Thanksgiving Day 2026 Drink Timeline: What to Pour From Noon to Midnight — 8 In-Stock Bottles from $14.99
Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 26 this year, and most drink guides stop at what to pour with the turkey. A real Thanksgiving is a nine-hour day, and the host usually has to think about drinks at least five times: when the first guests arrive, while the bird is in the oven, at the table, with the pie and long after the plates are cleared. This guide runs the day hour by hour with eight in-stock bottles from $14.99 to $44.99, using live prices. If you already have the wine sorted, our Thanksgiving wine guide covers the pairings in depth, and our Thanksgiving cocktail guide has batch drinks. This post is about pacing. A signature from an adult aged 21 or older is required at delivery.
The 8 bottles in this Thanksgiving timeline
Noon to 2 p.m.: something light for arrivals
The first hour is for greeting people, so the drink should be cold, low effort and easy to refill. La Gioiosa Prosecco Treviso ($14.99) is a dry Italian sparkling wine at a price that lets you open a bottle for every few guests. Pour it plain, or add a splash of cranberry juice for a pink drink that suits the season. Sparkling wine also works because it is not heavy, and nobody is full yet. Browse the sparkling wine collection if you want more than one choice, and our holiday party quantity guide shows how many bottles to buy for a group.
2 to 4 p.m.: the cook’s drink
The person in the kitchen usually gets the shortest break and the least attention, so keep a single good bottle near the stove. Woodford Reserve Straight Bourbon ($44.99) is smooth, with dried fruit, vanilla and a little spice, and one ounce over a large ice cube is plenty while you baste. If you plan to make drinks for several people, Bulleit Bourbon ($37.99) has a spicier, rye-heavy profile that holds up in an Old Fashioned, and we cover that and four other batch recipes in our cocktail guide. For a longer look at bourbon through the whole meal, see our Thanksgiving bourbon guide. Browse the bourbon collection and the whiskey collection for other bottles.
4 to 6 p.m.: the table
Thanksgiving dinner is hard on wine because it has sweet, salty, rich and tart foods on one plate. The two safest answers are a fruity red and an off-dry white. Annabella Pinot Noir ($18.99) is a light red with red fruit and soft tannin, which suits turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce. Bassermann-Jordan Riesling ($17.99) comes from Germany’s Pfalz region, and the combination of ripe fruit and bright acidity is helpful with sweet potatoes and gravy. Put both bottles on the table and let guests choose. See our Pinot Noir collection and Riesling collection for more, and our Friendsgiving guide if you are hosting a second, more casual dinner.
6 to 8 p.m.: pie and a fortified wine
Dessert is where many hosts run out of ideas. A glass of port is a classic answer, because its sweetness stands up to pecan pie and its dark fruit suits pumpkin. Graham’s Port Six Grapes Special Old Vines Edition ($34.99) is a rich Portuguese port that is meant to be poured in small glasses, about two ounces each. An opened bottle of port keeps for a few weeks, so it also works for the weekend. Our after-dinner drinks guide has more ideas, and the port collection lists other bottles.
After 9 p.m.: coffee, leftovers and the last guests
The last hours are quiet and slow. Frangelico Hazelnut Liqueur ($39.99) is a sweet, nutty liqueur that goes well in coffee or hot chocolate, and a splash over vanilla ice cream makes a fast dessert. If a guest wants something stronger, Knob Creek Bourbon 9 Year (375ml) ($26.99) is a half-size bottle of a 100 proof bourbon with oak and caramel, and it makes a handy gift for a host or a relative who is staying over. See the liqueur collection for other sweet choices.
A short checklist for the day before
Chill the prosecco and the Riesling on Wednesday night, since a refrigerator needs several hours to do the job properly. Pull the Pinot Noir out of the cupboard about thirty minutes before dinner and, if the room is warm, put it in the fridge for fifteen minutes so it is cool rather than warm. Make a tray of ice cubes, or buy a bag, because one large cube per bourbon glass melts slowly and keeps the drink from tasting watery. Set out small glasses for the port, a pitcher of water and a bowl of nuts. Finally, designate a driver or arrange rides before anyone pours the first glass, which is far easier to do at noon than at midnight.
How much to buy
A simple rule is to plan on one drink per guest for each hour of the day, then adjust for how many people drink at all. A 750ml bottle of wine pours about five glasses, and a bottle of spirits pours about seventeen standard 1.5 ounce drinks. For ten guests, two bottles of sparkling wine, three bottles of still wine, one bottle of bourbon and one of port is a good starting point. Always have non-alcoholic choices, including sparkling cider and water, and arrange rides for anyone who has been drinking. If you want a ready-made party plan, our holiday party quantity guide has bottle counts for 10, 25 and 50 guests.
Shopping and delivery timing
Thanksgiving week is busy for carriers, so order early enough to leave a few days of margin, and make sure an adult over 21 will be home to sign. Our Black Friday and Cyber Monday liquor guide explains how to plan purchases around the sales that follow, and our Thanksgiving host gift guide is useful if you are a guest instead of the host. Browse our wine collection, our best sellers and new arrivals. Please drink responsibly and never drink and drive.
