Cake ingredients-

Use any chocolate cake mix and follow the basic directions but replace the required amount of water with D.H. Lesombes Imperial Kir. Pour batter into a well-greased bunt pan and bake at temperature specified on the box. Allow cake to cool completely before removing from the bunt pan. Once you remove the cake and the glaze has cooled, drizzle the glaze over the cake and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Imperial Kir Raspberry Glaze

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup D.H Lescombes Imperial Kir
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus more for serving
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Glaze Directions

Combine the butter, Imperial Kir, and confectioners’ sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, over medium-high heat. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Set aside to cool.

Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray
2 cups red pasta sauce, such as portobello mushroom or garden vegetable
6 no-boil lasagna noodles
1/2 15 ounce container ricotta cheese
6 ounces goat cheese or shredded mozarella cheese (1-1/2 cups)
1 tablespoon  St Clair Cabernet Sauvignon
¼ cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
1 cup roasted red peppers, drained well and cut into strip

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a 2-quart square baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon 1/3 cup of the sauce in the dish. Top with 2 lasagna noodles. In a small bowl stir together the ricotta cheese, 1 cup of the goat cheese, and the St Clair Cabernet Sauvignon. Spoon half the mixture over the noodles in the dish. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Top with half the red pepper strips. Spoon half the remaining sauce on the pepper layer.
2. Top with 2 more noodles, the remaining ricotta mixture, and remaining peppers. Add 2 more noodles and the remaining sauce. Dot top with remaining goat cheese and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan.
3. Cover with foil. Bake for 50 minutes. Let stand, covered, on a wire rack for 20 minutes before serving. Makes 4 to 6 servings

For the meatballs
3/4 cup whole milk
1/2 cup fine dried breadcrumbs
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground veal
1 teaspoon chunky kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 cup finely chopped Italian parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage
3/4 cups finely diced or grated yellow onion
2 large garlic cloves, finely minced or grated
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 large eggs, beaten
Olive oil

For the sauce  

1 small yellow onion
6 cloves garlic
Olive oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups DH Lescombes Syrah
1 cup beef or chicken broth
32-ounce can whole plum tomatoes
One 4-inch long sprig fresh rosemary
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Veal Meatballs
Pour the milk over the breadcrumbs in a small bowl. Stir them together and set them aside for at least 10 minutes for the crumbs to soften.

Mix the pork, beef, and veal together thoroughly in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the salt and a generous amount of black pepper, then add the smoked paprika and cayenne. Stir in the chopped parsley, sage, onion, garlic, and Parmesan. Mix with your hands until these are very thoroughly distributed through the meat.

Stir in the breadcrumbs and milk, as well as the eggs, and mix thoroughly.

Shape and cook the meatballs immediately, or refrigerate the meat for up to 24 hours. You can also freeze the meat (in one big lump or as shaped meatballs) in a sealed container for up to 3 months.

Red Wine Sauce
Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Heat a large, deep sauté pan over medium high heat. (It should be large enough to hold the sauce ingredients, as well as most of the meat.) Sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil until very soft — about 10 minutes, turning the heat down if necessary.

Stir in the tomato paste and fry for a minute or two, stirring until well-incorporated. Pour in the wine and broth and bring to a simmer, then add the tomatoes, salt, and a generous amount of black pepper. Place the rosemary sprig on top, bring to a simmer and cook for 30 to 60 minutes, covered. When the sauce has developed a deep, rich flavor, turn off the heat and puree with an immersion blender (or in a standing blender) until smooth.

To Cook the Meatballs
Shape the meatballs into 1 1/2-inch balls. Place the raw meatballs into the pan of tomato sauce and bring it to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Cover the pan. Cook over low heat for at least 30 minutes, or until the meatballs are fully cooked through and no longer pink inside.

This makes for a very smooth, very tender meatball. If you want a little bit of crispiness to the meatballs in sauce, you can sear them or broil them briefly and then finish cooking them in the sauce.

