Holiday Dessert and Wine Pairings

Throw out that milk Santa, because we have wine to pair with your cookies this year. Tis’ the season for holiday cheer, sharing delicious bottles of wine over hearty meals, and of course indulging in lots of sweet treats. We get pretty crafty at Black Star Farms when it comes to pairing sweet desserts with our wines. From traditional recipes to some non-traditional ones, here are some of our holiday favorites paired with our Sirius Dessert Wines. Cookie and dessert recipes from the Black Star Farms Cookbook can be found highlighted throughout the post. Our Sirius products can be purchased at our two Traverse City area tasting rooms, online, and in select stores throughout Michigan (check out our new store locator under the winery tab, “Where to Find Our Wines”).

Sirius Raspberry Dessert Wine (17% abv) – This wine is our bestselling and most popular dessert wine. Made from 100% local raspberries it is tasty enjoyed on its own, but delectable when paired with sweet treats like Lemon Ricotta Cookies (PDF).

Lemon ricotta cookies with a bottle of Sirius Raspberry Dessert Wine.

Sirius Maple Dessert Wine (18% abv) – Apple wine, fortified with oak-aged apple brandy, and Michigan maple syrup.

Thanks to the culinary talents of our Old Mission Peninsula Tasting Room Representative Jordan Fisher (and soon to be an intern with our culinary department), we have a special recipe to share with you that uses our Sirius Maple Dessert Wine, Apple Upside-Down Spice Cake with Sirius Maple Dessert Wine Infused Chantilly Cream (PDF).

Also, Frosted Egg Nog Cookies (PDF) pair wonderfully with the Maple Dessert Wine.

Employee and chef-in-training holding a piece of his Apple Upside-Down Spice Cake.

Sirius Red Dessert Wine (18% abv) – Grape wine fortified with grape brandy. Pair it with Fig and Blue Cheese Savouries (PDF) (sounds weird, right…? But SO good).

Sirius Cherry Dessert Wine (18% abv) – Michigan Balaton Cherry wine fortified with cherry brandy, pair with Homemade Chocolate Truffles infused with Sirius Cherry Dessert Wine Reduction (PDF).

If you decide to try some of these recipes for your holiday gatherings this season, let us know by tagging us on Instagram @blackstarfarms or by giving us a shout out on Facebook. We’d love to see how you use our dessert wines to add to the cheer of the holiday season.

A glass of Sirius Maple Dessert Wine with Apple Upside-Down Spice Cake.

About the Writer, Olivia Kiel

As a Manager at the Old Mission Peninsula Tasting Room and blogger for Black Star Farms, I get the opportunity to write and learn about wine (two of my favorite things) every day. Over the years I’ve developed a passion for everything Black Star Farms by working alongside the company’s best and pouring its finest wines for guests from all over the world. I have a Bachelor of Science degree from Ferris State University where I studied Writing and Business and have been a Northern Michigan resident for about three years. When I’m not pouring wine, you’ll likely find me with a good book, enjoying the outdoors, or tasting something new and exciting at a local winery. Thank you for reading my posts, and don’t hesitate to say hello next time you visit Black Star Farms Old Mission. Cheers!