Whether you’re an American abroad or you’re just looking for an excuse to overindulge, Thanksgiving (23 November) is a day to enjoy the finer things in life: good food, good wine and good company.

If you plan to host a dinner at home, you’ve probably already crafted the perfect menu – but don’t forget to put equal effort into your wine selection. A good wine can only enhance a meal, while a bad one can leave an unpleasant aftertaste.  

If you find yourself wondering which bottle to pair with your traditional turkey dinner, American wine master Randy Ullom, from the California-based Kendall-Jackson winery, has some tips.

“Zinfandel is quite nice with turkey, but pairing a Riesling with the turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and side dishes is a lot of fun because it’s a spicy wine to go with the spices of Thanksgiving,” said Ullom, who was in Hong Kong recently to promote Kendall-Jackson’s wines.

Ullom attended an early Thanksgiving lunch at Beefbar in Central, during which a range of courses were paired with different Kendall-Jackson offerings. Starting off strong, the first glass on the menu was the winery’s famous Vintner’s Reserve, which has been the best-selling chardonnay in the US for 25 years.

Speaking to its success, Ullom said, “We make a wine that people enjoy. They don’t need a PhD to understand it. It’s a wine that over-delivers on the quality for the price. It smells and tastes really good; it’s mouth-filling, creamy and fulfilling; and it has a nice, long finish.”

The chardonnay was paired with Beefbar’s amberjack carpaccio with wasabi dressing and coriander cress, but Ullom said chardonnay complements any white or rich fish.

Next up was a Hokkaido scallop carpaccio served in a spicy ponzu sauce, paired with Chardonnay Grand Reserve 2015.

“Scallop, crab and lobster are the richer shellfish, and they go great with our Grand Reserve chardonnay,” Ullom said.

For earthy or smoky dishes – like Beefbar’s homemade tagliolini with porcini mushrooms – Ullom recommends serving a pinot noir.  And when it comes to beef, one can’t go wrong with cabernet sauvignon, Ullom said.

Kendall-Jackson Wines, a family-owned business under the umbrella company Jackson Family Wines, recently celebrated its 35th anniversary. The brand now owns 12,800 acres of vineyard land in six coastal Californian counties.

Locally, Kendall-Jackson wines can be found at a number of retail shops, including City Super, 3hreesixty, Oliver’s, The Bottle Shop and more.

Text: Emily Petsko