28 November 2025

Wine with Turkey: What Wine Goes with Turkey?

When we talk about turkey at Christmas time, we are indeed talking about a roast turkey – and a roast is always more than just its centrepiece. Think stuffing, roast tatties, cranberry sauce, rich gravy and a whole host of festive veg. It’s a spectacular feast, full of flavour, variety and texture. A spread that takes this much effort to pull together deserves a little thought when choosing the wines that will complement it best.

General Tips for Pairing Wine with Turkey

Turkey is a lean meat, but still full of flavour, especially in the legs. (Its low fat content is also why turkey can become dry if overcooked. The number-one tip when selecting wine for turkey is to avoid excessive tannin. With a low-fat meat like turkey, high-tannin wines can seem harsher and more pronounced.

And don’t forget: turkey served with gravy, roast potatoes or mash and stuffing tends to be fairly salty. Wines with good fruit, fresh acidity and gentle tannins tend to work best alongside those savoury, comforting flavours.

What Wine Goes with Turkey?

A good place to start when you’re hunting down the ultimate roast turkey wine pairing is to identify some of the best grape varieties.

We know we are looking for a wine where the tannins aren’t too marked. It’s also a good plan to have a wine that has a good crunch of acidity. Acidity may not always sound inviting but it is a core part of wine, and acidity is your best friend when you have a meal that’s full to bursting with diverse flavours and textures.

With this in mind, our top three (and not exclusive!) list of red grapes to consider pairing with your turkey this Christmas are Pinot Noir, Tempranillo, Beaujolais, Sangiovese and Grenache and for whites Chardonnay, Riesling and Gewurztraminer can all work well.

Why these red grapes pair beautifully with turkey

• Pinot Noir – Light, silky and aromatic, it won’t overpower the meat. Its red-berry freshness cuts through the richness of the trimmings.
• Tempranillo – A touch more structure, with soft tannins and warm spice. Great with roasted flavours and herb-stuffed turkey.
• Beaujolais / Cru Beaujolais – Juicy, vibrant and low in tannin, it lifts turkey’s mild flavour and pairs brilliantly with cranberry and stuffing.
• Sangiovese – Bright acidity and cherry-led fruit make it perfect for balancing all the savoury, herby, festive sides.
• Grenache / Garnacha – Soft, warm and red-fruited with a gentle spice that meshes beautifully with roasted turkey and sweet–savory sides.

Why these white grapes complement turkey so well

• Chardonnay – Rich enough to stand up to all the trimmings, yet still elegant. Works especially well if the turkey is roasted with butter or herbs.
• Riesling – High acidity keeps things lively, and a touch of sweetness (if present) pairs wonderfully with cranberry sauce.
• Gewürztraminer – Aromatic, floral and lightly spicy — a brilliant match for festive flavours and stuffing with warm spices.

Six Red Wine Ideas for Turkey

The low-tannin red wines are ideal for bringing out the light flavours of the meat, but without overpowering it with sweetness. Lush, fruity reds are our recommendation for the best pairings of red wine with turkey.

Two organic Pinot Noir wines to consider:

With its vibrant red cherry, wild berry and delicate floral notes backed by gentle spice, silky tannins and whisper of earthiness, Michel Magnien’s Coteaux Bourguignons Pinot Noir tops the list this year for a recommended Pinot Noir for Christmas turkey – you won’t be disappointed.

Sleek, stylish, full of ripe berry fruit and with a refreshing underscore of acidity, Walnut Block’s Nutcracker Pinot Noir from New Zealand is a fantastic choice.

Other excellent reds for turkey this year:

Viña Ijalba Rioja Crianza’s bright red-berry fruit and gentle vanilla spice cut beautifully through turkey’s mild, lean meat, adding lift without overpowering it. Its supple tannins and mellow oak bring just enough warmth to match classic roast trimmings.

For a Beaujolais, Château de La Chaize’s AOP Brouilly is a bright, silky Gamay with low tannins, so it won’t swamp turkey’s delicate flavour. Its vivid red-berry fruit and gentle floral lift bring freshness to richer sides like stuffing, gravy and cranberry sauce.

