What the Tablas Creek team will be drinking with our Thanksgivings in 2025

Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays. It brings extended family together for a day of cooking, eating, and reflecting on what we're grateful for. It's still largely uncommercialized. And it comes at a time of year where those of us who work at wineries are finally able to slow down and relax. After our longest harvest in more than two decades, that's something to be thankful for.

Before diving into specific recommendations, it's worth going over some things that don't change. Try not to stress over your choices. Open a range of wines. Expect each of them to sing with a dish or two, coexist peacefully enough with another, and maybe clash with something. That can be fun, and instructive. Remember, and accept that it's OK, that nothing will pair particularly well with sweet potato casserole or roasted Brussels sprouts. Open a few more wines than you think you'll need, and don't feel bad about having wine leftovers, along with your food. You'll likely learn something, and have fun along the way. Remember that open bottles kept in the fridge should be fine for a week or more. And if you're still stressing after reading all these recommendations, I refer you to the 2016 piece on W. Blake Gray's blog where he set up a simple 5-question quiz to answer the question "is this wine good for Thanksgiving". I'm sure I haven't gone through every possible combination, but I've never gotten any answer other than "yes".

OK, now that I've told you any choice is perfectly fine, it's only fair that I acknowledge my own preferences. After all, there are wines that I tend to steer clear of, like wines that are powerfully tannic (which tend to come off even more so when they're paired with some of the sweeter Thanksgiving dishes), and wines that are high in alcohol (which tend to be fatiguing by the end of what is often a marathon of eating and drinking). But that still leaves you plenty of options. With a traditional turkey dinner, I tend to steer people toward richer whites and rosés, and fruitier reds relatively light in oak and tannin. Plenty of Tablas Creek wines fit these broad criteria, so if you're cooking turkey or a related bird you could try anything from Marsanne to Esprit Blanc to Dianthus Rosé to Counoise or Cotes de Tablas. Richer red meat preparations open up a world of Mourvedre-based reds young or old, from Esprit de Tablas to Panoplie to En Gobelet, which just (say it out loud) sounds like something you should be drinking at this time of year. And there's little that's better with a rich meal than a bright, chillable red, which in our world means Alouette Grenache.

But I'm just one person. As I've done the last several years, I reached out to our team to ask them what they were planning on drinking this year. This is super fun for me to see, and I'm hoping it will be as much fun for you. One thing I love is that while some will be drinking Tablas Creek, many (including me!) have made other choices. And that's normal. Those of us who work in wine usually do so in part because we love its many facets, and there's an amazing variety of wine made around the world. Whether you choose an American wine for this quintessentially American holiday, or celebrate America as a melting pot by choosing wines from elsewhere, I refer you back to Blake Gray's article. You're not wrong.

My team's responses are below, in their own words, in alphabetical order, and only very lightly edited. Happy dining!

Janelle Bartholomew, Wine Club Assistant
This Thanksgiving we get to spend the holiday with my wonderful sister and brother in-law at their new home in Ashland, Oregon. We are so excited to explore Ashland, visit with family, and enjoy the merriment of Thanksgiving. I have been holding on to a magnum of 2015 Esprit de Tablas that I know will be well received and pair beautifully with dinner. While we are in the area we plan to visit Cowhorn Winery, a biodynamic vineyard in Jacksonville Oregon. Happy Thanksgiving, I hope everyone enjoys their time with family and friends!

Charlie Chester, Senior Assistant Tasting Room Manager
Small gathering this year, which is fine by me. We are hosting, and the crowd includes me, my wife Amber, my stepdaughter Haylee Mae, her dad and stepmom, her two little sisters, and the stepmom’s father. Honestly, Amber and I are the only serious wine drinkers; everyone else will be sticking to beer, juice boxes, or nothing while watching the games.

So, for us two, I’m planning to pop a bottle of the Story of Soil 2023 Gold Coast Vineyard Pinot Noir.

When it comes to Thanksgiving, sometimes it’s best to take the easy way out with a classic pairing. Pinot Noir is simply the traditional, perfect choice for the turkey dinner.

I’m a big fan of Story of Soil, which is winemaker Jessica Gasca’s project based down in Santa Barbara County. She really zeroes in on highlighting specific vineyard sites.

