Bringing Wine to Thanksgiving Dinner?

Catherine Anderson has a goal when she teaches wine classes. She wants everyone to walk away having learned something they did not know when they walked in. On Tuesday night, the attendees at the Rialto Square Theatre Festival of the Vine learned a number of things. Anderson explained that a plate of food on Thanksgiving probably has one or two slices of turkey, but the rest of the plate is filled with a variety of side dishes.

"When you're going to serve your wines or pair it, pair it with your foods, not with your turkey," she said.

She highlighted certain spices like cinnamon, nutmeg or thyme as good starting points. She even recommended a specific brand.

"Columbia Crest Chardonnay always has a hint of nutmeg in it," she said.

Anderson, who lives in Oswego, also gave some basics for pairing wines with food.

"There are two ways to pair wine, compliment or contrast," she said.

She also said the color of the wine can change the spiciness of a dish.

"White wine makes a dish less spicy, red more spicy," Anderson said.