after a massive snowstorm, chilling wine is a snap!

Happy Grapesgiving, grapefriends! So many people and so many wines to be thankful for. You’ve probably seen a ton of stories about what to pair with your Thanksgiving feast – don’t believe any of them. As I’ve said on past TGs, the dinner is such a hodge podge of foods that it’s impossible to recommend just one wine. So basically, you have full permission to just drink whatever you want – trust me, something on the table will go with your choice.

So what I usually choose can be random and based on however I’m feeling or whatever great wine is in the cellar that I’ve wanted to try.

For cocktail hour, I have to say I’m a little bit of a traditionalist and usually like to open a good Champagne. This year we’re going with a 1999 Arteis – 80% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Noir and 10% Pinot Meunier. This is super small production Champagne (they only made around 2000 bottles) and pretty much only available in swanky hotels like Le Baron, Chateau Marmont, and The Standard. They play it to the fashion crowd, with a graffiti artist who was in Exit Through the Gift Shop (which was so good) as their artistic director. It’s good though.

For bird time, I tend to go white. You could easily do a light red (Pinot Noir, Trousseau, Schiava) with dark meat and heavier stuffings, but I’m a light meat/bread stuffing/sweet potato lover so I hit the white. And of course you have to go American! My dad had been wanting to try the Chateau Montelena ever since I wrote about it, so that’s what we chose this year.

What are you all drinking? Comment below or tag me in your pics on Twitter or Instagram @grapefriend before it’s all gone!