 Ingredients

1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
4 beef tenderloin steaks or 2 beef top loin steaks, cut 1 inch thick (1 pound)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
¼ cup brandy or beef broth
¼ cup beef broth
½ cup whipping cream
2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard

Directions

1. Use your fingers to press the pepper onto both sides of the steaks. If using top loin steaks, cut each steak in half crosswise. In a large skillet cook steaks in hot butter over medium heat to desired doneness, turning once. For tenderloin steaks, allow 10 to 13 minutes for medium rare (145 degrees F) to medium (160 degrees F). For top loin steaks, allow 12 to 15 minutes for medium rare to medium. Transfer steaks to a serving platter, reserving the drippings in the skillet. Keep warm. Remove skillet from burner and allow to stand 1 minute.
2. For sauce, combine brandy and beef broth (or all beef broth); carefully stir into drippings in skillet, scraping up crusty browned bits. Stir in whipping cream and mustard. Bring to boiling. Boil gently, uncovered, over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes or until mixture is reduced to 1/2 cup, stirring occasionally. Spoon sauce over steaks to serve.

Ingredients

• 2 (4 ounce) filet mignon steaks
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper to taste
• salt to taste
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup DH Lescombes Cabernet Sauvignon

Directions

1. Sprinkle freshly ground pepper over both sides of each steak, and sprinkle with salt to taste.
2. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place steaks in hot pan, and cook for 1 minute on each side, or until browned. Reduce heat to medium-low, and add balsamic vinegar and red wine. Cover, and cook for 4 minutes on each side, basting with sauce when you turn the meat over.
3. Remove steaks to two warmed plates, spoon one tablespoon of glaze over each, and serve immediately. Pair with DH Lescombes Cabernet Sauvignon
   

 Ingredients
1 cooked, bone-in half ham (about 7 to 8 lbs.)
15 whole cloves
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

 Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Cut off the tough, leatherlike skin from ham (if it has it; some hams will not), and score the fat in a crosshatch pattern. Stud ham all over with cloves, put in a large roasting pan, and loosely tent with foil. Bake until a thermometer inserted in center of thickest part (not touching the bone) registers 135°, about 20 minutes per lb. or 2 to 2 1/2 hours total, basting occasionally with any accumulated juices.
2. While ham is baking, make the glaze: In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, maple syrup, and mustard. Whisk until smooth. When ham has about 40 minutes left to bake (internal temperature will be 120° to 125°), brush generously on all sides with glaze. Continue baking until ham reaches 135° and glaze is well browned.

As you may have noticed, we love chocolate, and the way our Hatch Red Chile wine pairs so well with it makes it only natural to use in our traditional Molé recipe. Perfect for serving with chicken, pork, or in enchiladas.

INGREDIENTS
• 5 Dried Pasilla or Ancho Chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 2 6 inch Corn Tortillas, or handful of regular corn tortilla chips
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
•  1-1/2 Medium Onions, chopped
• Kosher salt
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp Creamy Peanut Butter
• 1 tsp Dried Oregano
• 1-3/4 c Hatch Red Chile Wine
• 3 tbsp Chicken Bullion
• 1 3.1oz Mexican Chocolate Disc (such as Ibarra, Abuelita or Taza)
•  Fresh Ground Black Pepper

PREPARATION
Rehydrate dried chiles by soaking them in 1-1/2 cups hot water for 15 minutes and drain and set aside.
Toast corn tortillas in a dry skillet until dry, crisp and golden.
Heat oil in the same skillet over medium heat.
Add onions, season with salt and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes.
Add garlic and cook 2 more minutes, then transfer into a blender along with the chiles, tortillas, peanut butter and oregano.
Mix the chicken bullion and Hatch Red Chile Wine and add to blender and blend with other ingredients until very smooth.
Transfer sauce into a medium saute pan and bring to a boil over high heat.
Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Stir in chocolate and once melted, season as desired with salt and pepper.

Use this sauce with shredded or quartered chicken, pork loin, or in enchiladas.
Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and don’t forget the Hatch Red Chile Wine!