Wine Sisterhood has put together quick tips for simple entertaining with retro decor ideas, vintage recipes, and no-fuss wine cocktails! For special offers on the wines mentioned in this blog, be sure to sign up for our newsletter.

Set the Table

Incorporate natural and seasonal elements into your decor and tablescapes. Shop local and seasonal, like small scale flower grower and full service florist in Napa, CA, The Monkey Flower Group. MFG showcases its simple, natural, and balanced signature style with locally grown and pesticide-free flowers and textures to complement the season, landscape, and traditional feast. Bring the outside in and brighten the table with splashes of autumn color!

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Embrace Retro Style

Add funky style and flare with the retro trend. Embrace the nostalgic through a modern lens. Bold, bright, and beautiful color, with simple mid-century shapes. Print your own placemats with this fall-inspired design below.

These retro goblets made of heat-resistant glass bring organic shapes and a vintage aesthetic to your table. The glasses are perfect for sipping your favorite drinks or adding some style to your desert presentation. Get yours at https://www.tendervesselshop.com

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Classic Appetizers

Deviled eggs, pigs in blankets, and pimento cheese dip. These vintage recipes are making a comeback and are sure to be crowd-pleasers.

Pigs in a Blanket

Check out this recipe from Bon Appetit for Easy Pigs in a Blanket.

WINE PAIRING: Rosé is a good call, especially with piggies and mustard. Try Balancing Act Rosé from Washington.

Deviled Eggs with Candied Bacon

For a modern twist on a classic, find this recipe for Deviled Eggs with Candied Bacon from the blog I’m Bored, Let’s Go…

WINE PAIRING: When it comes to pairing wines with deviled eggs, reach for something light, dry and white. GIVE a dry Pinot Grigio, like Girl & Dragon Pinot Grigio a try. If you’re a Chardonnay lover, consider Middle Sister Smarty Pants Chardonnay with these tasty little treats. 

Pimento Cheese Dip

A 10-min Dip? Count us in! Find the recipe for homemade pimento cheese at Gimmie Some Oven.

WINE PAIRING: Try a fruit-forward, high-acid Pinot Noir, like Bar Dog, Pinot Noir, to act as balance to the kick of this dip.

Pour a Glass

Start your evening off right with a bubbly delight.

Laetitia Sparkling Brut Rosé is produced by one of the Central Coast’s most beloved wineries. A classic blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, this sparkler has flavors of strawberries and cherries from the Pinot Noir and bright citrus from the Chardonnay. Learn more about Laetitia Sparkling Brut Rosé.

Make it a Cocktail

Wine is perfect for delicious mixed drinks like sangria, spritzers, and red wine floats. Here are three quick recipes to try this holiday.

Simple Red Sangria

Sangria is not just a summer favorite, its simple recipe makes it great for a pitcher or punch bowl. Some of the best varietals for red wine sangria are: 

• Tempranillo (Tempranillo, If You See Kay, Paso Robles, California)
• Malbec (Malbec, Tall Dark Stranger, Argentina)
• Pinot Noir (Pinot Noir, Middle Sister, Goodie Two-Shoes Pinot Noir, California)

Recipe:

• 1 orange
• 1 green apple
• 1 peach
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 bottle dry red wine, chilled
• ¼ cup brandy
• ¼ cup orange liqueur, such as Cointreau
• 1 orange, sliced into rounds
• Cinnamon sticks
• Sparkling water, for serving (optional)

Directions:

1. Chop fruit and place in a pitcher or punch bowl, sprinkle with sugar and stir. Let sit for 20 min
2. Stir in the red wine, brandy, orange liqueur, and lemon rounds. Stir and refrigerate 1 hour.
3. Pour in ice filled glasses and top with a splash of sparkling water. Serve with orange slices and cinnamon sticks

Sparkling French 75

A French 75 is a cocktail made from gin, champagne, lemon juice, and sugar. It is also called a 75 Cocktail, or in French simply a Soixante Quinze. We replaced the gin with bitters and the Champagne with Laetitia Brut Coquard.

Recipe:

• 1 sugar cube
• 5 dashes Angostura bitters
• Squeezed lemon peel
• 1 glass Laetitia Brut Coquard
• Lemon twist ( Helpful guide here!)

Directions:

1. Prepare your lemon twists
2. Add sugar cube to bottom of champagne flute or your retro goblet!
3. Add 5 dashes of bitters to the sugar cube. Use a vegetable peeler to peel off a small strip of lemon skin. Squeeze the lemon skin into the flute to release the oils.
4. Fill the glass with sparkling wine and serve immediately with a lemon twist garnish.

New York Sour

The New York sour is a simple variation on the a whiskey sour that adds a red wine float, offering two layers of flavor that integrate with one another as you drink. This stunning cocktail is easy to mix up at home for your holiday.

Recipe:

• 2 ounces rye whiskey or bourbon
• 1 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 1 ounce simple syrup
• 1/2 ounce red wine (such as 2021 Girl and Dragon Malbec)

Directions

1. Combine 2 ounces bourbon or whiskey, 1 ounce fresh lemon juice, and 1 ounce simple syrup in a cocktail shaker.
2. Fill with ice, cover, and shake until outside of shaker becomes frosty.
3. Strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice.
4. Gently pour 1/2 ounce fruity red wine (such as 2021 Girl and Dragon Malbec) so the wine floats on top.