Thanksgiving is a celebration of abundance, but when it comes to choosing wine to share with family and friends, it’s hard not to feel overwhelmed by options. We all want crowd-pleasing picks. But this year, value is especially top of mind, too.
To help demystify the holiday wine hunt, I asked three Chicago wine professionals to find wines from a favorite local retailer that deliver pleasure and versatility at approachable prices. Each pick sits between $20 and $35 — not cheap — but a sweet spot where value and character intersect.
They all pointed to small, independent shops with focused selections and passionate, knowledgeable staff.
“I want to walk into a store that’s tightly curated,” says Chris Farrell, a sommelier at Indienne in the River North neighborhood, “where I’m choosing between a few great bottles instead of 50, and where the person behind the counter really knows what’s on the shelf.”
If you don’t find these exact wines in your favorite store, don’t worry. This guide is a blueprint, not a scavenger hunt. A great Côtes du Rhône can easily stand in for Gigondas; cava might replace prosecco; or a pinot blanc from Oregon could play the same role as one from Alsace.
Thanksgiving wine guide
Nicole Ramírez, server and sommelier at Alpana
Growing up, Thanksgiving was a “big family blowout” with traditional American Thanksgiving foods like turkey, explains Ramírez, but also nodded to her family’s Puerto Rican and Mexican roots — lechon or arroz con gandules, perhaps. Over the years, Thanksgiving has become a quieter, more intimate holiday. “The past few years, it’s just been my partner and I,” Ramírez says, where she’ll cook a much smaller version of a Thanksgiving meal. “This year, my boyfriend stopped eating meat so we’re going more veggie-forward,” she says, maybe gnocci but with traditional side dishes like Brussels sprouts and cornbread.
Recommended retailer: Off Premise, Lincoln Park (1128 W. Armitage Ave., 773-770-3540, offpremisechicago.com)
Ramírez points to Off Premise where “(owner) Adam Kamin and (wine buyer) Jackie Trabilsy are both so smart,” she says. They travel constantly and spotlight standout bottles from small producers around the world, explains Ramírez. “Oftentimes, I’ll message Jackie what I’m having for dinner and then pick up whatever she recommends — I just trust her so much,” she adds.
Guiding principle: Because the traditional Thanksgiving spread is such a mishmash of foods, “err on the side of lighter,” says Ramírez. “Those really big, bold reds, and big, buttery white wines, can overpower a lot of foods.”
“When in doubt, bubbles are always a safe bet,” Ramírez says. “Bubbles go with everything.”
Ramírez’s picks:
Venturini Baldini NV Marchese Lambrusco ($22)
“People don’t drink enough Lambrusco,” Ramírez says. Secco, or dry styles of the lightly sparkling red have a little bit more body and structure than you might find with light-bodied, fruit-forward sparkling wines like prosecco. “It’s bright, fun and inviting,” she says, “but also a wine that can carry you through the whole meal.”
Ken Forrester 2024 Old Vine Reserve Stellenbosch Chenin Blanc ($25)
“I love chenin blanc — they’re such pretty wines, but they’re shape shifters too,” she says. “They can be dry or sweet, a dessert wine or even bubbly.” Ken Forrester’s dry chenin is a favorite, she says, “with enough body to hold up to mac and cheese or some of those more buttery, unctuous dishes.”
Brotte 2022 La Marasque Gigondas ($35)
“I love Gigondas, it’s a wine region that I lean towards a lot at the restaurant,” Ramírez says. “It’s like the little sister to Châteauneuf-du-Pape,” she says, “you get the same big body and beautiful red-fruit and spice of the southern Rhône, but it’s not overpowering,” she said. “My boss, Alpana Singh, always says that Châteauneuf-du-Pape is Beyoncé but Gigondas is Solange.” And this one is especially budget friendly, she adds.
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Marsha Wright, corporate wine director at DineAmic Hospitality
Wright remembers Thanksgiving at her grandmother’s house as a bustling affair, often upwards of 20 people crowded around a long table for the adults and a smaller side table for the kids. Everyone brought a dish, “staples like mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes or collard greens,” she says. And while Grandma always cooked a turkey and ham, it was Grandpa, “we call him Johnny-Boy,” she says, who carved them. The kids drank soda, and the adults shared “maybe a $7.99 Chianti,” she laughs. “It wasn’t the good stuff, but it was OK.”
