Thanksgiving is a celebration of abundance, but when it comes to choosing wine to share with family and friends, it’s hard not to feel overwhelmed by options. We all want crowd-pleasing picks. But this year, value is especially top of mind, too.

To help demystify the holiday wine hunt, I asked three Chicago wine professionals to find wines from a favorite local retailer that deliver pleasure and versatility at approachable prices. Each pick sits between $20 and $35 — not cheap — but a sweet spot where value and character intersect.

They all pointed to small, independent shops with focused selections and passionate, knowledgeable staff.

“I want to walk into a store that’s tightly curated,” says Chris Farrell, a sommelier at Indienne in the River North neighborhood, “where I’m choosing be

See Full Page