Our feast is festive, but maybe not so grand. We imagine, with a crowd, that stemware might not be an option. If not, glass tumblers are fine for these wines. If you must use plastic, beware the flimsy pretend stemware. The benefits are negligible and not worth the risk of spills. Opt for tumblers instead.

We emphasize that choosing wines for Thanksgiving is not an exercise in pairing. The meal — especially the sort of potluck buffet where guests bring all sorts of family favorites — is too complex and disparate to worry about precision matching.

Instead, we suggest picking versatile wines that go with many different sorts of flavors. And we are wary of wines that are more than 14 percent alcohol.

Some people argue that the alcohol level is meaningless, as long as the wine is balanced. I don’t buy that in general. But Thanksgiving in particular is a long, fatiguing journey, literally and figuratively: Many people travel over hills, dales and interstates to feast on the myriad filling dishes that cover the table. Don’t add to the languor with heavy, alcoholic wines.

We prefer wines that are nimble and energetic, that refresh the palate rather than enervate. Usually, these are wines with lively acidity, which snaps the mouth to attention and merges well with many flavors. While acidity is a friend, pronounced tannins, oakiness and unbalanced sweetness are not. Avoid them if possible.

At Thanksgiving, no host would risk running out of food. The principle of Thanksgiving is plenty. The same is true of wine. Figure at minimum about one bottle per drinking guest. As with food, you will have leftovers. Give extra bottles as take-home gifts or keep them for yourself. But nobody will go wanting.