Recommended retailer: Cellar 406 (406 75th St., Downers Grove, 630-968-2088, cellar406.com)
Small wine shops, especially in the suburbs, take pride in stocking wines you wouldn’t find at big-box stores, says Wright. “I’m looking to find wines that are delicious but off the beaten path and made in small quantities — 5,000 cases rather than 5 million,” she says. At Cellar 406, “owner Charlene Pontrelli really takes the time to explain the story behind each wine,” Wright says.
Guiding principle: White wines with freshness and acidity are key to balancing a heavy Thanksgiving feast, explains Wright. While chardonnay tends to be a standby, she prefers “something more crisp and bright” — think dry riesling, sauvignon blanc, or, in this case, pinot blanc.
Wright’s picks:
Gaspard 2024 Loire Gamay ($22)
People gravitate toward Beaujolais for Thanksgiving because gamay’s light body and delicate tannins are an easy match with almost everything on the table, explains Wright. But gamay from the Loire is still a bit of an insider secret in the U.S. “This one’s quite youthful,” says Wright, with a bright red-berry character that makes it refreshing slightly chilled.
Sorgente NV Extra Dry Prosecco ($25)
Prosecco is an ideal predinner libation while cooking a big Thanksgiving dinner, says Wright. This one “is bright and refreshing with zesty citrus flavors” but “a creamy mouthfeel” that’s also substantial enough to enjoy throughout the meal too, she says.
Lucien Albrecht 2023 Alsace Pinot Blanc ($18)
For the main event, Wright turns to an Alsatian pinot blanc that’s “refreshing and aromatic.” Its lively acidity cuts through the richness of a crispy-skinned roast turkey or creamier side dishes, but it’s also a unique match for vegetables like Brussels sprouts or green beans, she explains. It’s the kind of wine that “just makes you want to have another sip.”
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Chris Farrell, sommelier at Indienne
“Growing up, my father was one of six siblings, so Thanksgiving always meant big family gatherings,” Farrell says. Since moving to Chicago seven years ago, however, he’s enjoyed finding smaller communities to celebrate with. He and his partner host a yearly Friendsgiving — “a straggler’s Thanksgiving,” he says. Some years it’s a home-cooked meal but other times it might be a BYO dinner in Chinatown. This year’s theme is “gobblegool,” he says, “so really kitschy Italian American classics … Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be about turkey,” explains Farrell. “It’s more about the convivial spirit of Thanksgiving and taking time to be thankful for the people you’re around.”
Recommended retailer: Bottles Up! (3164 N. Broadway, 773-362-4999, bottlesupchicago.com)
Farrel discovered the space that’s now Bottles Up! while apartment hunting in Lakeview. “I noticed a wine store across the street, went in and ended up talking with Melissa Zeman for about 25 minutes … 60% of the reason I got the apartment was just to be close to the store,” says Farrell. The space is “a real community hub,” he says, with free tastings, classes and local art. “I call her the badass wine fairy,” says Farrell, praising her warmth and energy. “She makes you feel like part of the family.”
Guiding principle: “When it comes to big gatherings like Thanksgiving,” says Farrell, “cast your net wide by offering a few super versatile wines” and just leave them in the middle of the table for guests to sample and explore. Keep it simple, he says, but “something sparkling, something white and something red” offer just enough variety to match the variety of foods on the menu.
Farrell’s picks:
Bodet-Herold NV Aerlinn Vin de France Brut Nature Rosé ($35)
This pétillant-naturel, a more rustic, lower-intervention precursor to Champagne-style sparkling wine, is “a fun way to have something off the beaten path,” says Farrell, “with lively acidity that’s especially good for Thanksgiving dishes.” Made from the grolleau grape by a small family producer in the Loire Valley, it’s reminiscent of “crunchy red fruit,” says Farrell, “with a pillowy, plush bubble that doesn’t feel sharp or forced.”
Bernard Baudry 2023 Le Domaine Chinon Blanc ($33)
Bernard Baudry is revered in the Loire Valley for his cabernet franc, but for Thanksgiving, Farrell points to this chenin blanc for its “golden fruit texture, chamomile-tea herbaceousness and searingly high acidity.” With its balance of texture, freshness and fruitiness, he says, it’s ideal for anyone who finds oaky chardonnay too heavy or sauvignon blanc too sharp. “It fits right in the middle,” he says.
Bedrock Wine Co. 2023 Old Vine Zinfandel ($32)
It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without a nod to American wine, says Farrell, who calls Bedrock’s Old Vine Zinfandel “one of the best examples of what American wine can be … It has this unique kaleidoscope of fruit spectrum, ranging from red and blue, to black and purple,” he says, but an herbaceousness and bright acidity that’s approachable and elegant.
Anna Lee Iijima is a freelance writer.
