Tips for a Successful Thanksgiving Dinner from our Director of Wine, Mari Coyle

The holidays are a joyful time, but they can also be stressful. With all the party planning and work that goes into creating the perfect experience for guests (whether you are hosting Thanksgiving or attending), the stakes are high to make everyone happy. That’s why we’ve asked our Director of Wine, Mari Coyle, for some helpful tips to ensure your Thanksgiving dinner goes according to plan and that you have more time to be present with your guests this year.

Mari Says:

1. Prep a cocktail ahead of time. Use our Harvest punch recipe or our Favorite Fall Sangria and Mulled Wine Recipes to make this festive beverage ahead of time, ready to serve when guests arrive.

2. Select wines to serve with your menu and be sure to get them ordered to arrive on time. Below are some general wines that pair well with the following dishes:

“At my house, everyone piles flavors on the plate and you can’t tell where mashed potatoes begin and turkey ends. However, it’s still possible to have some delicious wines paired with your meal. Here are a couple suggestions for complementary flavors. These are perfect wines for hosting your family or Friendsgiving.”

a. Appetizers: start with a Sparkling Brut
b. Harvest punch Riesling
c. Root Vegetables and green beans: Merlot
d. Cranberry: Pinot Noir
e. Apple and pumpkin spice: Chardonnay
f. Sage/rosemary: Cabernet Sauvignon
g. Turkey meat: Grenache based Rosé

3. Below are the best ONEHOPE wines for the perfect holiday meal:

a. Italian Prosecco
b. California Riesling
c. Reserve Napa Valley Merlot
d. California Pinot Noir
e. Joseph Jewell Chardonnay
f. 10-Year Anniversary Cabernet
g. Provence Rosé and Central Coast Rosé (either or both)

4. Romantic dinner?

Celebration Brut and Edna Valley Pinot Noir. If there are just two of you, stick with these celebratory wines to accompany the flavors in your meal.

5. Attending as a guest?

“Bring one of our 10-Year Anniversary Magnums to the table. Not only do they look gorgeous on the table, they tell a story about the school we are building together and inspire thanks for education. The Cabernet wines both taste delicious with savory herbs used in stuffing. I also love our Dip and Spread Set from ONEHOPE kitchen.”

6. One last tip! And idea for a recipe for an appetizer with ONEHOPE kitchen products.

Baked brie with ancho chile spread. Inspired by Stonewall Kitchen’s Baked Brie recipe. Sub out the stonewall chutney for our spread. YUMMY!

Thanks to Mari, our Director of Wine, for these awesome tips!

Cheers to a joyful holiday entertaining season!

Love,
The ONEHOPE Team