The Unfussy, Inexpensive Wine I Serve Every Thanksgiving

Planning a Thanksgiving meal is a lot of work. Don’t get me wrong; I love it, but I’m also a passionately detail-oriented chef who has trouble outsourcing any aspect of the meal. When people ask me what they can bring to contribute, I struggle to find a dish I’m willing to relinquish control of. Dessert? I make the same two pies every year. Mashed potatoes? I have strong feelings. And don’t even try to come near my classic white bread stuffing. 

Over time, I’ve discovered that the one area of the meal where I can turn over the reins is drinks. I’m happy to let guests bring what they like to drink, so I don’t have to worry about pleasing the entire crowd’s tastes. My type-A personality will not allow me to do nothing in this department, though, so I always have a backup on hand, just in case we run out of wine, or someone doesn’t like what the other guests have brought. The perfect backup beverage for my Thanksgiving feast, and what I’ve turned to year after year, is the humble Bota Box chardonnay. 

I turn to this box of wine every year for a few reasons.