With the holiday season upon us, drinks retailers are gearing up to maximize sales, focusing in on the wine category in particular for the Thanksgiving holiday. “Thanksgiving sales are very important as it’s the first holiday in many months where people spend big money on wine,” says Ian Aker, owner, Summerland Wine & Spirits in Summerland Key, Florida.
Pinot Noir sales tend to pop at Summerland ahead of Thanksgiving, with top sellers including A to Z Oregon Pinot Noir ($20 a 750-ml.), Belle Glos Clark & Telephone Pinot Noir ($40), Mark West Pinot Noir ($10), and Meiomi ($18). On the higher end, sales of Caymus Napa Cabernet ($80) are usually up. “We also increase the frequency of wine tastings leading up to holidays,” he says.
“Thanksgiving is a key kickoff and one of the top wine weeks of the year,” says Jon Halper, co-owner of 15-unit retailer Top Ten Liquors in Minneapolis and St. Paul. “It’s an important momentum builder for December. Customers stock up for gatherings, and it brings new shoppers into our loyalty program.”
Top Ten stores’ end caps are built around holiday wine pairing ideas. The stores also have a ‘better than the national brands’ private-label comparison approach and member-exclusive pricing on key holiday wines. “We lean into trial and education every Friday and Saturday and our on-site wine expert hand-picks our Buyer’s Select wines offering a premium taste at a value price,” Halper says.
Popular Thanksgiving wines at Top Ten include Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc ($16), Les Cardonnieres Provence Rosé ($15), and Klinker Brick Old Vine Zinfandel ($18). “We see a meaningful bump in rosé because it pairs well with turkey and sides,” Halper says.
“We expect a solid but value-conscious holiday season,” he continues. “We’re seeing strong interest in wines under $20 delivering restaurant-level quality, and we’re leaning into real-world recommendations over hype. Our customers are gravitating toward $15–$25 a 750-ml. for everyday wines, and $25–$50 for holiday and entertaining bottles. Value still matters, but consumers want quality they can trust.”
In Hoboken, New Jersey, Sparrow Wine & Liquor owner and wine director Armando Luis is promoting ‘The Wines of Turkey,’ including labels like 2023 Catena Chardonnay, Mendoza, Argentina ($19 a 750-ml.), 2022 Provenance Merlot Napa Valley ($25), 2022 Joel Gott Cabernet Sauvignon 815 ($16), and 2023 Trefethen Dry Riesling ($25). “We keep it under $30 and mostly under $20,” says Luis. “We promote a day to enjoy wine, not impress with wine.”
At McCabes Wine & Spirits in Manhattan, light red wines are popular Thanksgiving wines. “Pinot Noir, especially from Oregon and Burgundy, and Beaujolais Gamay always lead the charge,” says store owner Daniel Mesznik. Light red wines featured at McCabes this holiday season include Big Table Farm Pinot Noir ($68), Jerome Fornerot Bourgogne Pinot Noir Vieille Vignes ($36), Jean Foillard Beaujolais-Villages ($36), Burlotto Verduno Pelaverga ($44), and Domaine Vincent Prunier Passetoutgrain ($25), a mix of Pinot Noir and Gamay.
“It’s a party at McCabes during the build-up to Thanksgiving, and it’s most certainly among our busiest times of year,” Mesznik says. “We’re fortunate to be holding our own and we’ve continued growing our online sales.”
