How to Buy Wine for a Dinner Party, Big or Small

Don’t panic! Get yourself to a local wine shop. Your complete guide to planning wine for Thanksgiving or any dinner party.

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The turkey is brining and you’ve made pie dough. You’ve been to the farmer’s market for potatoes and pumpkins. You’ve washed the linens and brought the table extension out of storage. Planning Thanksgiving at your own home is a lot. You’d be forgiven for forgetting wine.

It’s not too late! I beg you not to give in to the temptation of the bargain aisle at the supermarket as you run in for a last-minute fix of corn syrup. Take the extra fifteen minutes to pop into your local wine shop and ask for help. That’s where the wine nerds work and answering your questions on what to pair with turkey and cranberry sauce is what they live for.  

Aside from what wines to buy, there are a few things to consider when planning wine for Thanksgiving, or a dinner party of any size, any time of year. Here is your guide on how to handle several conundrums so you come into the main event, relaxed and prepared with glasses full of the good stuff.

How many types of wine should I serve?

One white and one red with an optional sparkling.

White kind of wine should I serve?

Versatile, food friendly, crowd pleasing.

If you can afford it, this is the time to step up one level from, say under $20 a bottle to the $20 - $30 range, or from $30 to $40. There are amazing values to be had out there at $20 - $40 a bottle. Get some help from a trusted wine shop and you can feel confident that you will be drinking well.

If you have something special you have been saving and want to break it out, go for it – it’s your holiday too. That being said, almost guaranteed not everyone at your table will appreciate that fancy Pinot from your anniversary trip to Sonoma a few years back (looking at you, Aunt June*). I’m not above keeping a secret stash in a bedroom and sending private whisper messages to those allowed to partake.

*Not my real aunt

How many bottles should I buy?

I’ve ordered wine for dinner parties with as few as four guests and charity dinners with over 300 people. Here is my formula. Simple math that can be scaled up or down as needed.

*1.5 glasses of wine for every wine drinker for every hour of drinking*

First the basics:

1 bottle of wine (750ml) = 5 glasses

1 bottle of Champagne or sparkling (750ml) = 6 - 7 glasses (depends on if you are going for a full pour or more of a welcome toast)

1. Know how many wine drinkers you have coming. If Cousin Luke only drinks beer, subtract him from the count. But if Grandpa Joe only drinks a glass and Aunt June drinks like a fish, count them each as one wine drinker – it will average out.

2. Next ask yourself, how many hours will people likely be drinking? Some families come just for dinner, others come early and stay late. You want to factor 1.5 glasses of wine per person per hour of hanging.

3. If you have a smaller group, you are going to want a minimum of two bottles each of the same white and red. This is so if anyone wants a second glass, or a top up on their current glass, you have continuity. It will also be a lot easier for you as a host.

4. Sparkling or Champagne to start is optional, but who doesn’t want some bubbles to get into the festive feeling? You will find different calculations out there for glasses per bottle. I factor 7 per bottle for a toast, 6 for a full pour. Like the red and white, even if your group is small, it never hurts to have a bottle in reserve.

Let’s take a hypothetical:

I’m hosting dinner for 14. Of the eight adults, seven will drink wine. We are telling people to come at noon for a 2pm meal.

Assuming people come on time and linger after, I’d plan for 4 hours of wine drinking time.

1.5 glasses per hour x 7 wine drinkers x 4 hours = 42 glasses

With sparkling:

2 bottles sparkling (12 – 14 glasses)

3 bottles white (15 glasses)

3 bottles red (15 glasses)

Without Sparkling:

4 bottles white (20 glasses)

5 bottles of red (25 glasses)

This is the basic formula. However, you know your family and friends best. If Aunt June drinks white wine like water, you might want to throw in an extra bottle to the white column - or ask her to bring her own!

Help! I’m out of refrigerator space and need to chill the white wine!

Do you have a bucket or large bowl? Fill it with ice water and stick the bottles in. They will be cold in 30 minutes and ready to go. This bowl can double as a service station for beverages if you choose. Place it on a credenza or side table covered with a nice towel or tablecloth to catch drips, and guests can self-serve.

How many types of wine glasses do I need?

One – because who really needs to do more dishes on Thanksgiving?

Friend and legendary wine writer Jancis Robinson is on such a mission to let people know they only need one glass, that she developed her own. And yes, you can drink Champagne from a regular wine glass too. If you don’t have quite enough stemware for everyone, don’t discount juice tumblers – call it a bistro/tapas bar vibe.

What if I’m the guest? What type of wine do I bring?

Generally, if bringing wine to a party, I look for one that is for the host to drink on their own, on a quiet night when not entertaining. Yes, you can go for a “gifty” Bordeaux, if that is the sort of thing that would impress your host. Personally, I find something with a story to leave a bigger impression. If you took a trip to Greece last year and fell in love the wines of Santorini, seek out a bottle from the island and let your host know why you thought they would love it as much as you. Or, lean on your trusty wine retailer. People who work in wine shops like little more than being asked, what are you loving right now? Anything new or interesting to recommend?

No really, what wine should I buy for Thanksgiving?

If you are looking for a value alternative to Champagne, seek out wines labeled crémant in the sparking section. These are French wines made in the champagne method that you can usually find for under $30. If you are fan of blanc de blanc, a crémant de Bourgogne, is likely to be 100% chardonnay but at a much better price than Champagne. Alternatively, I love the wines of Franciacorta, the “Champagne of Italy”. Ca’ del Bosco comes in a pretty pink wrapper and makes for a lovely hostess gift too.

For a single white that will take you from pre-dinner to mealtime, you want something medium bodied with good acidity. Sauvignon Blanc drinkers can look for a nice Sancerre or a premium California example like Merry Edwards or Long Meadow Ranch. If you really want Chardonnay, I’d go for an unoaked California Chardonnay or a good Chablis. There are good values to be had these days with Petit Chablis or if you have a bit more to spend, look for a Premier Cru like the elegant Vaillons.

For reds, avoid too much oak and too many tannins. This is a time for reds with good structure and balanced acidity that don’t need to be decanted – your table is full enough already. Reds of Piedmont in Northern Italy hit the sweet spot for me in that calculation – think and easy Langhe Nebbiolo or Barbera d’Alba. My go-to for turkey is a Cru Beaujolais from France. No, this is not the silly, sweet Nouveau you see advertised this time every year, these are the more serious wines made from the Gamay grape. Done well, it is the perfect medium bodied, fruity, mineral, structured wine for a holiday meal. Of the ten “crus”, the ones with the most quality producers that are easiest to find in the US are Morgon and Fleurie (I also love Moulin-a-Vent, but save that one for slightly heartier fare).

In the end, you should drink what you like. If Barolo is what does it for you, or New Zealand Pinots, by all means, open it up. Something has to get you through dinner with Aunt June!

Thanks to all of you for reading Californiavore. I hope your holidays have tables full of food, wine and laughter.