It’s the perfect bottle for Amber and me to enjoy quietly while the rest of the adults are focused on football and the kids are being kids. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Amanda Collins, Cellar Master
We’re heading down to my parents’ house for Thanksgiving this year — all 3.5 of us! (Plus Shelby, of course.) I’ll be sticking to NA Aperol spritzes or the classic Martinelli’s apple cider, but for those who are free to indulge, we’ll have a couple of special bottles on the table.

There’s a truly lovely 2023 Grenache Blanc from Ridge that was recently recommended to me and I think it’s going to be a hit with the family. We’re also bringing along a 2023 Massa Cabernet Sauvignon from Madson, which should add a nice, cozy richness to the evening. And knowing how these gatherings go, I’m sure a few more wines will make their way into the mix as the night unfolds — those will just have to remain delightful surprises.

Wishing you all a warm, joyful, and delicious Thanksgiving!

Austin Collins, Director of Vineyard Operations
This year’s Thanksgiving will be far quieter for my family, with just seven adults and two little ones. A LARGE difference to the past two years: we hosted around 50 people in 2024, and around 25 in 2023. A welcome reprieve.

The wines will continue to flow none the less! I plan on opening a magnum of Domaine Dupuebles Nouveau as it is always the perfect thanksgiving accompaniment. We will also be opening up a couple of vintages of Quincedence, a quince cider made by Gustavo Prieto (Tablas’ Biodynamicist) from quinces grown here at the estate. Finally, I hope to open some Oxney Organic Estate bubbles, from the largest single estate organic vineyard in the UK (35 acres). We visited last spring and were delighted at the whole operation. 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Neil Collins, Director of Winemaking
Here we are again, it is once more time to select a wine or two for thanksgiving dinner. This year is a small gathering for us, which is unusual but exciting. So the wines that I have in mind are; 

A 2020 Gusbourne Blanc de Noir, this bottle we picked up at the estate on a trip to England's young and exciting wine region.

Domaine Martin Faudot & Fils 2023 Trousseau, Les Corvees, a wine we also picked up at the estate tasting salon whilst touring the Jura region. I am curious to see how this tastes here at home. 

2021 Steintal Burgstadter, we picked this up during a visit to the estate in the Franken Region whilst on a Lone Madrone Rhine River Cruise.  

2002 Esprit de Beaucastel Rouge I picked this up at the glorious Tablas Creek Estate!!!

Bristols Cider will be lurking somewhere I am sure. The wines are only as good as the company so these should be singing at the Thanksgiving table. Enjoy food, wine and great company, CHEERS!!!!!

Ian Consoli, Director of Marketing
I look forward to celebrating Thanksgiving with my mother, father, brother, neighbors, and my mother’s friend visiting from England. She visited three years ago and enjoyed her first American Thanksgiving so much she came back! There are a lot of white wine fans around the table this year, so I selected some good representation from Paso: The Sandstone Vermentino from Paix Sur Terre and the Ridge’s Grenache Blanc. I’ll open a Tablas Creek Counoise, as always, and conclude with a red Burgundy (specifics TBD). Wishing everyone the best this Thanksgiving!

Terrence Crowe, Tasting Room
For this years thanksgiving we are having the traditional bird with gravy and sides. Another tradition has joyously become tying together Tablas Creek wines with the feast. This year we will be having two magnum bottles that were graciously bestowed upon us. The 2015 vintage marks a ten year retrospective on both the Esprit de Tablas rouge and the Esprit de Tablas Blanc. Ten years from now I envision consuming a '25 vintage tandem. The other bottle on the table will be a Stephane Ogier 2020 Mon Village Cote Rotie. Wishing you and yours a festive holiday season with plenty of good food, drink and conversation.

Darren Delmore, National Sales Manager
Going to a large 30 plus person Thanksgiving at my brother's house, so I'm bringing a guitar, a Roederer Brut Rosé magnum we picked up at their Anderson Valley tasting room last year, a magnum of 2014 Esprit Blanc I've been saving since release, and a couple bottles of juicy Bouissiere 2022 Cotes du Rhone. 

Chelsea Franchi, Senior Assistant Winemaker
My family is not one for the traditional turkey, and this year is no exception.  We’ll be having roasted rack of lamb and while we’ll certainly start with bubbles (I nearly always travel with a bottle of Champagne Delamotte), for the main event, I’m planning to pack a bottle of Desire Lines Winds of Change Syrah and perhaps a Matthiasson Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.  I’m very much looking forward to enjoying these wines, but I’m mostly looking forward to sharing them with people I love.  May your table be filled with similar abundance!

