This week you’re going to be bombarded with articles recommending wines for the Thanksgiving dinner table. Just this past weekend in fact, Jon Bonné of the San Francisco Chronicle published his own recommendations, including our Raventos i Blanc “de Nit” Cava Rosado ($24). And while we agree with Bonné that, in the end, you should always drink what you like, we figured we’d offer a few of recommendations of our own.

We’ll steer clear of some of the typical choices like rosé (although the Don Jacobo Rioja Rosado would be a great fit for $12) and Beaujolais (we don’t import that) and offer up some uniquely perfect alternatives as our way of saying thanks to you for choosing our wines.

For a domestic white wine, both the Robledo Family Vineyards Carneros Chardonnay ($18) and the Caliberico White Blend ($18) are crisp whites with enough full-bodied richness to stand up to Thanksgiving’s stronger flavors.

For domestic red wines, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel always work well with turkey and we have two new releases from Urbanite Cellars to offer. The Solindo Carneros Pinot Noir ($22) is our newest wine, made by Kenny Likitprakong with the deft assistance of our own Luis Moya. Made from 97% Pinot Noir and 3% Chardonnay, Solindo is naturally fermented with native yeast and aged for 11 months in second and third fill French oak barrels. The 2009 vintage of Urbanite Cellars’ Clos de Cal Zinfandel ($15), also just released, is a classic cool-climate Zinfandel. Bright, tangy  fruit with earthy foundation will compliment  a range of autumn produce. Moderate 13.5% ABV won’t overwhelm the meal.

For white wines from Spain and Portugal, the Soalheiro Alvarinho ($24), Quinta Do Cardo Siria ($15) and the Vina Valoria Crianza Blanco 2004 ($19) are all excellent choices for a festive Thanksgiving meal. Red wines with just the right balance of fruit, earth and tannin for every holiday dish include the Puerta Vieja Rioja Crianza 2008 ($15), Vina Albina Rioja Reserva 2004 ($20) and Quinta Da Fronteira Tinto 2007 ($13) from Portugal’s Douro Valley. If you want to splurge, we’ve already written enough about our Gran Reserva Riojas, so check out these past posts for more information on these special treats for the Thanksgiving table.

Contact us any time to find out which retailers in your area carry these wines. Happy Thanksgiving!