The perfect wine for turkey is chardonnay, or pinot blanc. Unless you prefer pinot noir or grenache. Then again a medium-bodied merlot will do just fine. Even a cabernet in a pinch. Well, the truth of the matter is that when you have copious amounts of flavorful food, you can get along with nearly any decent wine.

So is it any wonder that every year at this time, I begin to get the same series of questions from numerous customers daily? It begins with "What wine should I buy to serve with my holiday dinner?" At this point merchant and customer stare at each other for a second or so, then I have to fight the urge to cut to the chase and reply, "Whatever you like to drink." But that's too simple and takes the fun out of it.

The problem is that there are several ways to decide what the best wine is for each meal. But you have to pick some criteria, starting with what's most important to you. Is it brand recognition?

Perhaps it's imperative that when you walk into the room—with all your relatives looking on— that in your hand is a bottle of wine from a prominent Napa Valley producer. And in a moment they all recognize your wine-buying prowess (and that you spent a fair amount of money). That's cool, we have wine for that.

Maybe you want a wine to match well with Grandma's cranberry stuffing (the centerpiece of every Thanksgiving meal). It's a stuffing chock full of rich, tart cranberry flavors laced with strong sage, thyme and other spices. If so, then that's the dish you work around. In this case, a full-bodied pinot noir or a grenache-based Rhone wine from France would do quite nicely. If there is a special dish that you want to showcase, then tell your merchant the dominant flavors in that dish and she should be able to point out several wines that will match well.

There are two general schools of thought regarding food and wine pairing. The most common is to match similar flavors in the food and wine. For instance, a buttery, creamy dish would go quite well with a rich, buttery chardonnay. Or a peppery steak would match well with a spicy zinfandel. The other food/wine camp suggests that opposites attract. Instead of a buttery chardonnay with that creamy dish, try a crisp chardonnay that has lemony flavors. Here the theory is that the contrast of flavors will enhance the dining experience. You should also take into consideration the textural aspects of both the food and wine. The texture of a big grilled steak matches wonderfully with the tannic texture of a young cabernet, plus the fat in the steak helps tame the tannic, dry nature of the wine.

A knowledgeable wine merchant will help guide you through the choices. Or there are several sources of "common knowledge" available on the web. One of my favorite websites is www.eatdrinkdine.com. On this site you can start with your food selection or your preferred wine and it will guide you to classic pairings. It's a good place to start, but don't forget to experiment for yourself.

Many times the right wine to bring to the table is the wine you know your guests enjoy. Food and wine matching is not a science and many times the "perfect" wine to a professional will be just too unusual for most of us. You can also bring a selection of several styles and types of wines to the table and let your guests do the matching. Don't forget a sweet riesling for your aunt Mary and a full-bodied cabernet for your father-in-law. Some people only drink one type of wine. So perhaps the family get-together is not the appropriate time to expand their horizons. Smile and get your sister some ice for her white zinfandel.

At least half the time the primary criterion for selecting a wine is price. These days we are all on a budget of one type or another and there is no reason to be shy about it. Many customers, however, don't want to cough up their price range. Instead they tell me they want a "medium-priced" cabernet or a "not-too-expensive" chardonnay or the ever-popular "I-don't-wanna-spend-a-bundle." Once again, merchant and customer stare at each other for a moment. Is this a rock star's "medium priced," or a starving artist's "medium priced"?

For the most part, you should be able to get a good bottle of wine that will be perfect for your holiday table for under $20. And if your budget is $10, speak up.

The good news is that when you bring great wine to a dinner, you will always turn out a hero. So, at the end of the eight-course meal and after several bottles of wine have been emptied by the crowd, and just before your brother begins telling the story (again) about your first date, take a moment and give thanks for family, friends, great food and your local wine merchant. This is what it's all about. And the pumpkin pie, leftover turkey sandwiches, and football.

Cara Finn is the owner of The Grapevine, a fine wine and cheese store and tasting bar. She can be reached at 408.293.7574 or at info@grapevine-wg.com.