Welcome to Holiday Wine Parings with Wine Thief and Ale Jail. Check back to this post throughout the months of November and December. We’ll update this post with wine, beer, and food pairings that will make your tastebuds soar! These delights come from our Community Partner, The Wine Thief & Ale Jail, and are sure to elevate your celebration. Don’t forget to steal back your time this holiday season by ordering co-op catering for some or all of your holiday meal.
Wine and Cheese Pairings for Holiday Charcuterie
Warm Winter Salad
Warm Winter Salad – Mississippi Market Co-op (msmarket.coop)
Experience the warmth in a bowl with this enticing Warm Winter Salad, a vibrant medley of thinly sliced green cabbage, kale, roasted carrots, and chewy barley, adorned with the crunch of pecans and the burst of pomegranate arils. The salad is dressed in a flavorful maple vinaigrette, this vegan and vegetarian delight is a festive addition to your holiday table.
Pair with: Ξυνιστέρι (Xynisteri) | Tσiakkaς This white wine made with Xynisteri grapes from Cyprus, an island country located in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, is a perfect Chardonnay alternative. A dry white wine with a hint of lime grapefruit, and green apple.
3 Appetizers
Three 3-Ingredient Appetizers for the Holidays – Mississippi Market Co-op (msmarket.coop)
Unleash festive flavors with holiday appetizers that are sure to elevate your gathering! Indulge in the gooey goodness of Baked Brie with Jam or for a plant-based delight, savor creamy Vegan Black Bean Dip. If you crave a bit of spice to stave off the winter chill, savor the Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers. These appetizers promise to spark joy and flavor at your holiday table!
Baked Brie with Jam
Pair with Bourgogne Pinot Noir | Domaine de Rochebin This Burgundy Red Pinot Noir has tart sour cherries and some raspberry. Underlying savory notes, but generally fresh and high in acid.
Vegan Black Bean Dip
Pair with Les Grandes Coasses Beaujolais | Paul Durdilly This Beaujolais Red made with Gamay grapes Strawberries and cream on the nose, maybe some bubblegum as well. Tart raspberries and vanilla on the palate. Light and refreshing, soft and smooth with low tannins and a long dry finish.
Bacon-wrapped Jalapeno Poppers
Pair with Cielo Rojo | Bodini This Argentinian red blend features dark fruit flavors with light smokiness. On the nose, you’ll find red fruits like cherry and pomegranate, along with hints of heat-spice and leather.
Winter Pork & Apples
Winter Pork & Apples (msmarket.coop)
Indulge in the rich flavors of a one-pan feast with this dish, featuring a pork loin, nestled alongside roasted potatoes and apples. The dish is complemented by a cider gravy infused with honey and wholegrain mustard.
Pair with Les Pouches Saumur Blanc | Cave de Saumur This chenin blanc has a soft creamy mouth feel. Flavors of citrus, tree fruits and subtle minerality.
Lambrusco | Vecchia Modena Bubbles! This red Lambrusco from Sorbara, Italy has red fruit notes like strawberry and raspberry as well as grapefruit, cheese, and mineral with aromas of cranberry and tart cherry.
Alta Langa Robiola Bosina A soft-ripened cheese from Alta Langa, Italy blends sheep’s and cow’s milk for a unique taste. Known as “due latte” or “two milks,” this square-shaped cheese has a creamy texture and a harmonious mix of earthy mushroom and buttery flavors—a perfect addition to any cheese board.
Enjoy this wine and cheese pairing with the following accouterment:
- Primo Whiskey Thai Pepper Honey
- Fresh baguette
- Fresh pear
Les Baux de Provence Rouge | Mas de Gourgonnier 2021 A cabernet sauvignon from Provence, France with flavors of cherry and strawberry and earthy notes like leather and mushroom.
Hook’s 7 Year Cheddar A sharp 7-year aged cow’s milk cheddar with mellowing acidity and smooth flavor.
- Quince & Apple Shallot Red Wine Confit
- Lesley Stowe Raincoast Salty Date
- Almond Crisps
Westmalle Dubbel | Belgium Dubbel | ABV 7%
Aromas of dark fruit and raisins. Lively on the tongue, warm and dark taste with woody notes. Deeply malty, roasted flavor enhanced by yeast. Sweet candy, dates, and figs.
Riesling | Sturmwolken A white wine from Pfalz, Germany with notes of citrus, melon, green apple, honey, and mineral.
Hermon | Golan Heights Winery A Kosher white blend from Galilee, Israel with tropical fruit flavors of citrus, melon, pear as well as earthy and herbal flavors like honey, elderflower. Finishes with butter and oak.
Latkes with Honey Mustard Applesauce
Latkes with Honey Mustard Applesauce – Mississippi Market Co-op (msmarket.coop)
Elevate your celebration with a sweet twist on the traditional latke. Grated potatoes and onions, combined with matzo meal and eggs, create crispy latkes served warm, perfectly paired with Honey Mustard Applesauce.
Rosso Ulzbach | De Vescovi Ulzbach A Teroldego Rosé from the Teroldego Rotaliano region of Northern Italy with flavors of oak, chocolate, cedar, black fruit, cherry, and notes of earthy flavors like balsamic and black pepper.
Redhead Creamery Lucky Linda A cow’s milk clothbound cheddar aged for a minimum of 6 months; Lucky Linda is a smooth, savory cheddar with hints of umami from its aging process.
Enjoy this wine and cheese pairing with the following accouterment:
- Quince and Apple Fig-Black Tea Preserves
- Fresh apple
- Rustic Bakery Sel Gris Flatbread
Giato Grillo-Catarratto | Centopassi A Grillo – Catarratto Bianco from the Sicilia Region of Southern Italy with flavors of green apple, pear, citrus, and earthy/mineral notes like almonds, pistachios, saline, and stone.
Alemar Cheese Company Apricity This soft-ripened, bloomed rind, grass-fed cow milk cheese is light and crisp with a bit of tang.
Enjoy this wine and cheese pairing with the following accouterment:
- Mitica Lavender Honey
- Rustic Bakery Apricot-Pistachio-Brandy Crisps
Dry Riesling | Union Sacré A dry orange Riesling from Paso Robles, CA with a bright palate and flavors or apricot, orange peel, quince, strawberry and dry mineral. A fun, interesting orange wine a perfect conversation piece for holiday get-togethers.
** Limited Edition** available while supplies last starting Saturday Nov. 18! **SOLD OUT**
Tête de Moine is a semi-hard, unpasteurized cow’s milk cheese from Switzerland, originating over eight centuries ago in the Bernese Jura. Its name, meaning ‘Monk’s Head,’ reflects its monastic roots. Aged for at least 2.5 months on spruce planks, the cheese has a reddish-brown, moist crust and a yellow-to-ivory paste. The unique ‘Girolle’ tool, created in 1982, is used to scrape the cheese into fine rosettes.
Enjoy this wine and cheese pairing with the following accouterment:
- Red berry jams and preserves.
- Fresh apple, pears, and figs
- Prosciutto