Thanksgiving dinner puts a lot on one plate: delicate turkey, savoury stuffing, rich gravy, buttery potatoes and tart cranberry sauce. The best wines bring enough acidity and freshness to handle those competing flavours without overwhelming the turkey.
Here are five recently tasted wines we’d happily pour this Thanksgiving, ranging from an excellent $24 Riesling to a special $42 Grenache Rosé.
Lunessence 2025 ESV Brut Riesling — $29.99
Summerland Bench | 92 Points
Start Thanksgiving with Bubbles
Made entirely from Riesling grown at Lunessence’s certified organic Summerland Bench estate, this lively sparkler offers delicate aromas of white blossoms, green apple and lightly toasted brioche. Crisp citrus and orchard fruit follow on the palate, supported by vibrant acidity and a persistent creamy mousse.
The bubbles make it a terrific welcoming glass, but don’t put it away when dinner arrives. Its acidity cuts through gravy and buttery potatoes while remaining light enough for turkey and stuffing.
Best with: Everything from pre-dinner appetizers to the full turkey dinner.
Read our Lunessence Winery tasting notes
Lightning Rock 2024 Dry Lake Vineyard Chardonnay — $35
Lake Chelan AVA | 90 Points
Chardonnay for the Traditional Turkey Dinner
Following the devastating 2024 Okanagan freeze, Lightning Rock sourced this Chardonnay from Washington’s Lake Chelan AVA. It was barrel fermented, underwent full malolactic fermentation and spent 10 months in French oak, just 21% new.
The result has enough texture and richness for Thanksgiving without being dominated by oak. Its rounded mouthfeel complements roast turkey and gravy, while the freshness keeps richer side dishes from becoming too heavy.
Best with: Roast turkey, gravy, buttery mashed potatoes and roasted root vegetables.
Read our Lightning Rock tasting notes
Stoneboat Reserve Pinot Noir 2023 — $32.90
Okanagan Valley | 91 Points
The Classic Red-Wine Choice
For red-wine drinkers, Pinot Noir is difficult to beat at Thanksgiving.
Stoneboat’s 2023 Reserve Pinot Noir comes from its vineyards on the Black Sage Gravel Bar and is predominantly clone 667, matured for approximately 18 months in French oak, 50% new.
Violet, red cherry, raspberry and cranberry mingle with subtle spice, forest floor and earthy mushroom. Fresh acidity and soft tannins make this an easy red for turkey, while the cranberry notes connect beautifully with cranberry sauce and the earthy character complements stuffing and gravy.
Best with: Turkey, mushroom or herb stuffing, gravy and cranberry sauce.
Seven Directions 2025 Estate Grenache Rosé — $42
Similkameen Valley | 93 Point
The Thanksgiving Splurge
At $42, Seven Directions’ 2025 Estate Grenache Rosé isn’t your everyday patio rosé. It’s a serious, small-production wine and an exciting debut from the winery’s Similkameen estate vineyard. We awarded it 93 Points, making it one of our standout rosés of the vintage.
Grenache Rosé is particularly versatile with Thanksgiving dinner. Fresh red fruit connects naturally with cranberry sauce, while bright acidity refreshes the palate after turkey, gravy and stuffing. And unlike a bigger red, there are no heavy tannins to overpower the turkey.
This is the bottle to open when you want the wine itself to be part of the Thanksgiving celebration.
Best with: Roast turkey, cranberry sauce, savoury stuffing and roasted vegetables.
Read our Seven Directions 2025 Estate Grenache Rosé review
Monte Creek 2024 Living Land Riesling Organic — $23.99
Thompson Valley | 90 Points
Fresh, Aromatic and Great Value
Monte Creek’s 2024 Living Land Riesling Organic offers delicate aromas of elderflower, lime and peach, followed by lemongrass, lemon balm and white tea. A long, saline and zesty finish keeps everything lively.
Those citrus and herbal notes make it particularly appealing with Thanksgiving dinner. The herbs echo sage and other flavours in the stuffing, while the wine’s freshness cuts through gravy and buttery side dishes.
At $23.99, it’s also an excellent choice when you need several bottles for a larger gathering.
Best with: Herb-roasted turkey, sage stuffing, gravy and roasted vegetables.
Read about Monte Creek’s latest releases
Which One Should You Pour?
There’s no need to choose just one.
Start with the Lunessence Brut Riesling, pour the Lightning Rock Chardonnay or Monte Creek Riesling with the turkey, and open the Stoneboat Pinot Noir for red-wine drinkers.
For something more distinctive, the Seven Directions Grenache Rosé is our splurge bottle for the Thanksgiving table.
However you fill your glass, raise one to BC wine this Thanksgiving.