Thanksgiving is all about good food, great company, and having something delicious in your glass. But with turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin pie all competing for attention, choosing the right drink can feel more complicated than you ever thought. The good news? You don't need a different drink for every dish. The best Thanksgiving drinks are festive, food-friendly, and easy to serve. From sparkling wine and elegant wine cocktails to cozy seasonal mocktails, here are some of the best drinks for Thanksgiving.
The Best Thanksgiving Drinks to Serve
1. Sparkling Wine: The Easiest Thanksgiving Crowd-Pleaser. If you want one drink that works from appetizers through dinner, make it sparkling wine. Champagne, Crémant, Cava, or a good American sparkling wine brings freshness, acidity, and bubbles that work beautifully with rich Thanksgiving dishes. Sparkling wine’s refreshing flavors and bright acidity are especially good with salty appetizers, fried starters, creamy sides, and turkey. Pro tip: Don't save the bubbles only for the toast. Creamy, rich Thanksgiving food loves acidity and freshness.
2. Cranberry Champagne Cocktail: Thanksgiving practically demands cranberry. For an easy festive cocktail, add a little cranberry juice to the champagne glass of your choice and top with chilled sparkling wine. Garnish with fresh cranberries and a small sprig of rosemary. It's so colorful and refreshing and looks far more complicated than it actually is. For a sweeter version, add a small splash of orange liqueur.
3. Apple Cider Bourbon Cocktail: For a cozy Thanksgiving cocktail, bourbon and apple cider are a natural match. Combine bourbon, fresh apple cider, and a squeeze of lemon over ice. Add cinnamon or a thin apple slice for garnish. The bourbon brings warmth, while the cider adds sweetness and seasonal spice. This is one of the best Thanksgiving cocktails for guests who prefer something more spirit-forward.
4. Maple Old Fashioned: Give the classic Old Fashioned a Thanksgiving makeover with maple syrup. Combine bourbon or rye whiskey, a small amount of maple syrup, and bitters. Stir with ice and serve over a large cube; it’s smooth, warming, and perfect for sipping while you prepare dinner with and for your loved ones.
5. Pear & Ginger Cocktail: Want something lighter or a party starter perhaps? Mix pear juice or pear nectar with vodka or gin, fresh lemon juice, and ginger beer. Serve over ice and garnish with a thin pear slice. The combination of fruit, ginger, and acidity makes this one of the fun drinks for Thanksgiving without being overly sweet or calorific.
6. Thanksgiving Sangria: For a larger gathering, sangria is one of the best mixed drinks for Thanksgiving because you can prepare it ahead and keep it ready to go out as your family and friends settle in. Try a white wine version with an aromatic Sauvignon Blanc or a fruit-forward Pinot Grigio, apple slices, pears, oranges, and a splash of apple cider. For a Thanksgiving red wine sangria, use a fruity red wine and add oranges, apples, and cranberries. It's easy, colorful, and ideal for guests who want something casual.
What About Non-Alcoholic Thanksgiving Drinks?
Don't forget the guests who aren't drinking. A cranberry-orange spritz is an easy winner. Combine cranberry juice, fresh orange juice, and sparkling water, then garnish with orange peel and rosemary. You can also make a spiced apple cider mocktail with chilled apple cider, ginger beer, and a squeeze of lemon. These are festive enough to feel like a celebration, not an afterthought.
What Wine Goes Best With Thanksgiving Dinner?
Thanksgiving is one of those meals where wine doesn't have to match one dish perfectly. It needs to work with the entire table. A table wine with its moderate alcohol, fruit-forward flavors, and just enough complexity would be a great match for festive Thanksgiving meals. A bright Pinot Noir is a classic choice because its acidity and moderate tannins complement turkey without overpowering it. Other excellent options include a pretty pink rosé wine, Chardonnay, Riesling, Gamay, Grenache, and sparkling wine. Choose the best Champagne for your Thanksgiving table by exploring this champagne and food pairing guide. If it’s your favorite crowd showing up and your table has cranberry sauce, rich gravy, creamy sides, and plenty of herbs, prioritize acidity and balance over big alcohol or heavy wine tannins.
What Drink Goes Well With Turkey?
Turkey is relatively versatile, so you have plenty of choices. Our wine experts' choices for best wines to enjoy with turkey include Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, or sparkling wine. For cocktails, choose drinks with acidity and moderate sweetness rather than extremely alcohol-heavy or sugary cocktails. A cranberry-based sparkling cocktail would be a good match too, because the acidity and fruitiness complement both the turkey and traditional sides.
Thanksgiving Drinks for a Crowd
If you're hosting, don't make yourself a bartender all evening. Choose one welcome drink, one wine or sparkling option for dinner, and one non-alcoholic drink. All the cocktails and mocktails you choose should be easy to make with minimal yet delicious ingredients. For example:
- Welcome drink - Cranberry Champagne Cocktail
- Wines for Dinner - Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
- Non-alcoholic - Cranberry-Orange Spritz
- After dinner - Port wine
Pro tip: keep plenty of water available throughout the evening. This helps guests stay hydrated and slows down drinking, potentially preventing any unwanted memories from the event.
Thanksgiving Wine Gifts
Going to someone else's Thanksgiving dinner? Wine makes a wonderful host gift, but you don't necessarily need to bring the most expensive bottle. A quality sparkling wine, elegant Pinot Noir, or versatile Chardonnay can be a thoughtful choice. Buying a customizable wine gift basket online is one of the most stylish and thoughtful host gifts to carry. For something more special, consider an engraved wine bottle with a handwritten note.
Final Pour
The best Thanksgiving beverages aren't necessarily the most complicated. They're the ones that make people reach for another glass, complement the food, and keep the celebration flowing. So whether you're pouring champagne, shaking a cranberry cocktail, opening a bottle of Pinot Noir, or serving a sparkling mocktail, choose something festive, fresh, and easy to make and enjoy.Because Thanksgiving isn't really about what's in the glass. It's about who's sitting around the table and the memories that are made.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Should you serve red or white wine at Thanksgiving?
Both! Pinot Noir is one of the best red wines for Thanksgiving because it has enough acidity and relatively light tannins to work with turkey and a wide variety of sides. For white wine, Chardonnay, Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc are excellent choices. If you want one bottle that is particularly versatile, sparkling wine is hard to beat. Here’s a comprehensive guid to best wine for Thanksgiving.
2. Is Champagne good for Thanksgiving?
Absolutely. Champagne is excellent with Thanksgiving because its acidity and bubbles refresh the palate and balance rich, salty, and creamy foods. It also works beautifully as an aperitif before dinner. See our guide to the best Champagne for Thanksgiving for bottles and styles to consider.
3. What's a good non-alcoholic drink for Thanksgiving?
A cranberry-orange spritz is one of the easiest options. Mix cranberry juice and fresh orange juice with sparkling water and garnish with rosemary and orange peel. Apple cider with ginger beer is another festive choice.
4. What wine should I bring as a guest to Thanksgiving dinner?
When in doubt, bring a versatile bottle rather than an extremely bold wine.vPinot Noir, Chardonnay, or sparkling wine are all safe choices. If you know the host's preferences, choose something they'll enjoy rather than focusing only on food pairing and if you're bringing wine as a gift, don't assume the host has to open it that evening; make it clear that it's for them to enjoy whenever they choose.