Thanksgiving can be a high pressure event with all of the food prep, guest preferences, wine selections and seating arrangements, but it doesn't have to be!

We'll try to pare down the preparations by offering up a starting point for wine picks and pairings. You will also find that most of the wines fall right under the $20 price point, as a houseful of guests can clip the wine budget fairly quickly. Check out the 2009 Thanksgiving Wine Picks here.

Yes, it's here again - the third Thursday of November and the "Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrive!' signs (The New Beaujolais has arrived) are out in full force at local wine shops. Beaujolais Nouveau is always the first vintage released, a mere six weeks post harvest, and just in time to be a festive partner at the Thanksgiving table (be sure to serve it slightly chilled). Beaujolais Nouveau is made from the thin-skinned Gamay grape and typically offers little to no tannins, a light-body and red fruit flavor along with a bit of banana in the profile (thanks to carbonic maceration). It is an easy-going, fun wine that doesn't take itself or it's role to seriously - and that is something to celebrate!

Being dubbed the most food-focused day of the year, doesn't stop Thanksgiving from taking a bit of work to match limitless beverage preferences from friends and family members gathered around the table.

If you've got a beer man, a coffee queen, a cocktail fan and a wine enthusiast all gathered around the bird this year and aren't sure what drinks to serve, don't fret the About.com Drinks Guides have got you covered. Check out the latest recommendations for Thanksgiving beverage pairings and drink inspirations here.

At a recent winemaker's dinner with Souverain's Ed Killian, I tried the '06 Cabernet Sauvignon from Sonoma County's acclaimed Alexander Valley. This is a fantastic Cab with rich, ripe red fruit debuting on the nose and black cherry, plum and a generous dusting of cocoa making its way across the palate. A dense, chewy Cab with stunning structure and well-placed tannin integration, the Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon offers up a concentrated red wine brimming with dark, layered fruit, depth and intriguing complexity.

If you are looking for a stand-out Cab to have on hand for the upcoming holidays, this is it - extremely versatile, full-flavored and well-priced. Give it a go with prime rib, filet mignon or a myriad of smoked meats.