By Sarah Emily Gilbert 

“What grows together goes together.” This adage guides wine rookies and sommeliers alike through the complex art of food and wine pairing. It’s true that foods from a certain area often complement wines from a similar place, but what happens on Thanksgiving when your menu includes edibles from practically everywhere? The rules of food and wine pairing mean nothing when it comes to the eclectic flavors of this holiday feast. To help with this annual conundrum, some of the leading voices from northern New Jersey’s wine scene share their wine selections for this Thanksgiving.

Amanti Vino

30 Church Street, Montclair, NJ | 973.509.9463 | amantivino.com

Sharon Sevrens, Proprietor at Amanti Vino

Chidaine Montlouis Tuffeau demi-sec, 2014; $25.99

“There are so many wonderful choices—from Riesling and Rose to Beaujolais and Burgundy—but if I have to choose just one for Thanksgiving dinner, it will be Chidaine Montlouis Tuffeau demi-sec 2014. This is concentrated, showing notes of roasted apple and a stony minerality.  It has a little sweetness, which you need to pair with the sweetness in the Thanksgiving fare, but it also has plenty of acidity so it doesn’t taste cloying.”

CoolVines

127 Central Avenue, Westfield, NJ | 908.232.5050 coolvines.com

Mark Censits, Founder/Owner at CoolVines

Catherine & Pierre Breton Bourgueil Nuits d’lvresse, 2011; $37

“Bourgueil is a sub region of the Loire Valley that has designated the cabernet franc grape for its reds and roses (there are no whites produced there).  Cabernet franc has the potential to make a very full and robust wine, but in Bourgueil it results in a light, delicate and fragrant wine that pairs with almost anything. Since the Thanksgiving menu can contain almost anything, it’s a great choice. This wine is not cheap, but Thanksgiving is a once-a-year moment that deserves a wine made with as much care as the food.”

Joe Canals

489 Route 1 South, Iselin (Woodbridge), NJ | 732.726.0077 |  joecanals.com/Iselin-woodbridge/

David A. Rudd, Store Manager at Joe Canals

Penner-Ash Willamette Valley Pinot Noir from Oregon, USA.  Regular retail, $41.99; member price varies by vintage

“There is nothing better suited for a traditional Thanksgiving feast than a world-class pinot noir. The wines from the Pacific Northwest have quickly made their place among the elite vineyards of the world.  The Penner-Ash is a stand out among the best of the best.  It has beautifully layered notes of black cherry, lavender, and cranberry, with loamy earth, vanilla, and cedar smoke.  This is truly a masterpiece of American winemaking.”

Plucky Wine Shop

359 Route 202-206 South, Bedminster, NJ | 908.658.9292 x21 | pluckywineshop.com

Christopher Cree MW, Director of Education and Retail Operations at Pluckemin Inn and Wine Shop

Domaine Filliatreau Saumur-Champigny ‘Vieilles Vignes,’ 1996; $99.99

“The main wine at Thanksgiving this year will be a magnum of Domaine Filliatreau Saumur-Champigny Vieilles Vignes, 1996. This wine exemplifies everything I love about Loire Valley Cabernet Franc at its best: lovely deep ruby hue, cool and subtle, with intriguing aromas of herbs, earth, spice and currant, still fresh and vibrant, even at 20 years of age. At first there is a youthfully tight nature to the wine that softens with just 15-20 minutes in the decanter to revel a wine that still has vibrant fresh fruit - elegant and well-knit, even compact, but opening and revealing more suppleness and layers with time. Dark fruits unfold on the palate, hints of game and earth, beautiful fine grained tannins and lovely acidity to keep this focused and ‘tout droite’ all the way through to the long finish.

The big bottles are fun and festive-looking during the holidays and great for a big group. It’s a rare wine to some degree because of its age, but not crazy expensive at $99.99 for a magnum. I liked it so much that I bought it all and have a decent amount available for sale at the shop. As the wine is elegant and not too heavy or overbearing, its flavor profile works well with the range of savory, sweet, and tart components of the traditional Thanksgiving menu, and its bottle age gives it amazing complexity and character.”

California WineWorks

476 NJ-17, Ramsey, NJ | 201.785.9463 | cawineworks.com

Karla Cicciari, Owner/Chief Connoisseur at California WineWorks California WineWorks Carneros Pinot Noir, 2012; about $25

“The California WineWorks 2012 Carneros Pinot Noir from the Beckstoffer, Las Amigas Vineyard was aged in French Oak, which our customers made at a price of around $25 a bottle. This wine is my top choice because it shows the volume and tannic depth associated with this bottling.  It is a big, ripe wine where the tannins star, swamping the cherries and red currants, although its inherent elegance is there.  Almost like a Rhône wine now, this wine needs time to age and should be just about perfect for the holidays.”

Villa Milagro Vineyards

33 Warren Glen Road, Finesville, NJ | 908.995.2072 | villamilagrovineyards.com

Dr. Audrey Cross-Gambino, Owner/Winemaker at Villa Milagro Vineyards

Villa Milagro’s fall seasonal wine, Gracias; around $16.99

“Gracias is a crisp, refreshing, fruity, off-dry white wine that pairs well with salty/savory turkey and sweet/spicy ham as well as with traditional side dishes like roasted vegetables and sweet potatoes. It’s an easy drinking wine that can be enjoyed before as well as during the meal.”