Bob Hosmon suggests wines for Thanksgiving Day

Bob Hosmon suggests wines for Thanksgiving Day

When it comes to wine to serve with the Thanksgiving feast, there's no one complete choice. With white and dark turkey, sage dressing, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole and the different family favorites on the table, no one bottle complements all.

The solution is to provide options. And if you want to provide just two, I recommend a zinfandel and a rose.

As Thanksgiving is such an American celebration, the choice of zinfandel, a American wine, is appropriate. The taste of red zinfandel (not blush zinfandel) goes well with roast turkey (and goose or duck, if you prefer) and dressing made with sage, mushrooms or chestnuts.

It works well with mashed potatoes and gravy and even a casserole made with green beans and cream of mushroom soup.

As for the sweet potato casserole that includes raisins and marshmallows, there is really no appropriate wine to serve with that.

A great rose able to be a refreshing alternative and also complement most of the foods on the table. (Even the sweet potato casserole works better with a rose than with a red.) I also find that those who are not particularly fond of wine tend to gravitate to a rose as their wine of choice because it's light with very fresh fruit flavors. Remember to serve it chilled.

The choice in zinfandels is enormous, and you should select whatever label fits your budget. Some of the best include those made by Rancho Zabaco, Ravenswood, Ridge, Rosenblum, Dry Creek, Frei Brothers and Kunde Estate.

Two favorite roses are Bonny Doon Vin Gris de Cigare and Macrostie Rose of Pinot Noir.

Availabilty/Suggested Retail: Sold in wine shops and some food markets, prices for zinfandels range from $10 to $40 a bottle, and wineries such as Ravenswood and Rosenblum make several versions that span that price range.

The Bonny Doon rose is a "best purchase" at $14; the pinot noir-based Macrostie sells for $20.