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Kerith Overstreet ’98M (MD) from Bruliam Wines offers up these seasonal food and wine pairings

Rosé with shaved celery root, fennel, and apple salad with Manchego and Marcona almonds

Chef Tim Caschette created this recipe. He and his wife, Janine, own Avvino, a Rochester, N.Y. restaurant that serves American and global cuisine. Overstreet recommends pairing this not-so-typical salad with a versatile rosé.

Number of servings: 4
Prep time: 45-60 minutes
1 large fennel bulb (trimmed)
1 large celery root (cleaned)
1/2 red onion (sliced thin)
2 apples (sliced thin)
2 bunches baby kale
6 oz hard Manchego cheese
3/4 cup Marcona almonds
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Apple cider vinaigrette (follows)
Oregano black pepper oil

Slice celery root and fennel bulb paper thin with a sharp knife or mandoline slicer. In a mixing bowl, combine fennel, celery root, onion, apple, and kale. Dress with apple cider vinaigrette and then add salt, pepper, and parsley to taste. Divide over four plates and shave long shards of Manchego over salad. Finish with oregano pepper oil and almonds. 

Apple Cider Vinaigrette
1 cup apple cider (reduced by half and cooled)
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 shallot (minced)
1 tsp thyme
3/4 cup canola oil
Salt and pepper

Add cider, vinegar, shallot, and thyme to a small mixing bowl. Slowly whisk oil into mixture. Salt and pepper to taste.

Oregano Black Pepper Oil
1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves
2 tablespoons black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
In a blender, mix all ingredients until smooth.

Chardonnay with baked cheese and caramelized apples and spiced bacon

Jim Farrington, the head of public service at Eastman School of Music’s Sibley Library, provided this recipe. Overstreet recommends pairing it with a mouthwatering chardonnay.
The wine’s acidity makes a good foil to melty cheese.

Number of servings: 12
Prep time: 45 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes1 8-inch round of Camembert cheese*
2 tablespoons butter
1-2 firm apples (McIntosh or Cortland recommended), peeled, cored, and sliced
3 tablespoons real maple syrup
Cinnamon
2-4 strips bacon
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon chili powder
Salt
Chopped nuts (optional)
Apple chips
*Note: Take cheese out of the refrigerator an hour before serving.

In a medium pan, melt butter, and add sliced apples and 1 tablespoon of the maple syrup. Cook over medium heat until apples are nicely caramelized. Remove from heat and add 1 to 2 more tablespoons of maple syrup and a dusting of cinnamon.

Lay the bacon on a baking sheet (line it with foil or a silicone mat for easy cleanup). Cover the bacon with brown sugar, chili powder, a little salt, and a sprinkling of finely chopped nuts, if desired. Bake in 350-degree oven until crisp, about 20 minutes. When cool enough to handle, chop on a cutting board.

Place cheese on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Top with apples. Bake for 5 to 6 minutes, then add candied bacon and bake for another 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter. Serve with apple chips.

Pinot noir and tangy cranberry relish

Overstreet often makes this as a side or a condiment. She also likes to serve it on crackers with cream cheese. The tangy cranberries and green apple acidity mirror the red fruits of Bruliam’s Sangiacomo Vineyard Pinot Noir.

Number of servings: 6
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon salt
2 cinnamon sticks (3-inch)
2 whole star anise
1 12-ounce package fresh cranberries
2 cups finely peeled and chopped Bosc pear (about three medium)
1 cup finely peeled and chopped Granny Smith apple (about one small)
3/4 cup golden raisins
2 1/2 cups finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Combine the first seven ingredients (through cranberries) in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes or until the cranberries begin to pop. Stir in pear, apple, raisins, onion, and ginger and cook for 20 minutes or until the fruit is tender. Remove from heat, stir in the fresh lemon juice, then cool to room temperature and discard cinnamon stick and star anise. Cover, chill, then enjoy.