Choosing the best wines to pair with your holiday meals is an important part of menu planning. To make the process easier, a smart rule is to select quality wines that pair with a variety of dishes, such as crisp, medium-bodied chardonnays and medium-to-full-bodied, flavorful merlots.  

“I love having a bright, crisp chardonnay on hand for holiday entertaining,” says Katie Madigan, winemaker at St. Francis Winery. “Chardonnay complements so many holiday flavors. It’s a great choice to serve with appetizers and it also transitions nicely to dinner.” 

St. Francis Winery is a certified sustainable winery in Sonoma County, California offering a full range of varietal wines ideal for holiday entertaining, such as the St. Francis Sonoma County Chardonnay, which is made from grapes picked in the cool of night to create delicate aromas, crisp acidity and a rich, lingering finish. 

With notes of fresh pear and pineapple, it pairs well with mild cheeses and rich seafood appetizers, such as Pan Fried Crab Cakes. If you're looking for inspiration to get your holiday menu planning started, consider this simple hors d’oeuvre, which can be made the night before and cooked just before guests arrive. Pair it with a chilled glass of crisp chardonnay to start the party off just right.

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Pan Fried Crab Cakes 

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup minced green onions
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice  
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 pound Dungeness crab meat
• 2 cups panko, divided
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• Remoulade sauce, for serving

Cooking Directions: Line baking sheet with waxed paper.
In large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, green onions, egg yolks, lemon juice, tarragon, cilantro, mustard, lemon peel and black pepper. Add crabmeat and 1 cup panko, breaking up crabmeat slightly. Let mix stand 10 minutes. 

Form crab mixture into 16 2-inch patties, using about 1/4 cup for each cake. Place patties on baking sheet. Cover and chill at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours. Using remaining panko, lightly coat each crab cake.

Heat two heavy, large skillets over medium-high heat. In each skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add crab cakes to skillets and cook until golden on both sides (adding more butter and oil as needed), about 5 minutes total. 

Transfer cakes to napkins to drain excess oil. Plate crab cakes with dollop of remoulade on top. 

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A complementary option for guests who prefer red wine is the Sonoma Valley Merlot. This wine has multiple layers of aromatics with flavors of red cherry, plum, dried cranberry, espresso bean and savory spices that match well with hard cheeses, roasted turkey, lamb or steaks with blue cheese butter. 

Find more tips for pairing wines and recipes ideal for holiday entertaining at: StFrancisWinery.com.

Source: Kobrand Wine and Spirits - Photograph by Getty Images

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