The holidays are a time when family and friends gather – this year, give the gift of food. Some of the best memories and meals come during these moments. This means that you’ll probably be spending a lot of time in the kitchen in the coming weeks preparing various meals and baked goods.

If you’re looking to bring something new to your holiday table, we have a great recipe for you to try: Pumpkin Bourbon Cakes. Make sure to pair this delicious treat with our bourbon barrel-aged Gold Rush Red. This blended, bourbon barrel-aged wine subtly enhances the bourbon flavor in the cake.

Check out the recipe and bring this delicious gift to your next holiday gathering.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 ⅓ cups flour
• 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
• ¼ tsp. baking soda
• ¾ tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 ½ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 tsp. ginger
• ½ tsp. allspice
• ¼ tsp. ground cloves
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 1 ¼ cups dark brown sugar
• 1 cup canola oil
• 2 cups pureed pumpkin
• ⅓ cup bourbon
• 5 eggs

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

• 6 oz. softened cream cheese
• 2 – 3 Tbsp. bourbon
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• ¼ cup chopped and toasted pecans

Autumn is here, and that means pumpkin spice overload. While (debatably) enjoyable in coffee, it’s not quite the flavor you’re looking for in an evening cocktail. To kick off fall right, we’ve got just the concoction, a mildly spicy red wine and bourbon cocktail. 

Check out this recipe from The Kitchn for a Red Wine, Spiced Apple, and Bourbon Cocktail. What better wine than our bourbon barrel-aged Cabernet Sauvignon to feature in a bourbon-forward cocktail? It’s the perfect spiced drink to transition from summer to the cooler autumn nights—and keeps pumpkin spice in its rightful place as an addition to a breakfast beverage.

A steak and a hearty red—while delicious, it can get a bit repetitive. Switch up your dinner and wine routine with something new. An exciting alternative we love to bring to the table is a thick-cut, bone-in pork chops with our bourbon-barrel aged Chardonnay.

Pork chops are easy to prepare—just get a cast iron skillet smoking hot and sear to perfection. They’re also versatile—quick marinades, rubs or glazes can transform your flavor experience. Whichever way you choose to prepare your chop, we recommend complementing it with the bright, fresh notes of pear, pineapple and peach of our Chardonnay.

Make it a pork chop and a Chardonnay tonight—we’re sure it will make it into your regular dinner lineup.

Check out one of our favorite recipes from Gourmet Traveler.

Put our Chardonnay on ice because we’ve got the perfect recipe to stoke the heat that summer’s got left. It’s a firecracker of a sweet and spicy late-summer dish that will put you outside at the grill and then inside when the evening cools down.

We’re talking about Honey Garlic Sriracha Fried Wings. These wings are unique because they’re cooked two ways: Grilled for smoky, fall-off-the-bone deliciousness then flash fried for maximum flavor. 

When you’re ready to eat, pour a glass of that chilled Chardonnay or if you prefer, our full-bodied Gold Rush Red and enjoy the warm flavors of the wings and wine.

Summer gives us so many great things. Sunshine, exploring the outdoors, and our favorite, grilling. Firing up the grill on a warm summer evening is a timeless endeavor that always puts a smile on our face.

One of our favorite things to cook up in the summer is a traditional bratwurst. Full of rich and timeless flavor, this bratwurst was meant to be enjoyed in the sun. To enhance your experience even more, pair your bratwurst with 1000 Stories Cabernet Sauvignon. Our Cabernet Sauvignon also brings its own adventure of flavor to the table, and has been aged in new and used bourbon barrels, giving it characteristics of charred vanilla and a hint of caramel.

When you’re outside grilling this summer, make sure to soak up the sunshine, and enjoy the unbeatable combination of bratwurst and 1000 Stories Cabernet Sauvignon.

It’s the low and slow season which means it’s time to grab your favorite bottle of 1000 Stories wine and perch yourself at the smoker—letting hours go by as that nostalgic smell permeates the warm summer air. Get the recipe below for our favorite smoked ribs, and enjoy all the smoke.

Smoked ribs are a seasonal favorite, and we love to pair ours with 1000 Stories Bourbon barrel-aged Cabernet Sauvignon. Our Cabernet Sauvignon is a perfect example of a classic—showing notes of cherry fruit and blackcurrant with a bit of tobacco leaf. And because of our unique barrel aging process, this wine has hints of burnt sugar, vanilla, dried herbs, and even a touch of smokiness—which is why our Cabernet Sauvignon makes the perfect summer BBQ pairing.

INGREDIENTS

• 4.5 lb. of beef ribs in a single plate/rack
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2-4 tablespoons Hardcore Carnivore Black seasoning rub
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 3/4 cup water

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat a smoker to 300ºF
• If your beef ribs have the cap still attached, use a sharp filet knife to remove. Leave the membrane on the bones intact. Pat dry with a paper towel.
• Sprinkle salt on each side of the ribs, then apply the Hardcore Black. Make sure the application is liberal, and on all sides of the meat. Massage in to ensure it’s well coated.
• Place the rack meat side up in the smoker. Combine the water and vinegar in a spray bottle. Once the rack has had at least 2 hours of smoke, spritz with the vinegar mixture every hour or so.
• Cook until an instant-read thermometer reads 206-210ºF at the thickest part of the meat. Be careful not to touch bone when taking a reading as this will give you an inaccurate number.
• Once at temperature, remove rack and wrap in uncoated butchers paper, then set in a cooler to rest for an hour. If you cannot get paper you can use foil, but your bark will soften.
• Slice ribs between bone and serve.