Thanksgiving & Wine Pairings

I thought I would step away from wedding tips today and switch gears to tips when throwing your own holiday dinner party. Especially to all of you newly weds hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year, here are some awesome planning tips and wine pairings:

Too Many People, Not Enough Place Settings?
Instead of rushing out to purchase more of that china and glassware you just received as wedding presents, add even more fall colors to the table by renting fun Thanksgiving china instead! From 50 cents to a dollar per plate, glassware or chargers you will save yourself money while adding festive fall flare to your dinner table. You can rent the china in the picture below from Totally Tabletops. Check them out at http://www.totallytabletops.com/. Or check out any other rental company in town, like AA Party Rentals. http://www.aaparty.com/


Decorate the Table
Everyone enjoys looking at a beautiful table and it is always fun to decorate! There are many ways to decorate without breaking the budget also... While you are at the rental company picking out your festive place settings, add a couple of festive linens, sheer table cloths or elegant table runners. Renting these will be far less cheaper than purchasing. For a cheaper version to some elaborate flower centerpiece, go purchase a bag of frozen cranberries put them in small vases (that you can also rent at most rental companies) and grab a couple of dozen roses at Costco for only $15.99. Inexpensive and festive all at the same time!

Thanksgiving Wines
Learning about wines is a hobby of mine. I taste multiple wines during wine tastings every week expanding my palate as well as learn lots about food and wine pairings!

Mouthwatering turkey, butternut squash and mashed potatoes deserve some thought when deciding what type of wine to purchase for your Thanksgiving dinner. Pinot Noir is generally the go to red wine to pair with Thanksgiving dinner. While you can spend a lot of money on a Pinot, for a less expensive option, I would recommend Montoya. A $16 Pinot from Oregon that is incredible for the price point.

The White wine I would pair with dinner would have to be Pure Platinum by Kestrel. This is actually a Viognier/Gewurztraminer blend. Although you might think, too sweet..think again. This wine is incredibly rich with citrus fruit and orange blossoms that will pair perfectly with your Thanksgiving Dinner! This wine should only set you back $13 per bottle.

Both of these wines can be found, purchased and special ordered by the half case or case at Village Wines in Woodinville. This is a darling little wine shop nestled in the heart of Woodinville wine country. They offer discounts if you order by the case, so if you are hosting an extra large Thanksgiving dinner this year, I would highly recommend you give them a call, stop by or log onto their website http://www.myvillagewines.com/. You can purchase these online at their online store http://www.delavin.com/ also.