For something trendier, you could try Pinot Noir. It’s the grape that on its own (it’s rarely blended, except in Champagne) makes the great reds of Burgundy. It has fewer tannins than Bordeaux’s Cabernet Sauvignon, the other superstar French red grape. The movie Sideways has brought much deserved attention to this flexible wine. When Pinot Noirs are at their height, they can be astounding — elegant, complex, silky, smooth, subtle, charming and seductive.

Pinot Noir is made in two styles: fruity or earthy. California Pinot Noirs usually fall in the first category, with flavors of cherries, strawberries, raspberries and plums, and thus are ideal for Thanksgiving. Their fruit complements the sweet food yet doesn’t overwhelm it. Pinot Noirs also shine in Oregon, where the climate is not unlike Burgundy’s. The wines tend to be closer to Burgundy’s in style.

If you like Cabernet Sauvignon, which is best with red meats and too powerful for this particular dinner, you might offer the more approachable Cabernet Franc, its lesser known, and often overlooked, relative. (Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc are thought to be Cabernet Franc’s parents.) It’s one of the grapes used in Bordeaux blends and a mainstay in Loire Valley reds. Cabernet Franc is light- to medium-bodied, fruitier and more aromatic than the weightier Cabernet Sauvignon. Its refreshing acidity and low tannins make it notably versatile. Look for lighter-style French versions from Chinon, Bourgueil, Anjou and Saumur. New York State produces worthy Cabernet Francs, and those from Washington have recently been receiving acclaim.

Zinfandel is often recommended for this holiday in part because it’s thought of as an all-American wine (even though its ancestry has recently been traced back to Croatia, where its called Crljenak Kastelanski!). Its spicy-peppery, fruity flavor goes well with the meal, but it tends to be high in tannins and very high in alcohol (as high as 17%), which would accentuate the heaviness of the food. Since the Thanksgiving feast is often the most elaborate meal of the year and the turkey is laced with sleep-inducing tryptophan, heavy, highly alcoholic wines may be overwhelming. They may even put your guests to sleep! In general, it’s a good idea to stick with lighter, low-alcohol wines. I’d look elsewhere for my Thanksgiving wine.

If you and your guests are still vertical after dinner and you would like to serve a dessert wine, I suggest a Moscato d’Asti from Piedmont or a similar slightly sparkling Muscat wine. Moscato d’Asti is sweet, white, light, low in alcohol, with heady fruit and floral aromas — think peaches, apricots, orange blossoms. It’s delicate, elegant, charming and never overpowering. Non-sparkling Muscat wines are also a fine option, although they tend to be heavier and higher in alcohol. There are good ones made in the US as well as lovely Muscats de Beaumes-de-Venise from the southern Rhône.

It’s important to remember that while there are rules and guidelines for matching food and wine, drinking what you like is always a good choice. You won’t go wrong if you go with your favorites. But remember too that your favorites may not be your guests’ favorites. And because Thanksgiving is such a large meal and you’ll probably need more than one bottle, it’s a perfect time to experiment and try something new. Who knows? You just might discover something wonderful — something else to give thanks for.

Recommended Producers

Sparkling wine:
Spanish Cavas: Aria, Cristalino, Freixenet, Segura Viudas, Sumarroca; US: Chandon, Gruet, Roederer, Schramsberg; New Zealand: Lindauer; France: St. Hilaire; Champagne: That’s another story

Rieslings:
Germany: Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler, Kurt Darting, Dr. Loosen, J.J. Prum, J.u.H.A. Strub, Selbach and Selbach-Oster, St.-Urbans-Hof; New York: Dr. Konstantin Frank, Hosmer, Salmon Run; Washington: Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia Crest, Covey Run, Hogue; California: Bonny Doon

Gewürztraminer:
California: Handley; New York: Lenz; Washington: Avery Lane, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia Crest, Covey Run, Hogue; France: Léon Beyer, Lucien Albrecht, Pierre Sparr, Hugel, Trimbach, Weinbach, Zind-Humbrecht

Beaujolais:
Georges Duboeuf, Joseph Drouhin, Durdilly, Louis Jadot, Jacky Janodet, Louis Latour, Marcel Lapierre, Trenel Fils, Vissoux

Pinot Noir:
California: Acacia, Beringer, Cambria, Camelot, Cartlidge & Browne, Castle Rock, Clos du Bois, Gallo of Sonoma, Kendall-Jackson, Meridian, Montpellier, Napa Ridge, Redwood Creek, Robert Mondavi, Saintsbury, Sebastiani; Oregon: Anne Amie, Argyle, Cooper Mountain, Firesteed, Lemelson, Ponzi, Wine by Joe

Cabernet Franc:
France: Catherine & Pierre Bréton, Bernard Baudry, Cave de Saumur, Caves des Vignerons, Charles Joguet, Joel Taluau, Olga Raffault, Saint Vincent, Sauvion, Thierry Germain; New York: Lamoreaux Landing

Muscat dessert wines: California: Bonny Doon, Novella, Quady, Robert Pecota; Italy (Moscato d’Asti): Ceretto, Chiarlo, Contratto, Vietti; France (Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise): Coyeux, Durban, Paul Jaboulet Aîné; Israel: Golan

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New York City author and certified sommelier Sharon Kapnick has written about food and wine for many magazines, including Time, Portfolio, Food & Wine and Hemispheres, and many newspapers, thanks to the New York Times Syndicate. She won an APEX award for excellence for the story “What’s for Breakfast,” published by Hemispheres. She contributed to several entries in the Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America.