What wine goes with turkey? Thanksgiving tipple tips from a local wine buyer

Chris Mandigo with some of the Alsacian Gewürztraminers at Rimann's.

Everyone else is taking care of the cooking this year, but we’ve been charged with picking up wine for Thursday’s Thanksgiving feast. And, truth be told, my wine wisdom is pretty limited. So I was happy to run in to Chris Mandigo during a scouting mission at Rimann’s the other day. Mandigo is a distributor with Worldwide Wine and Spirits out of Lenexa, and a self described wine nerd.

He says dry white varietals, like Pinot Blanc, tend to complement turkey well, and singled out Gewürztraminer as the best bet.

“And if you can find an Alsacian Gewürztraminer, those are usually excellent,” he said.

As for reds, Mandigo said Pinot Noir can be a good choice, but it’s important to find a bottle that won’t overpower the mild flavor of a traditionally baked bird.

“Turkey is like chicken, and doesn’t have a bold flavor,” he said. “You can’t afford to overpower it, so look for something that’s not too strong.”

He said California Pinots from wineries like Laetitia and Mark West offered a mild, affordable — and tasty — option for a Thanksgiving dinner.