Kaitlyn Glynn, Cellar Assistant
This Thanksgiving will be a small gathering of family at my parents’ house in LA. So far, I plan on opening a 2023 Ridge Grenache Blanc, our 2023 Esprit Blanc, and our 2023 Cotes de Tablas. There will surely be more wines added to our list and enjoyed throughout the long weekend, but my family will actually be doing Thanksgiving on Saturday this year so we have extra time to figure out our menu. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Susie Marsh, Tasting Room
We are not hosting Thanksgiving this year, which is a bit unusual for us. We’re heading up north to enjoy the day with family who all love wine. I think if I showed up with anything other than Tablas Creek at this point they would all be quite disappointed. Being one of the newest members of the team at Tablas Creek, my family thinks that this is the absolute best wine job I’ve had in my 30+ years of being in the wine industry, and I may just have to agree. In any event, I am bringing the 2024 Marsanne and current vintages, 2023 of the Grenache Noir and Full Circle Pinot Noir.  All great companions to a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with the myriad flavors of the day. There will also be a bottle of Henriot Brut Souverain in my wine bag as I continue to be ever so thankful that beautiful Champagne continues to exist in the sub $100 category. 

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours! 

Erin Mason, Regenerative Specialist
On a recent trip to Nevada city, where I attended an archery workshop, I got turned onto tea by a women who sources quality teas from all over, mostly China. I am currently enjoying a sober-curious phase of life, but also missing the ritual, exploratory, and social benefits that come from opening a bottle of wine to share with loved ones. What piqued my interest is that—like grapevines, tea plants are perennial and impacted by their growing environment. Quality and flavor profiles are largely influenced by age of plant, cultivar, pruning, tannin structure, artisan production, and ageing process. And like, wine—the mindfulness and beauty of the a tea ceremony elevates the experience of enjoyment to a level that feels just as special. Caffeine is a different kind of buzz!

I won’t be partaking in a traditional Thanksgiving, since I’ll be (finally) moving into my own place after 6 years of being in California, but I bought this beautiful set as a house-warming gift to myself and some 25-year-old pu erh from China to enjoy in celebration. Giving solo thanks and gratitude to all the new doors that have opened this year and the blessings to come.

Ryan McGuire, DTC Sales Manager
This Thanksgiving will be the first Thanksgiving that I will be hosting and cooking, and I’m really looking forward to cooking for a group of hungry friends and family. This will also be the first Thanksgiving since the passing of my father Tom McGuire, a long-time member of the Paso Robles wine industry.

He left me his impressive wine cellar, so I will be going wild and pulling fun bottles out of the cellar all night long. One thing I’ve determined this year is that life is short, and you need to live it while you can. So I’ll be pulling all those special bottles we have been holding on to for a “special day.”

He was an allocation member at Saxum for many years, along with Tablas Creek, Villa Creek, and many more. We’ll probably have at least a few 100 point wines on the table at some point. There will definitely be some bottles of Dianthus opened. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times to open a Rosé, and Tablas Creek has long been one of my favorite examples of Rosé.

And as for me...
Typically, my choice is to open the largest bottle I have to hand at Thanksgiving gatherings. There's usually a story behind a big bottle, and the randomness of "just open it" adds a certain amount of pleasurable discovery to the gathering, as well as the festivity that large bottles bring. But this year our group of 10 really only includes five serious wine lovers, so I'm going to go with variety over volume. I've been visiting some local places to stock up, getting a couple of Gamay options at the newly-opened and exciting wine bar Coast Wine in Morro Bay, and a couple of Riesling options at Grapes & Grains here in Paso.

My mom will be one of the people around the table. When I asked her if she had a suggestion, her response was "You know our choices for Thanksgiving better than I do. Let me just say that I hope one of our yummy Grenache wines is included – they go with everything!" So, in honor of my mom, I'll also be opening the Alouette, and serving it chilled.

We'll probably also break into a dessert wine, because if not with a meal like this, when you have a crowd around the table and aren't expected to do anything beyond play games and watch football, when?!? Beyond that, we'll see.

Wherever you are, however you're celebrating, please know that we are thankful for you. May your celebrations be memorable, the wines you open outstanding, and the company even better.