Piedmont Thanksgiving: 6 Italian Wines for Every Course of the 2026 Table

Thanksgiving 2026 falls on Thursday, November 26, and the wine on most American tables will be the same Pinot Noir and Zinfandel as last year. That is a missed opportunity. Piedmont, the hill country of northwest Italy, makes a wine for every stage of the meal: a crisp white for the appetizers, a juicy red built for turkey and gravy, a serious red for the carving board, and a 5.5% alcohol sparkler for the pie. Here is how to set the whole table with six bottles from Duchessa Lia, our Piedmont partner winery.

Key Takeaways

• Barbera d'Asti is the turkey wine. High acidity and soft tannins handle white meat, dark meat, gravy and cranberry at once.
• Gavi opens the meal. Crisp and saline, it suits cheese boards, shrimp cocktail and the guest who only drinks white.
• Nebbiolo d'Alba is the crowd-pleaser red for the sides: mushrooms, stuffing and roasted squash.
• Barolo and Barbaresco are for the carving board and the second-day leftovers, especially braised or roast meats.
• Moscato d'Asti, Gold and 95 points at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2026, is the pie wine, at just 5.5% alcohol.

What Is the Best Italian Red Wine to Pair With Turkey?

Barbera. Turkey is lean, the sides are rich, and cranberry sauce is sharp and sweet. That combination punishes big, tannic reds: tannin plus lean white meat tastes dry and bitter, and heavy oak fights the herbs in the stuffing. Barbera has the opposite profile. It is naturally high in acidity with soft, low tannins, so it refreshes the palate after gravy and butter without drying out the breast meat.

That is also why Barbera behaves like the Italian answer to Pinot Noir on Thanksgiving: bright red fruit, enough body to stand up to dark meat, and no sharp edges. If you only buy one Italian red for the day, buy Barbera d'Asti.

6 Piedmont Wines for Every Course of the Thanksgiving Table

1. Gavi DOCG: for the appetizers and the white-wine drinkers

Made from the Cortese grape in southeast Piedmont, Gavi is linear and crisp, with white flowers, green apple, citrus zest and a flinty, saline finish. It is the wine to pour while people arrive, and it keeps working at the table for anyone who will not touch red.

• Pair with: shrimp cocktail, deviled eggs, a cheese board with fresh goat cheese, oyster stuffing.
• Serve at: about 50°F (10°C). Out of the fridge 10 minutes before pouring.

2. Barbera d'Asti DOCG: the turkey and gravy wine

Deep ruby with ripe black cherry, soft tannins and mouthwatering acidity, Barbera d'Asti is Piedmont's everyday red. On Thanksgiving it is the workhorse. Its acidity cuts through gravy and buttery mashed potatoes, and its fruit meets cranberry sauce halfway instead of clashing with it.

• Pair with: roast turkey with gravy, cranberry sauce, glazed ham, sausage stuffing.
• Serve at: 60 to 64°F (16 to 18°C). A slight chill makes it even fresher with the meal. No decanting needed.

3. Nebbiolo d'Alba DOC: the sides, the stuffing and the mushrooms

Nebbiolo d'Alba is the same grape as Barolo, grown across a broader zone around Alba and ready to drink on release. It brings violet, wild strawberry and an earthy, savory note that loves mushrooms, sage and roasted root vegetables. Its tannins are gentler than Barolo's, so it will not overwhelm white meat. We compared the two styles in detail in Nebbiolo d'Alba vs. Barolo by the glass.

• Pair with: mushroom and sage stuffing, wild rice, roasted butternut squash, green bean casserole, dark meat.
• Serve at: 64 to 68°F (18 to 20°C).

4. Barbaresco DOCG: for the host who roasts something besides turkey

More and more American tables add a second protein: a prime rib, a pork loin, a roast duck. Barbaresco, grown just across the Tanaro River from Barolo, shows the silkier side of Nebbiolo, with tobacco, red currant and fine-grained tannins. It has the structure for red meat and the elegance to sit beside turkey without bullying it.

• Pair with: roast pork loin, duck, prime rib, aged cheeses after the main course.
• Serve at: 64 to 68°F (18 to 20°C). Open it an hour ahead.

5. Barolo DOCG: the showpiece, and the best leftovers wine

Barolo is 100% Nebbiolo from a tightly defined area of the Langhe hills, and it is the bottle that turns Thanksgiving into an occasion. Duchessa Lia's Barolo is garnet with age, with dried rose, black cherry, spice and worked leather, and firm tannins backed by bright acidity. The winery's own notes name braised meats, game and aged Parmigiano-Reggiano as its ideal partners, which makes it perfect for the beef course, the cheese course, and Friday's turkey ragù.

• Pair with: braised short ribs, beef tenderloin, aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, a leftover-turkey and mushroom ragù.
• Serve at: about 64°F (18°C). Decant for two to three hours if the wine is young. Our Barolo serving guide covers glasses and timing.

