Red Wine Berry Parfaits with Honey Whipped Goat Cheese
An easy and elegant dessert that is an excellent ending to a summer dinner party or cookout. Red Wine Berry Parfaits can be made in advance and is easily doubled, tripled or quadrupled to accommodate your growing guest list.
After my long days in the kitchen whipping up crazy concoctions for all of you, my lovely internet friends…I like to pop the cork on a bottle of cabernet to celebrate. This is a daily occurrence and the wine consumption varies depending on how long I’ve been in the kitchen, how many recipe fails/triumphs I’ve had during that day and whether I plan to run the next day. The next days run is usually dictated by the amount of wine consumed the night before which is dependent upon both points mentioned above. Following me still? That’s why I was so insanely excited to have the opportunity to work with Middle Sister and test out some of their amazing wine.
Middle Sister wine is crafted by award-winning winemaker Nancy Walker (a middle sister, herself) and includes a wide variety of red, white and sparkling wines from California to Argentina. The brand is based on a series of quirky middle sister characters who each claim their own varietal and personality. The brand just received a makeover and I love the new “drops of wisdom” printed on the label, it provides a little table time humor and inspiration during dinner. It was really hard not to DRINK the wine while I was testing out recipes, I may have had to buy a few additional bottles a long the way because they are all so fruity, crisp and refreshing.
I dabbled with a few recipe ideas before deciding to create something that would really allow the wine to shine all on it’s own. The Mischief Maker Cabernet Sauvignon is my absolute favorite out of the bunch because, well, I’m a lover of all cabernet. This one did not disappoint. Now….for all you winophiles out there…I have heard that berries do not pair well with cabernet but I’ll beg to differ here. Plus, it’s called Mischief Maker Cabernet Sauvignon so why not cause a little mischief in the wine pairing world and do our own thing. Let’s mix the berries with the cab and do a little macerating. If you don’t know what macerating is….it means to soften or become softened by soaking in a liquid. This is what we did with the berries and they just become infused with the wine making it a fruity, amazing bite of happiness. I wanted something creamy to complement the winey concoction but not just whipped cream. That would just not do. I was thinking a fruit and cheese plate…but in a glass. And so, goat cheese…but whipped until it becomes an ethereal cloud of smooth, buttery goodness…sweetened with a bit of honey. Layered in a glass, Red Wine Berry Parfaits with Honey Whipped Goat Cheese look like an artists creation. They should be framed and hung on a wall…but they taste so amazing that would be wasteful. Since they’re so simple to make, you can whip these up every single day.
And if you’re looking for a few savory things to pair with your Mischief Maker Cabernet, I suggest trying my Grilled Lemon and Herb Lamb Chops or these Cheese Stuffed Sliders. Low-key cookout or high brow dinner party, Middle Sister deserves a place at the head of your table.
Get the Recipe: Red Wine Berry Parfaits with Honey Whipped Goat Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 cups berries, rinsed and patted dry with a towel (I used blueberries, blackberries and raspberries)
- 1 cup Middle Sister Mischief Maker Cabernet
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 4 ounces goat cheese
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, carefully mix together the berries, wine and sugar. Allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Cover and transfer to the refrigerator for an additional hour.
- In a medium bowl, blend the goat cheese, cream and honey with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- In 2 wine or parfait glasses, place 1/4 of the berries in the bottom of each glass. Top with 1/4 of the goat cheese mixture and then another 1/4 of the berries. Finish off with the remaining goat cheese and top with fresh mint. Serve immediately.
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
13 Comments on “Red Wine Berry Parfaits with Honey Whipped Goat Cheese”
I’ll take two please…and the wine!! Yummo!
Thanks, Colleen!
That wine label is awesome! I’ll have to watch for these at our wine store. And what a great way to highlight in a dessert that is bound to taste as good as it looks. So pretty!
The wine labels are adorable! It’s like a “collect them all” kinda of thing. I’m going to start decorating my kitchen with them. 🙂
I love fruit parfaits to start with but adding wine to them is just genius!
Wine and berries go together so beautifully but what is winning me over is that honey whipped goat cheese. I could eat that straight!
I love simple no bake desserts in summer! The adding of the win was a great idea!
I would have never thought of adding wine to berries and making parfaits out of them! What a great idea. 🙂
I love how elegant they look.
I love the idea of a grown-ups only dessert! This looks delicious!
I am loving these! Red wine parfaits sound so perfect!
Oooooh, that honey whipped goat cheese sounds amazing! And the berries with wine is an awesome complement. Beautiful treat!
RED WINE IN PARFAITS? MAMA. yes pleas.e