Winter is a great time to experiment with new culinary creations that incorporate the bold flavors of wine for delicious results. Nothing pleases the senses quite like a comfort food dish on a chilly evening. If you’re planning a menu for just you and your mate, a small group of close friends or a full-blown dinner party, stock up on great wine selections to complete the menu.

Smoky Chili and Murphy-Goode Homefront Red

Just as a robust chili calls for a blend of signature ingredients, so does the perfect wine to complement it. The smoky flavors of seasoned steak cubes and dried chili pods will please the palate when united with Murphy-Goode Homefront Red — a blend of syrah, merlot, petite sirah and zinfandel. This wine is comfort food friendly and fruit forward, chock full of flavors of black cherry and raspberry, vanilla and toast. Plus, for every bottle sold, the winery donates fifty cents to Operation Homefront, a national nonprofit that provides assistance to service members and their families.

Classic Roast Chicken and La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay

Fresh oregano, fragrant garlic and buttery Castelvetrano olives star in this traditional chicken dish which pairs wonderfully with vibrant La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay. Just as in the Burgundy region of France, these vineyards offer an unusually long, cool growing season, so grapes develop complex flavors. The Sonoma Coast Chardonnay is beautifully aromatic, with an intriguing interplay of lively citrus and subtle toasted oak, laced with just a kiss of butterscotch.

Toasted S’mores and Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve Pinot Noir

Take the traditional fireside treat to a new, gooey level with homemade, wine-infused marshmallows served with a glass of Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve Pinot Noir. Handcrafted from the top seven percent of all the winery’s lots, with 70 percent sourced from the same vineyard blocks year-to-year, it ensures greater consistency and enhanced complexity with each vintage. Please your sweet tooth and palate with this pinot noir, with lively berry pie notes defined in wild strawberry and black cherry, with hints of vanilla and earthy aromas.

Perfect Winter Pairings
Matanzas Creek Merlot and Beef Bourguignon
Bring out the rich and savory flavors of this classic French stew with the notes of dried blueberries and cranberries, bittersweet chocolate and black cardamom in Matanzas Creek Merlot.

Freemark Abbey Napa Valley Cabernet and Pot Roast
Serve up this braised beef favorite alongside Freemark Abbey Napa Valley Cabernet, with its aromas of dark cherry, ripe plum and black currant.

Edmeades Zinfandel and Meatloaf
Each meaty bite tastes even more comforting than the last when paired with the lush texture and notes of toasted oak, vanilla and cherry cola in Edmeades Zinfandel.

Chili with Pepato Cheese

Ingredients

• 6 dried chili pods, seeds and stems removed
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 1/2 pounds top round cut into cubes
• 1 1/2 pounds chuck steak cut into cubes
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 small cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 ounces chili powder
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 3 tablespoons cumin
• 2 tablespoons oregano steeped in 1 cup of red wine
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon cocoa powder
• 2 cups beef broth
• 10 ounces stewed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup grated Pepato cheese

Preparation

1. Toast dried chilies over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Add 2 cups of water and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain out chilies to cool, then chop and reserve.
2. Season meat liberally with salt. Heat oil over high heat in large, heavy bottom pot until it begins to smoke. Carefully place beef into pan and brown on all sides until moisture cooks out and light brown film forms on bottom of pan. Reduce heat to medium. Drain meat of oil and fat.
3. Add onions and garlic, cooking until soft. Add chili powder, paprika and cumin. Cook until fragrant. Add reserved chopped chilies and rest of ingredients (except for cheese) and stir well with wooden spoon, scraping browned bits off bottom of pot.
4. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour, occasionally stirring. To serve, place in bowl and sprinkle with grated cheese.

Chicken Thighs with Potato, Lemon & Castelvetrano Olives

Ingredients

• 8 sprigs oregano, leaves picked (1/2 cup packed)
• 5 cloves garlic
• 2 lemons, one zested and one cut into eight wedges
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 chicken thighs (1 1/2 pounds), bone in, skin on
• 2 large Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch circles
• 4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 cup Castelvetrano olives, pitted and drained

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In food processor, combine oregano, garlic, lemon zest, cumin and 2 tablespoons oil. Process until chopped. Place mixture in large bowl and toss with chicken thighs.
3. In 10-inch cast iron pan, layer 1 tablespoon oil and top with potatoes and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons salt. Place chicken thighs on top and sprinkle again with 2 teaspoons salt. Scatter lemon wedges in between chicken thighs.
4. Place pan over medium heat, cook for 5 minutes or until edges start to brown. Immediately place pan on top rack in oven and bake for 10 minutes. Adjust oven temperature to 400°F and cook for another 25 minutes or until chicken is browned and internal temperature reaches 160°F. Scatter olives on top and serve.

Pinot Noir Marshmallows

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 cup Kendall Jackson Grand Reserve Pinot Noir
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 packets unflavored gelatin powder
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1 pinch salt

Preparation

1. In small bowl, combine powdered sugar and cornstarch. Grease two loaf pans or one 8- or 9-inch square pan and dust bottom and sides with half of powdered sugar mixture. Pour out any excess mixture back into bowl.

Sponsored by Jackson Family Wines