Thanksgiving Dinner Wines. Dilemma? Conundrum?

Hint -- drink whatever the hell you like.

The message that wine writers, columnists and bloggers are emphasizing this week is that Fear of Thanksgiving Wine Choices need not exist. The case is straightforward: Drink what you like, what you’re used to, what you can afford.

Sure, if you’re having a small gathering with people who know a lot about wine and possess experienced palates, by all means open some great wines. Such an occasion is typically not the routine, however, as tribes of aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents assemble for the annual, ritual feast. They just want something pleasant to wash down the turkey and dressing and gravy, the myriad and varied side dishes, the cranberry sauce and so on.

I’m not going to suggest individual wines for you to purchase, but I will mention a few guidelines to help along the way. Note that almost every wine writer in the country offers similar advice. We’re not trying to be original, just helpful.

First, keep it light and simple. Thanksgiving dinner is not the time for complicated, nuanced wines that require contemplation with each sniff and sip.

Second, avoid wines with high alcohol content that feel overripe and overheated. You don’t need a Lodi zinfandel tipping the scale at 15.5 or 16 percent alcohol.

Third, avoid wines with excessive oak or any oak at all. Ask your wine merchant to direct you to wines that don’t bear the stamp of oak aging and its woody, spicy dimensions. If you buy your wine at a grocery or big box store, you won’t get much aid for that issue, unfortunately.

Fourth, do provide wines that are fruity and flavorful. Thanksgiving dinner should be an occasion for enjoyment, conversation — perhaps in a politics-free zone — and fellowship. Make the wines purely enjoyable too.

Without being specific, here are the types of wines I’ll be serving on Thursday.

A rosé from Provence.

A gamay from Willamette Valley.

A riesling from Finger Lakes.

A pinot noir from Anderson Valley.

And a cider from Brittany.

Whatever your choices are, from a boxed pinot grigio to a Burgundy Grand Cru, have a splendid day. In moderation, of course.

Image from chefin.com.au.