Sangiovese is such a great grape for food matching. It rarely disappoints. We love Barone Pizzini’s Rosso dei Poderi, which has the structure and breadth to be a winner for Christmas lunch.

White Wine Ideas for Roast Turkey

Where to start?! There are so many white wines that we would recommend here. Two key things to bear in mind are weight and structure. Remember all those flavours you’re bringing to the table? Your white must be able to hold its own! And if you’re serving bread sauce, even better – its creamy, gently spiced character pairs beautifully with fuller, textured whites like Chardonnay, Viognier or Pinot Blanc, which complement the richness without overwhelming the turkey.

Two Chardonnays

Chablis is a classic choice for a reason. The best Chablis wines are a thrill to drink and add more than a splash of sophistication to anybody’s turkey. We’ve been working with Domaine Philippe Goulley for a very long time and have no hesitation in suggesting his Chablis Premier Cru Montmains to you.

For another Chardonnay for turkey, Domaine Bousquet’s Reserve Chardonnay is a lovely ‘New World’ Chardonnay with plenty of richness. Made from the best plots only, 50% of the wine is blended in French oak and 50% in stainless steel for the perfect buttery balance.

A lovely Gewurz and Riesling

Gewurztraminer and Rieslings are both considered more aromatic grapes, and thus the richer flavours of these wines can be well suited to a plate full of Christmas trimmings. With its distinct lychee, orange rind and floral character, André Stentz’s Alsace Gewurztraminer is a real treat for the senses.

For a Riesling, consider the Theodorus Riesling Trocken, a delicious off-dry Pfalz Riesling with wonderfully complex flavours that would stand up to roast turkey and all the sides (or roast pork as well).

A white Tempranillo?

We’ve recommended some red Tempranillos, but you might not be expecting a Tempranillo Blanco (yep that’s white Tempranillo in English!). Again, this is from Viña Ijalba, who have chosen to age the wine in American oak barrels, giving it a lavish mouthfeel and good weight.

What about sparkling wines?

Don’t rule out sparkling wines for your xmas turkey – in fact, a good sparkling wine can be a brilliant festive partner. If you fancy something a little different, try a sparkling rosé. Champagne Fleury Rosé is as pretty as holly berries in the glass, with real depth on the palate and a fine, cleansing acidity that cuts effortlessly through richer, fattier bites on the plate.

For a more modestly priced option, Giol’s Luisa Rosé Frizzante is fresh, joyful and dangerously drinkable. And truth be told, most quality sparkling wines are wonderfully food-friendly – so if it fizzes, there’s a very good chance it’ll flatter your Christmas bird.

Turkey Leftovers… adding a bit of wine bling!

Jamie Oliver has a great blog, entitled “12 ways to use up leftover turkey”. For fun, here is a wine recommendation for seven of the recipes.

His oozy and comforting turkey risotto calls for Prosecco, so what better pairing than a Prosecco to go with it? Giol’s Prosecco Frizzante is always a good choice.

The ultimate toad in the hole. Serve with the ripe and juicy Rioja Tempranillo from Vina Ijalba for the ultimate gastro / vinous hug!

Warm turkey salad: This is the sort of supper that calls for something fruity and lighter, look no further than Domaine Rousset’s Rosé Fruité

Old school turkey stew is a wholesome, warming dish that will shine with a glass of Château Rochecolombe Côtes du Rhone, which just oozes deliciousness.

Leftover turkey banh mi is really a Vietnamese sandwich! Rather than wine, why not try the flavoursome Arrogant Frog Orange wine from Paul in the Languedoc?

Sloppy Joes – Christmas style. For this we were looking for a red wine that was effortlessly tasty and could think of no better a wine than Domaine Bousquet’s Malbec. A great pairing.

Family-friendly festive turkey pie. Our top-choice for this recipe is the charming Montmija Chardonnay for a soothing, post-party night in.

Turkey is a Christmas staple for many households, and having the right wine to match it lets this festive centrepiece truly shine! We hope we’ve given you some good ‘food for thought’ here – and a cheers to thinking & drinking organic! 

Still not sure?

📞 If you’re still unsure what to choose, you can always call or email one of our wine advisors – available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm – for friendly, personalised recommendations.