After weekends filled with festivities and packed social calendars, the post-holiday months can leave us without occasions to look forward to until the weather warms. Shake off those wintertime blues by throwing a KORBEL California Champagne appetizer dinner party for your friends!

Offer an array of finger foods and KORBEL cocktails for guests to eat and enjoy. Provide festive glassware to complement the cocktails and decorative plates and napkins to elevate the atmosphere.

Serve this elegant grilled cheese and KORBEL Ultra Violet cocktail in your party spread.

Grilled Cheese with Goat Cheese, Grain Mustard, Fig Spread and Thyme

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 8 slices hearty style bread
• 2 C crumble goat cheese
• ½ C grain mustard
• ½ C fig spread (Available in Italian or gourmet markets or online)
• 4 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 4 oz stick of butter, melted

Method:

1. Lay out the 8 slices of bread, spreading 4 pieces with fig and 4 pieces with grain mustard. Evenly distribute the goat cheese over the 4 slices with the fig spread and then sprinkle on the fresh thyme leaves. Close the sandwich. This can be done ahead of time.
2. When ready to serve, plug in a panini press or heat a large pan over medium heat. Brush one side of each sandwich with melted butter and place buttered side down. Brush the other side of the sandwich and close the press or if in the pan, cook one side until dark golden brown, flip and repeat on other side.
3. Cut each sandwich into four pieces and enjoy with a KORBEL Ultra Violet cocktail.

KORBEL Ultra Violet

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 12 oz KORBEL, chilled
• 8 oz concord grape juice, chilled
• 4 oz vodka, chilled
• Zest of ½ lime
• 6 grapes, cut in half lengthwise

Method:

1. Lay out grape slices on a plate so they are separated and place in the freezer for at least 4 hours.
2. In each glass, add 2 oz of concord grape juice, 1 oz of vodka, lime zest and 3 frozen grape slices. Pour in 3 oz of KORBEL.