5 Classic Holiday Recipes

The holiday season is here! Let Beaulieu Vineyard be there for you to help take the stress off planning your holiday dinner. From Napa Valley to your holiday table, we put together a four-bottle collection of our classic wines and paired them with five recipes. Our Holiday Pairing Collection features an award-winning selection of cult wines for all the various holiday food courses to make your celebration as savory and memorable as it should be. Public $210 | Members $168

Five Recipse and Wine Pairings 

Cranberry Brie Bites with Carneros Reserve Chardonnay

The zingy and creamy flavors in these cranberry brie bites perfectly complement the crisp citrus and rich notes of lemon curd in our 2019 Carneros Reserve Chardonnay. Put your Chardonnay in the fridge an hour or so before your guests arrive and serve the bites warm for a perfectly delicious start to the evening.

Ingredients:

• Cooking spray and flour for pan
• 1 8-oz. tube of crescent dough
• 1 8-oz. wheel of brie
• ½ cup cranberry sauce of choice 
• ¼ cup chopped pecans 
• Rosemary for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375° and use cooking spray to grease a mini muffin tin. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the crescent dough and pinch together the seams. Cut the dough into 24 squares and place 1 each in the muffin slots.
2. Cut brie into roughly half inch pieces and place on top of the dough. Top with a small spoonful of cranberry sauce, a few pecans and a sprig of rosemary.
3. Bake for 15 minutes or until the pastry is golden.

Honey Glazed Warm Brussel Sprouts with Reserve Pinot Noir

Leave your preconceived notions about brussels sprouts at the door for this pairing. Spicy, sweet and full of flavor, these brussels will have your guests talking all year. With its silky-smooth body and fresh red berry flavors, our 2018 Reserve Pinot Noir makes the perfect pair.

Ingredients:

• 1½ lb. brussels sprouts, trimmed, halved
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup honey
• ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
• ¾ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes 
• 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced on a diagonal
• 1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
• ½ tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F
2. Toss cut brussels sprouts and oil in a large bowl and season liberally with salt and pepper
3. Place brussels sprouts cut side down on a baking sheet and roast on bottom rack until tender and deeply browned, about 20-25 minutes.
4. While the brussels are roasting, bring honey to a simmer in a small saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until honey is a deep amber color, being careful not to burn it. Remove from heat and add vinegar and red pepper. Whisk until smooth. Set saucepan back over medium heat and add butter and ½ tsp salt. Whisking constantly, cook until the glaze is glossy and bubbling, about 4 minutes.
5. Transfer roasted brussels sprouts to a large bowl and toss with glaze until well coated. Transfer to serving dish and top with scallions and lemon zest.

Classic Mashed Potatoes with Reserve Pinot Noir

Perfecting classics is what we’re all about here at BV, so for these mashed potatoes we took a page from the Maestro’s book to create a perfectly creamy, salty and buttery version of this classic holiday dish. The slightly edgy Bing cherry and delectable berry cobbler flavors in our 2018 Reserve Pinot Noir create the perfect balance to the richness of the potatoes.

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs. mix of russet and Yukon Gold potatoes
• Kosher salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter, plus two tablespoons for garnish
• ½ cup whole milk
• ½ cup sour cream
• Freshly ground pepper 

Directions:

1. Add potatoes to a large pot, cover with water and add a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and cook until soft, about 16-18 minutes. Drain and return potatoes to the pot.
2. Grab your potato masher and mash until potatoes are smooth.
3. Melt your butter and milk together in a small saucepan. Mixture should be thoroughly warmed
4. Pour warm milk mixture into mashed potatoes and stir until well-combined. Add sour cream and season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Transfer potatoes to a serving bowl and top with remaining 2-tablespoons of butter. Season with more salt before serving.

Perfected Prime Rib with Rutherford Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Our 2019 Rutherford Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is a real showstopper. Smooth and balanced but full of the depth of flavor Rutherford is revered for, it’s sure to be a special addition to your holiday table. Pair with this rich and flavorful prime rib for a stunning main course moment.

Note: To enhance the flavor of the beef and create a buttery-tender texture we salted the meat overnight.

Ingredients:

• 1 7 lb. first-cut beef standing rib roast (3 bones), meat removed from bones and reserved. Look for a roast with an untrimmed fat cap about ½ inch thick. To easily remove the bones, use a very sharp knife and follow the contours as closely as possible until separated. 
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper
• 2 tsps. vegetable oil 

Directions:

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200°F.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat until just smoking. Sear sides and top of roast until browned, about 6-8 minutes total. Place meat back on ribs so the bones fit where they were cut and let cool for 10 minutes. Tie meat to bones with twine and transfer roast (fat side up) to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Season with pepper.
3. Place roast on middle oven rack and roast until meat registers 110 degrees, about 3 to 4 hours.
4. Turn off oven but leave roast in with the door just slightly cracked. Continue to “cook” for 30-45 minutes longer.
5. Remove roast from oven and tent loosely with foil. Let rest for at least 30 minutes. 
6. Transfer roast to a carving board. Cut twine, remove roast from ribs and slice meat into ¾-inch-thick slices. Season with salt to taste.

Bûche de Noel with 2016 Maestro Port

No holiday meal is complete without something sweet and indulgent, and a pairing of classic Bûche de Noel and our 2016 Maestro Port fully checks both boxes. If dessert wines aren’t usually on your table get ready to be blown away. Our Maestro Port is rich with flavors of chocolate, raspberry and licorice and pairs perfectly with the deep richness of the Bûche de Noel.

Ingredients:

The Cake:

• Cooking spray
• 6 large eggs, with yolks and whites separated 
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¾ cup granulated sugar, divided 
• ¼ tsp. kosher salt 
• Powdered sugar for sprinkling 

The Filling:

• 1 ¼ cups heavy cream
• ¼ cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 
• Pinch kosher salt 

The Frosting and Décor:

• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar 
• 5 tbsp cocoa powder 
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp. heavy cream
• Pinch kosher salt
• Chocolate curls, for garnish
• Cranberries, for garnish
• Small rosemary sprigs, for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper and grease with cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl mix together flour, cocoa powder and salt. In a large bowl beat egg yolks until thick. Slowly beat in ½ cup sugar then beat in flour mixture.
3. In a separate large bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Add remaining ¼ cup sugar a bit at a time and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into batter.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Bake for about 12 minutes or until cake feels springy to the touch.
5. This step takes some courage, so don’t be afraid! Dust a clean kitchen towel with powdered sugar and invert warm cake onto the towel. Peel off parchment paper. Starting at the short end, use the towel to tightly roll cake into a log. Let cool completely.
6. While the cake is cooling, making the filling. In a large bowl beat together the heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. You should see peaks. Place in the fridge until ready to use.
7. Spread filling evenly over cooled cake and then roll the cake back into a log, using the towel to help create a tight roll. Place seam side down on a baking sheet and chill for 1 hour.
8. While the cake is chilling, make the frosting. In a large bowl, beat the butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar and cocoa powder and beat until no lumps remain and then beat in vanilla, heavy cream and salt.
9. When ready to serve, trim ends of the cake and frost it. Dust lightly with powdered sugar and then get creative with your decorating. Use cranberries and rosemary to create “mistletoe” and delicately sprinkle chocolate curls.