6. Moscato d'Asti DOCG: the pie wine

Most Thanksgiving desserts are too sweet for the dry red left in the glass. Duchessa Lia's Moscato d'Asti, awarded Gold and 95 points at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2026, solves that. It is lightly sparkling, delicately sweet and only 5.5% alcohol, with white peach, orange blossom and honeyed apricot. After a long meal, that low alcohol is a gift to every guest who still has to drive home.

• Pair with: apple pie, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, pear tart, aged Gorgonzola.
• Serve at: 46 to 50°F (8 to 10°C).

Does Prosecco Go Well With Turkey?

Dry sparkling wine is a smart Thanksgiving opener, and bubbles do work with turkey: the acidity and carbonation scrub the palate between rich bites. But Prosecco is lighter-bodied than most of the plate. If you want one Italian bottle with bubbles, put it at the two ends of the meal instead: something dry and crisp with the appetizers, and Moscato d'Asti with dessert. For the main course, Barbera and Nebbiolo carry more weight.

How Much Wine Do You Need for Thanksgiving?

A standard 750 ml bottle pours about five glasses. A practical rule for a long holiday meal is one bottle for every two adult guests, split across styles. For a table of 12 adults, that means:

• 2 bottles of Gavi for arrivals and the white-wine drinkers
• 3 bottles of Barbera d'Asti for the turkey
• 1 bottle of Nebbiolo d'Alba for the sides
• 1 bottle of Barolo or Barbaresco for the showpiece moment
• 1 or 2 bottles of Moscato d'Asti for dessert, depending on how many pies are on the table

Buy early. In some states, retail wine sales close on Thanksgiving Day itself (Tennessee is one), so check your local rules before the holiday week.

What Kind of Wine Pairs Well With Italian Food at Thanksgiving?

Plenty of American families serve a pasta course or lasagna alongside the turkey, a tradition that runs deep in Italian American households. The Piedmont lineup covers it naturally. Barbera d'Asti is the classic red with tomato sauce, because its acidity matches the tomato's. Nebbiolo d'Alba handles meat ragù and baked pasta. Gavi is the white for a seafood antipasto or a cream sauce.

For Retailers and Restaurants: Why Piedmont Belongs in Your November Plan

Italy remains the largest wine supplier to the United States by volume, shipping 170.2 million liters in the first half of 2026, even as average prices per liter fell. Shoppers are still buying Italian; they are simply more careful about value. A Piedmont Thanksgiving set gives a retailer an easy endcap story ("one region, every course") and gives a restaurant a holiday pairing menu that moves wines by the glass across the whole meal, not just one red.

Duchessa Lia's range is in stock in the U.S. and ready to ship to all 50 states from our warehouse, so November orders do not wait on a container from Genoa. Beyond Piedmont, our portfolio includes more than 600 wines rated 90 points or higher, including the Decanter Platinum 97-point Manzanos 125 Aniversario and the Manzanos Gran Reserva Rioja 2015 at 95 points from Wine Enthusiast, for the Spanish side of the holiday shelf. Five generations of the Fernández de Manzanos family, making wine since 1890, stand behind every bottle we import. For buyers planning the season, our Q4 wine list guide covers the timing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best Italian red wine to pair with turkey?

Barbera, especially Barbera d'Asti. Its high acidity and soft tannins suit lean turkey, rich gravy and tart cranberry sauce at the same time. Nebbiolo d'Alba is the second choice when the sides lean earthy, with mushrooms and sage.

Which wine is best for Thanksgiving dinner?

The best Thanksgiving wines are high in acidity and moderate in tannin and oak, because the meal mixes lean meat, rich sides and sweet-tart flavors. Barbera, Pinot Noir, Gamay and dry sparkling wine all fit. From Piedmont, a Gavi, a Barbera d'Asti and a Moscato d'Asti cover the full meal.

Is Barolo good with Thanksgiving turkey?

Barolo is powerful and tannic, so it can overwhelm turkey breast on its own. It shines with dark meat, a second roast such as beef or duck, aged cheeses and leftover-turkey ragù. Decant it two to three hours ahead.

What wine goes with pumpkin pie?

A lightly sweet, aromatic wine like Moscato d'Asti. Its orange blossom and apricot notes echo the spice in pumpkin pie, its sweetness matches the dessert instead of making it taste bitter, and its 5.5% alcohol keeps the end of a long meal light.

Find Duchessa Lia Near You, or Stock It

Shopping for your own table? Use our Find Our Wines locator to see where our wines are sold near you. Our portfolio is carried by retailers including Costco, Total Wine & More, Spec's, BevMo!, Binny's and Hy-Vee (selection varies by store and state).

Retailer, restaurant or distributor? Browse our wines or become a distributor to bring Duchessa Lia's Piedmont lineup to your market in time for the holidays.

Manzanos Wines USA is the premier importer of premium wines from Spain, Italy, Chile, South Africa, and France, serving all 50 US states through our nationwide distributor network. Learn more at manzanoswinesusa.com.

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