Perfect Pairings

Perfect Thanksgiving Wines by Helen Hardt

[Note from Frolic: We are so excited to welcome author Helen Hardt to the site today. She’s suggesting some yummy Thanksgiving wines! Take it away, Helen!]

Thanksgiving and wine just go together. What better time to toast than the day we give thanks? 2020 has been a challenge for everyone, so raise your glass with gratitude for the good things.

I grew up on wine at Thanksgiving—Cold Duck. I’m not kidding. My father was brilliant, but a wine connoisseur he was not. Still, Cold Duck at Thanksgiving is a treasured memory from my youth. Even now, my sister brings out a bottle on Thanksgiving, but we switch to the good stuff afterward. The traditional Thanksgiving meal is versatile, wine-wise. From a delicate white to a robust red, turkey stands up to all of them.

In my most recent release, Runaway (book three in my Wolfes of Manhattan series) the heroine, Riley, drinks a white Burgundy during her first dinner with Matt, the hero. White Burgundy (made of 100% Chardonnay) is an ideal complement to a turkey dinner. Jean-Jacques Vincent Bourgogne Blanc ($18.99) is a lovely choice. Its fruit-forward flavor is laced with vanilla notes—a wonderful complement to stuffing and mashed potatoes.

If you’re like me, though, you prefer red with just about everything. I take heat from wine snobs for this second suggestion, but it goes really well with a Thanksgiving meal. I’m talking about, of course, the sweetheart of autumn—Beaujolais Nouveau. Released every year the third week of November, it times perfectly with our holiday, and frankly, a light red is great with turkey. Made from 100% Gamay and meant to be drunk young (it’s fermented for only a few weeks before release) Nouveau is always fresh and fruity with aromas and flavors of cherries and strawberries. Try Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau ($13.99). It’s non-complex and delicious, and the gorgeous label will add flashes of color to your table.

Our family Thanksgiving always includes a side dish of sauerkraut—a nod to our German roots. If you can find it, Spatburgunder (German Pinot Noir that is slightly effervescent) is wonderful with Thanksgiving food. It’s not readily available, however (at least not in my neck of the woods), so a good substitute is Pinot Noir from Oregon. A to Z Wineworks Pinot Noir ($18.99) fits the bill nicely. Flavors of cherry and plum mingle with soft tannins and bright acidity, making this wine delectable with food.

Last but not least…did someone say sparkling? Yes! The quintessential toasting wine pairs wonderfully with Thanksgiving food. Any good sparkler will do, but Italian Prosecco is inexpensive, easy to find, and always delicious. Try La Marca Prosecco ($15.99). One of my favorites, it’s always fresh and crisp with lemon, grapefruit, and mineral flavors. It’s especially good with cranberry sauce and sweet potatoes.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

About the Author:

#1 New York Times, #1 USA Today, and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author Helen Hardt’s passion for the written word began with the books her mother read to her at bedtime. She wrote her first story at age six and hasn’t stopped since. Her breakout novel, Craving, released to critical acclaim in 2016 and became a bestseller. Runaway is her thirty-fifth full-length novel.

In addition to being an award-winning author of romantic fiction, she’s a mother, an attorney, a black belt in Taekwondo, a grammar geek, an appreciator of fine red wine, and a lover of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. She writes from her home in Colorado, where she lives with her family.

Runaway by Helen Hardt, out November 23!

Riley Wolfe is finally free from her past.

So why is she still running?

Coming to terms with her father’s death and her own implication in his murder has sent Riley reeling, so she does what she does best. She runs. Not only from her home but from herself, ending up in a small town in Montana.

Matteo Rossi lives a modest life, doing construction, making silver jewelry, and renting out the cabin he inherited from his uncle. He’s happy and has no wish for anything else, until a beautiful renter from Philadelphia comes hurtling into his life.

Passion erupts between Matt and Riley, but Matt soon discovers his lovely renter isn’t who she claims to be. When she disappears, he’s determined to find her, even if it means walking through fire.