Our November Wine of the Month, Riesling Gewurztraminer opens with beautiful flavors of yellow apple, nectarine, guava, white flowers, and a touch of honey.
The wine is off-dry, meaning it has a gentle, light sweetness, balanced by refreshing acidity that keeps it lively and bright rather than heavy. That balance is exactly why it pairs so perfectly with Thanksgiving dinner. It complements the wide range of flavors on the table while bringing a little lift and freshness to every bite.
Tasting Notes Video
Thanksgiving is one of the hardest meals of the year to pair with wine because the plate is full of sweet and savory elements at the same time. Think sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, glazed carrots, and even dishes like Waldorf salad with apples and creamy dressing.
A dry, tannic red can clash with those sweeter flavors, but this Riesling Gewurztraminer shines because its slight sweetness mirrors the food while its acidity keeps everything in balance. It works beautifully with roasted turkey, herbed stuffing, and gravy, but also with the sweeter sides that often trip up other wines.
You can make the pairing even better by leaning into those flavors. Try adding diced apples or dried fruit to your stuffing, roasting squash with a touch of honey or spice, or serving a salad with fruit and nuts. These ingredients echo the wine’s orchard fruit and floral notes, creating a seamless bridge between glass and plate.
Riesling Gewurztraminer Bottle
Riesling and Gewurztraminer are a natural match, and one of the classic homes for this style of blend is Alsace. Both grapes are highly aromatic, but they bring different strengths. Riesling contributes vibrant acidity, structure, and flavors of orchard fruit and citrus that keep the wine precise and age-worthy.
Gewurztraminer is more opulent and expressive, known for its exotic fruit, floral aromatics, and spice-driven personality. When blended, Riesling provides the backbone and freshness, while Gewurztraminer adds richness, perfume, and texture.
The result is a wine that feels layered and expressive but still balanced and food-friendly. That combination of aromatic intensity, gentle sweetness, and bright acidity is exactly what makes this style so successful with complex meals like Thanksgiving, where no single flavor dominates the table.
Blend:
57% Riesling, 43% Gewurztraminer
