True. That’s why I like going to tastings. It suits my level of commitment. 
For how many people? I’ve got two bottles of champagne, the three syrahs noted above, three more splits of late-harvest for dessert, and a three-liter box of merlot to be mulled… all for me and four guests. 
Yeah, but that’s family for you. I mean, they’ll love you no matter how far into the gutter you sink. Me, I’m Thanksing with coworkers; they already think I’m pretty wack, what with my latest diatrabe against against panda bears (did you ever notice how much Dick Cheney resembles a panda?) and my running commentary on every notice we get from Corporate on how ufcked up they are going to make our lives with their newest bright and shiny policy.
BTW, what’s the “mom and pop” shop that you favor? I tried going to the place up on Raymond but found their prices to be out of control. Bevmo has a nice selection but obviously don’t offer much in the way of amenities or experience.
Stranger
I like the way you think, particularly with the dessert wine, which is my exception to the not liking sweet wine thing. Last year I brought some ice wine for dessert, but it didn’t really go over well.
There will be a dozen of us for Thanksgiving, but only seven drinkers. But my best drinking buddies will be there (my brothers), plus the 'rents will have house guests for the long weekend, so if we don’t go through it all, they’ll use it before the weekend’s up. But I do think you win on a per capita basis.
Mission Wines on Mission in South Pas, east of the train station, west of Fremont. They are a bit pricey, but they’ve got a really interesting selection (even in the $10-15 range, but also some pretty wild stuff if you’re willing to go $20-25), will special order anything, and they have a wine bar to do tastings at. I pretty much go in there with my budget and my druthers, and they make it happen.
A slight hijack of my own OP: Do any of the DC-area Dopers have any wine shops to recommend? preferably in Northern VA. My grocery has an, um, “intermittent” selection (e.g. I’ve found stuff there that I liked, but was never able to find again). I was thinking of hitting Total Beverage but have no clue what kind of service they offer.
Wait, so Campion and Stranger live in my neighborhood? Campion, don’t tell me you take the Gold line in the morning as well (I slink on at Fillmore).
I’m not the type who matches the wine taste to the food. I like certain types of wines and not others.
If you like white zin, you’ll probably like Gewurtztraminer. Riesling might be a bit sweeter than you’re used to. I like Chardonnay. I have two bottles of a well-recommended Rutherford Chardonnay for $10 at BevMo.
For roast beef, a spicy Sirah or Cab would be good. But a good peppery Zin might fit the mood better! Sirahs would be good too. I am on the anti-Merlot kick, lately. It tastes like something is missing. Cabernet Sauvignon and other wines are a blend precisely because vintners found one grape doesn’t make the wine.
For a masterpiece fall meal, I’d do
dry champagne for aperitif
pumpkin soup
spinach salad with caramelized onion
sole with lemon juice with a dry Chardonnay
medallions of turkey in a light honey mustard sauce, with Gewurtztraminer
dry English cheddar cheese with Port
Pears in red wine for dessert
Well, I live about three thousand miles away from “outside Cambridge” But as I work out in San Bernardino (birthplace of Gene Hackman…hey, it ain’t much but you gotta work with what you’ve got.) I don’t take the Gold Line unless I’m going to grab a train to San Fran or want to do a night of heavy drinking in Hollywood…which is to say, practically never. (I tried taking the Metro to LAX once…not a bad ride, but after two hours and 4 changes I started thinking that the SuperShuttle wasn’t a bad value.)
We really need to have an LA County Dopefest sometime (I don’t go behind the Orange Curtain except to dive)…and to tie it every so tenuously back into the OP, it should involve, in some way, shape, or form, fermented alcoholic beverages.
Stranger
Sounds delicious!! What time should I arrive?
Another opinion about wine with turkey:
Also not a wine expert, but may I suggest a nice Pinot Gris or Pinot Grigio? I believe modestly priced versions are available (I don’t have any particular labels to recommend) and I have always found these white wines fruity and pleasant to drink, not too dry or acidic. I think they would suit turkey and the usual sides pretty well, without overpowering any of the flavors of the food. If I were having turkey tomorrow, I believe this would be my choice…