Wine Guide and Guest Blogger, Brittany Loveless shared with us some of her favorite pairings perfect for fall entertaining! Read on for her tips for how to make your next gathering a hit.
Leaves are falling, there’s a chill in the air and it’s finally the time of year to start using the fireplace again. Fall is in full swing and as difficult as it can be to embrace colder days, there is nothing more enjoyable than filling your home with family, friends, food and wine! Seasonal appetizers paired with the right wine can be a fantastic way to kick off any fall gathering.
Butternut Squash Bites
The perfect fall themed menu has to have one of my favorite fall ingredients: squash. My personal favorite is butternut squash. With fall in full swing, squash can now be found readily in the grocery store, and ready for any fall-themed menu. Squash is a staple at my home due to its versatility. It can be served both savory with butter, or sweet with cinnamon and other baking spices. Bacon wrapped candied butternut squash bites are an easy to prepare appetizer that uses just four ingredients. This appetizer is the perfect complement to our 2020 Peekaboo, Chardonnay. This young Chardonnay’s kiss of toasty vanilla flavor and aroma, pairs up perfectly with the salty and sweet flavor profile of these bites.
Baked Brie Puffs
Baked brie puffs are another fun item that makes a great pre-cursor to any fall gathering. This easy to prepare item involves wrapping brie inside or on top of a small puff pastry, baking, then topping off with your favorite fruit preserve and a few small crushed pistachios. For this time of year I suggest trying fig or apricot jam, but any jam can be used. Either will pair well with 2019 Hotsy Totsy, White Blend. This sweet white wine has notes of pear and stone fruit that will compliment a sweet and salty puff perfectly.
Pumpkin Fluff Dip
You can’t forget dessert! This recipe is a chance to enjoy the yearly tradition of pie, without needing to spend hours preparing and baking! Pumpkin pie is the quintessential fall pie, but can be time consuming. Instead, try this easy to prepare take on the classic: pumpkin fluff recipe. Our 2020 Smirk, Muscat is the ultimate companion to this uncomplicated plate. With the backdrop of this floral dessert wine, the fall spices in this dish truly shine. For an extra special touch, serve this dip inside a carved pumpkin. Serve your dip with apple slices, graham crackers or vanilla wafers.
This time of year is busy enough without needing to spend every last minute preparing food items for your family gathering. Choose any of these recipes to keep things simple and focus the rest of your night on conversations with the ones you love and the glass of wine in your hand!
Gather your besties and favorite pairings for fall entertaining. Try your own at-home wine tasting for free this holiday season. Connect with your Wine Guide today!