When looking for a Thanksgiving wine recommendation, there are so many factors to consider. The best Thanksgiving wines are crowd pleasers but also conversation starters with an air of uniqueness. Thanksgiving is something to celebrate and you want to welcome your guests with a wine as special as the occasion!
Every wine has a story. When I open a wine bottle, I think about the laboring hours, winemakers, and decisions made, just so I can enjoy a glass of wine. Similarly, Thanksgiving is a time where people gather and enjoy a meal made with lots of thought, care, and preparation.
Thanksgiving is also a time where people commemorate another kind of story, one that reflects on an iconic voyage of settlers arriving to America on the Mayflower. For such an amazing journey, you need an equally rivaling wine - and I found just the one.
My Thanksgiving wine recommendation is Red Schooner, not only because of its incredible flavor but because the grapes took a voyage of their own, crossing continents from their origin in pursuit of something great.
The Red Schooner story begins in Argentina, where the Malbec grapes are grown. After harvest, the grapes make the voyage from Argentina up the Pacific Ocean to Napa Valley where the Wagner Family turns those grapes into wine. The Wagner Family uses their classic dense and dark Caymus-style techniques to produce an incredible bottle of Red Schooner. Each voyage is tied to a year, with voyage 5 (my personal favorite!) being a 2014 vintage.
If you look closely, you'll notice the wine bottle illustration is of a schooner ship leaving Argentina on its way to Napa Valley with the Andes Mountains in the background. The old-world depiction of the long, cross-continent journey mirrors that of the pilgrims and the start of their long journey ahead.
Red Schooner is a rich Malbec with dark, juicy fruit flavors. Malbecs are the great choice for a Thanksgiving because most people like their low on tannins and deeper fruity flavors. Malbecs also pair well with hardy meals and compliment most ingredients found in Thanksgiving dishes.
I've seen Red Schooner in places like Total Wine and More, Safeway and Whole Foods, so you should be able to find it pretty easily. A bottle at the store usually goes for around $50 but can vary based on the vintage.
From the voyage story to the red fruity flavors, this truly is the best Thanksgiving wine. I hope everyone has a happy Thanksgiving, full of good food, great wine, and even better company!
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