Thanksgiving dinner poses an interesting dilemma for the wine-pairing enthusiast: Do the broad variety of flavors from the multitude of side dishes like potatoes, vegetables, stuffing, gravy and cranberries make it impossible to pick one wine that complements everything, or do they just offer more opportunities to get at least one of them to match perfectly?

In my opinion, Thanksgiving dinner is not the occasion to serve a wine of great finesse or nuance. So, forget about that great vintage Bordeaux or delicate pinot noir.

Too many of the side dishes, not to mention a flavorfully roasted turkey, will just overpower these types of wines.

My approach to choosing wine for Thanksgiving is to go for the big red wine. What's more, I like to stick with an American wine to go along with this all-American holiday.

Here's where the big red zinfandels from Sonoma, Paso Robles and other fine California wine regions come to the rescue.

After smothering your plate with big food, you need a big wine to follow up.

The zinfandel grape, also known as America's grape, has so many interesting yet powerful flavors that come through regardless of how eclectic your meal is. Think of dark berries, spices and black pepper when considering zinfandel.

One word of caution, however, when consuming big red zinfandels. Alcohol content in these wines is often equally big, sometimes as high as 18 percent, compared to typical wines having 13 to 14 percent.

The reason is partly out of necessity. The bigger the flavors become, the more the wine has to be balanced, weight-wise, in your mouth, with other components, like alcohol, tannin and acidity.

If you would like to also offer a white wine with Thanksgiving dinner, I suggest a Riesling for its versatility in pairing with many dishes and its ability to cleanse the palate with refreshing acidity.

Riesling is made in both a dry and semisweet style, and this is not always stated on the label. Be sure to check with your wine retailer when selecting the Riesling.

Labels to look for

White: J. Lohr Estates Riesling, Monterey County, 2006. As refreshing as Riesling gets, at a perfect price point. $8.50.

Red: Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel, Rockpile Road Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley, 2005. An elegant mix of fruity sweetness and spice. $35.

— Len Napolitano of the Central Coast is a wine enthusiast who believes the more you understand wine, the more you will enjoy it. He has studied under wine experts in Bordeaux and Burgundy, France, and holds certificates from the Chicago Wine School. Send your questions to wineologist@earthlink.net or to Len Napolitano in care of the Ventura County Star, P.O. Box 6006, Camarillo, CA 93011. Wine-ology is a registered trademark of Len Napolitano.