That’s not to mention how many bottles of wine will also be consumed on this holiday. They recommend having at least one bottle of wine per adult at the table. But how do you know what wine to get for Thanksgiving drink party? What are the best options for wine? We personally love a good cab for Thanksgiving, but there’s a wine for everyone! Keep reading to learn more about Cabernets, white wines, and more about how to pair them for Thanksgiving!

Red Wines for Thanksgiving

There are a lot of options that you have for red wines. You can go with a Pinot Noir, a Merlot, a Cab, or something else! However, we highly recommend pairing your Thanksgiving meal with one of the red wines we list below. And, we’ll tell you why we recommend it!

Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon

Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon is one of our favorite wines to pair at Thanksgiving. This wine typically runs around $100, depending on where you get it from. We love this wine because of the richness and softness that you get from the wine. You’ll feel a twinge of rustic grittiness on your tongue, but you’ll mostly get a soft and smooth finish. You’ll first notice the deep purplish-red color to the wine. When you smell it, you’ll get some ripeness but also with a mix of oakiness. You may even get a hint of espresso, too.

Duckhorn Cab

If you want a wine that has been around for over 30 years that everyone tends to love and navigate toward, you should look no further than the Duckhorn Cab. You will notice the ripe scent of fruits like blackberries and plum, but with hints of roasted nuts and chocolate as well. As soon as you taste this Cab, you’ll get a flavor of fruit, toffee, Carmel, and some oak, too.

Duckhorn is definitely for a more sophisticated palate as the wine can be much bolder than some of the others on this list. In addition to the boldness, you may also notice that the feeling of the wine in your mouth is much drier than sweet and more acidic than soft as well. This Cab pairs well with turkey if you add more robust spices to the bird.

Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon

Josh is another great option for a Cab at Thanksgiving but comes with a much cheaper price tag – hovering around $12 in most liquor store. The notes on Josh are much like the others – dry, a lot of tannins, and pretty full-bodied.

Dark Horse Cabernet

Dark Horse is one of the cheapest on this list, costing only about $8 per bottle. This one typically is a bit sweeter than the rest, but still runs more dry and acidity than other wines. Dark horse is smooth and velvety when you taste it with flavors of blackberry and black cherry balanced by hints of dark chocolate and espresso. This is a great option if you are on a budget.

F.A.Q.s about Cabernet Sauvignon

Now that you know some of the best wines to try for Thanksgiving, you may have a few more questions about cabernet and why we recommend this one the most. Here are some of the most commonly asked questions regarding this type of wine.

What Is Cabernet Sauvignon?

Cabernet Sauvignon is a type of wine. It tends to by drier, more full-bodied, and have more tannins than other reds. You will also notice it is more acidic as well. A Cab is bolder than other wines, so it is best served with food that has a high profile. Most Cabs tend to have a flavor that matches the following profile:

• Hints of dark fruit like plums, black cherries, blackberries, and cherries
• Warm spices like vanilla and licorice
• Black pepper
• Some have an earthy, tobacco flavor as well

Cabernet originated in Bordeaux, France. It now is grown in Bordeaux, Tuscany, Napa, Australia, and Argentina.

Is Cabernet Sauvignon Sweet?

Every wine is going to be slightly different when it comes to the sweetness versus dryness of the wine. Based on our reviews above, the sweetest option is probably going to be the Dark Horse. If you want something sweet, go for that cab. If you want something a bit drier and less sweet, go with the Caymus or the Duckhorn. These have more tannins and tends to be less sweet. 

How much Sugar Is in Cabernet Sauvignon?

There is not a lot of sugar in Cabernet, which is what gives it its drier profile. Dry reds typically only have one gram of sugar per five-ounce pour. Making it one of the best wines to drink if you are limiting your sugar or on some type of diet (not to mention, it also reduces the hangovers from other types of wine because of having less sugar, too!)

Can You Drink Cabernet Sauvignon By Itself?

Drinking a cab by itself is just as enjoyable as drinking it with food! You can enjoy a good class of Cabernet Sauvignon whenever you want, whether it is with food and a meal or on its own. There is nothing quite like having a delicious glass of Cabernet sitting around the fireplace hanging out with family after dinner! Nothing quite compares!

How Long Should Cabernet Sauvignon Breathe?

Most wines only need about 30 minutes to fully breathe. However, this requires more than just uncorking the bottle of wine. To do it properly, you want all of the wine to breathe. This means you should either use an aerator while pouring the wine into glasses or decant the wine before the meal to let it all breathe while touching the air.

Other Wines for Thanksgiving

You may not be a red wine lover. But that’s okay! There are plenty of wine options for Thanksgiving. You may want to also know your options for white. Here are a few!

White Wines

There are some great white wines that you can pair with a Thanksgiving meal – you can’t really go wrong whether you choose a red or a white wine!

Our top pick for a white wine would definitely be Chardonnay. This goes well with lighter foods like turkey and even garlic mashed potatoes! If you love to add lemon zest to your mashed potatoes or a side dish at Thanksgiving, this will bring out the crispness of a Chardonnay – something you will definitely love!

If you don’t like Chardonnays, you may want to try a simple Sauvignon Blanc, which you can’t go wrong with! This pairs with pretty much everything. White wine also goes great with the desserts that are typically served at Thanksgiving like pumpkin pie or apple pie! There’s nothing quite like a glass of Chardonnay with a warm slice of apple pie and a scoop of vanilla ice cream! 

Thanksgiving Dessert Wines

If you like to go for a sweeter wine, you may like the dessert wines. If you aren’t sure exactly how to go about picking a dessert wine, we have a few recs. If you want to celebrate with a dessert wine, you can’t go wrong with a sparkling dessert wine to start the night.

If you want a dessert wine to pair with your dessert like the pies you’ll most likely be eating, then you may want to try a more rich dessert wine that tend to also be called “sweet reds.” If you don’t like the tannin-ey feel to the wines we suggested above, this may be perfect for you!

There are so many options when it comes to wine and what you can pair with your Thanksgiving meal! Our favorite, though, is a glass of cabernet. If you love a glass of good red wine, this list of reds will keep you happy for your Thanksgiving meal!