20 Wines for the Thanksgiving Table
By Eric Asimov
Nov. 13, 2025
Picking beverages is the easy part. These bottles, from $16 to $40, are all versatile, lively and will pair easily with whatever is on the menu.
Welcome to the least of your worries, what to drink with the Thanksgiving feast.
The answer, most of the time, is anything you want. Wine is great, and that’s my preference, but I love cider, too. And cider-wine combinations. Some may prefer beer. Nonalcoholic alternatives are a must — I would opt for juices and easy nonalcoholic cocktails.
I’ve made the case for many years that, in a day of many moving parts, beverages don’t have to be stressful. You can get them out of the way well in advance.
The key is choose lively, energetic beverages, preferably on the lower end of the alcohol spectrum. On a day of heavy eating, beverages should not weigh you down or fatigue you.
I’ve been giving more or less the same advice for years, so what’s changed? The selection of wines, for one. Different bottles are available at different times, vintages change and inflation and tariffs have had their way with prices.
I’ve picked out 20 bottles that I found in New York stores, and this year I’ve used a sliding scale. Some will want to keep costs down, so I’ve recommended 10 bottles under $20. Others may want to spend more, so I’ve included five bottles in the $21 to $30 range and five more $31 to $40.
If you’re looking for ciders, I highly recommend bottles from Aaron Burr Cidery, Sundström, Treasury, Eve’s Cidery, Horse & Plow, Floral Terranes and Patois.
Finally a few reminders:
Serve both white and red wines to accommodate people’s preferences, and don’t worry about pairing wines with specific dishes.
Plan on one bottle for every drinking guest. You most likely won’t come close to finishing all the wine, but it’s always better to err on the side of too much rather than too little.
For a big group, don’t fret about the glasses. Stemmed glasses are great, but so are juice glasses. But avoid plastic stems. They tend to separate unexpectedly, which can send wine flying.
Here are my 20 suggestions, arranged by price within each category.
Under $20
Folk Machine California White Light 2024, 12.3 percent, $19.99
White Light, from Folk Machine of the superb Hobo Wine Company, is one of my favorite moderately priced whites from California. Vintage in, vintage out, this blend of a half dozen or so grapes delivers bright flavors, lively acidity and delicious refreshment. Don’t serve it too cold.
