The Perfect Pairings: Holiday Prep with Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery
The Holiday season is just around the corner, and if you're already bracing for the yearly debate over turkey versus tofurkey, or whether fruitcake should be classified as dessert or punishment, you're not alone! While Holiday traditions vary, we're sure of one thing: great wine can make everything better—even Uncle Rick’s political rants.
This year, we want to help take your Holiday spread to the next level and do the planning for you with fool-proof pairings from our Estate wine tier, curated for each course.
Pre-Dinner Appetizers
Spinach & Artichoke Dip
Paired with: 'The Shadow Rock' Estate Sauvignon Blanc
Nothing gets a Holiday gathering going like a warm, creamy spinach and artichoke dip. The rich, garlicky goodness begs for a wine that’s dry and bright, and our ‘The Shadow Rock’ Estate Sauvignon Blanc is up for the task. With its vibrant acidity and notes of citrus and green apple, this wine will keep things light while your guests reach for seconds… or thirds.
Main Course
Roast Turkey with Herb Butter Stuffing
Paired with: 'Three Hills' Estate Chardonnay
There’s nothing more traditional than a perfectly roasted turkey with all the fixings. We recommend pairing it with our 'Three Hills' Estate Chardonnay. The rich flavours of this wine are balanced by oak aging, which mirrors the buttery flavour of the turkey and stuffing.
Vegetarian Mushroom Wellington
Paired with: 'The Painted Wagon' Estate Pinot Noir
For your plant-based guests (or anyone who’s over the whole turkey thing), a Mushroom Wellington is a hearty, earthy alternative. 'The Painted Wagon' Estate Pinot Noir is smooth, and bold with notes of cherry and spice, making it a perfect match for the mushroom’s umami flavour and flaky puff pastry.
Braised Brisket with Tomatoes & Onions
Paired with: ''Old Vines' Baco Noir
If you've ever stopped in at Henry of Pelham there is a very likely chance you've heard our staff rave about Short Hills Kitchen's signature Overnight Brisket. If you haven't made it out to the restaurant, you can recreate the magic at home by pairing your tender, braised brisket with our full-bodied Old Vines Baco Noir—its smoky notes and bright acidity are the perfect match for the rich, flavorful meat. It’s the ultimate comfort pairing.
While the Turkey, or Wellington's, might be the star of the show, these wine pairings will make sure your mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce also get the spotlight they deserve. After all, no Holiday feast is complete without a little bit of everything.
Dessert
Pumpkin Pie with Whipped Cream
Paired with: 'The Dry River' Estate Riesling
Who can resist a slice of pumpkin pie? To bring out the warm spices of the pie and balance its sweetness, 'The Dry River' Estate Riesling offers just the right amount of acidity. With notes of orchard fruits, this great white wine will refresh your palate after all those mashed potatoes and gravy. Plus, it pairs beautifully with apple pie too— for those of us who like to double up on desserts (we don’t judge).
Crème Brûlée
Paired with: Riesling Icewine
No pie fans in the house? Indulge in the caramelized perfection of crème brûlée. Match it with a bottle of Riesling Icewine for a perfect dessert pairing. The wine’s luscious sweetness and vibrant acidity balance the rich custard and crisp sugar top. This pairing is sure to get your excited for January's Icewine Festival, plus, who doesn’t love an excuse to break out the crème brûlée torch? (Just make sure to torch before indulging in the wine—safety first!)
This holiday season, take a moment to relax, raise a glass of our award-winning wine, and remind yourself that while the food might not always be perfect, the wine can be. Cheers to good company, good food, and a great wine!
BOOK YOUR OWN EVENT
Birthday party? Bridal shower? Business meeting? Be the host with the most.
Intimate spaces for special occasions
Henry of Pelham offers several spaces for formal and informal events and meetings, with room for up to 30 people. We've helped host anniversaries, office parties, showers, birthdays, annual general meetings and more. Our light-filled ballroom, which is also a beautiful gallery space featuring work from Canadian artists, is a bright venue for daytime events and an elegant room to host evening gatherings. Our barrel cellar is a cool retreat from the summer heat and cozy space for fall and winter events for smaller groups. Catering is available from the Coach House Café.
And with anything from Henry's wine list available to event organizers, the drinks are guaranteed to be crowd-pleasers.
WHEN:
September 25-26, 2017
TIME:
1 -4 p.m.
COST:
1 -4 p.m.
JOIN CLUB HENRY.
A Classic membership gets you complimentary tastings for two on every visit to the winery, 15% off regularly priced non-wine items in our retail store, and advance notice of special release wines, events and contests—all for free! We'll even mail you a membership card.
