually improve with some age.
***>*Barboursville Vineyards Vermentino 2023, VA
Barboursville has been placing their Vermentino in the Governor’s Case a few times in the last few years, and so it’s gratifying to see that in 2025, it not only placed in the Case, but actually won the Cup itself, a remarkable feat for any white wine competing against so many fine red wines in Virginia. The 2023 vintage shows both concentration and nervy acidity, with complex Meyer lemon and herbal notes, a layered texture, plump mid-palate, but fresh lively finish that lingers. An excellent and original Thanksgiving match, and a relative bargain at $24 retail.
***+Veritas Vineyards Viognier 2023, Monticello, VA
Winemaker Emily Hodson makes uniformly high-quality wines, but in the whites, I like her Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc the most. This Viognier is elegant and pretty on the nose, with ripe apricots and a hint of honeysuckle, but poised. On the palate, there’s fresh apricot and a hint of tropical fruit, with some depth from lees, but always the fruit stays forefront, with a fresh finish. A delightfully clean and fresh style now, but under Stelvin cap, will also hold for another couple of years.
***+Boundary Breaks “Old Line North” Medium Dry Riesling, 2023, Finger Lakes, NY
Made from a mix of clones, this wine shows brightly vivid and fresh varietal character despite a difficult vintage. Ripe red apple and white peach on the nose are followed by a tense ballet of like flavors on the palate with taut acidity, but a pleasing viscosity on the palate gives weight and balance, while fine fresh acidity lingers on the finish. In Virginia, available at Wegmans. This will also age a few years.
****Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery Old Vines Pinot Noir 2020 Finger Lakes, NY
There are two vineyards supplying fruit for this impressive Pinot Noir. The Keuka Lake (estate) vineyard was first planted in 1958 with clones 7 and 13; these are the second oldest Pinot Noir vines in the country. The other vineyard is on southeast Seneca Lake (the “banana belt” of the Finger Lakes). The 2020 vintage was a “10” on a scale of 1-10, and this wine shows quality and varietal character without losing elegance and finesse.
Nose: maturing, but still lively; a complex but subtle blend of truffle, dried cherries, forest floor and a hint of white pepper and cardamom. Palate: rich and luscious, with balancing acidity not as prominent as in less ripe vintages. Fully ripe red fruits and tannins, well-integrated on the palate, harmonious and a classic style. One of the best American examples of cool climate Pinot Noir I’ve tasted; long, clear, complex aftertaste. Alc. 13%