Tales of Traditions
Local winemakers share favorite holiday customs
By Aakanksha Agarwal
The holiday season brings with it a warmth difficult to describe: a nostalgia wrapped up in traditions, smells of delicious meals and wine saved for just the right moment. As we read these stories, while the traditions may differ, all are bound by one certainty: love for family, food and wine.
For winemakers, cellar season represents a time for rest and revelry after the hustle and bustle of harvest. While some are hunkering down for a quiet holiday, others are gearing up for an all-out food-and-wine extravaganza.
From festive feasts to personal rituals, the following Northwest winemakers open their hearts and homes to share how they celebrate the holidays. So, grab a glass (or two) and dive into the charming traditions bringing together these wine artisans and their families. You may find inspiration for your holiday gatherings.
Alex Clark, winemaker at Silas Wines
Alex Clark grew up in New England, where the enchantment of Christmas lived in his household. “My parents kept the magic (i.e., lies) alive for myself and my two brothers for a long while,” he reminisces. The idyllic scenery and snow-draped landscapes adorned with twinkling lights resembled a Norman Rockwell painting. Now, at 40, Clark still hums Christmas tunes throughout the year, much to his wife's chagrin. “From a musical standpoint, many Christmas songs boast great composition with a healthy mix of jazz chords, making them perfect for year-round humming,” he says. An advent calendar was a highlight of his childhood, sparking excitement each morning as he and his brothers opened a new door. “I’ve floated the idea of a wine bottle advent calendar, but, apparently, drinking a new bottle every morning for an entire month seemed a bit excessive for my family.”
This year is particularly special as Clark’s daughter turns three years old only days before Christmas. “I can’t wait to share my love for the holidays with her,” he beams.
The Clark family holiday celebrations are a delightful mix of traditions. Clark’s wife hails from a large New York Italian family. For the last decade, they have spent Christmas Day with their two sides, enjoying two lavish dinners. “The Italians know how to do holiday meals,” Clark explains. “Every 15 minutes, new courses emerge from the kitchen, starting with homemade manicotti and culminating in his favorite: homemade porchetta. This succulent dish, with its crispy skin and herb-infused juicy meat, is divine. It takes hours to prepare, but it’s worth every moment.”
The day begins with a huge meal with family and friends, followed by a drive and yet another extravagant dinner. “I’m not sure how I even survive the next day!” he laughs.
This year, Clark looks forward to opening a few special bottles, including some warmer vintage Pinots like his cherished 2014s. “I always sneak a bottle or two of Moulin-à-Vent Beaujolais onto whatever holiday table I can find. And, I can’t resist a good Austrian Sekt; a great sparkling Riesling beats Champagne any day. Weingut Steininger in Kamptal is a personal favorite,” he confides, recalling his time running a wine bar in New York City.
John Bell, president & COO, Cathedral Ridge Winery
At Cathedral Ridge Winery, John Bell and his team host an annual catered Christmas party to express gratitude to their members, guests and staff. “It’s a way to celebrate our community and the year gone by,” Bell explains.
The family’s holiday feast is also a treasure trove of flavors: a traditional turkey and ham dinner, complete with all the sides imaginable. “We dig into our cellar to find library wine gems at least a decade old” Bell says. The menu often includes wild game birds, salmon and his father’s beloved mincemeat pie.
“Other staples at our table include sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes with thick pan gravy, cornbread, carrots, cranberry sauce and a selection of pies—cherry, apple and chocolate,” he remarks.
After indulging in the festive meal, the family enjoys a leisurely walk around the vineyard. “The walk is beautiful, with trees and bushes blanketed in snow. Our estate vineyard vines are tucked in for the winter, and views of the Columbia Gorge, Mounts Hood and Adams are breathtaking,” he reflects.
Chuck Knostman, owner of Knostman Family Winery
“For us, the most cherished holidays are when all our children and grandchildren are together,” Chuck Knostman says. “There’s nothing more fulfilling than being surrounded by family, no matter the occasion.”
Knostman typically smokes a stuffed turkey wrapped in bacon for their holiday meals. “We enjoy our holiday dinners starting with Sauvignon Blanc for appetizers, moving to Cabernet Franc for the main course, and concluding with Gamay or Pinot Noir with pie later in the evening,” he explains. “It’s just great to have everyone together, sharing delicious food and wine!”
Terry Sullivan, winegrower and owner of Upper Five Vineyard
Terry Sullivan’s family is small, yet he cherishes special holiday meals on Christmas and New Year’s Day.
Sullivan’s Christmas menu features an herb-rubbed duck with tart cherry and sage sauce. “I coat the duck in a mix of juniper berries, bay laurel, rosemary and thyme overnight. It’s a labor of love, served with roasted Brussels sprouts and root vegetable mash.” The perfect pairing is, of course, an Oregon Pinot Noir. I have some favorites from Brick House, Grochau Cellars, and Belle Pente I’ll be reaching for this year.”
To celebrate the New Year, Sullivan prepares cioppino, hoping to find fresh Oregon Dungeness crab. “It may sound odd, but I love pairing it with our Rosé of Grenache. After all, rosé goes with everything!”
Ashley Trout, owner and winemaker at Brook & Bull Cellars
“Without fail, we order Silent Night tea from Smith Teamaker after Thanksgiving,” Ashley Trout observes. “It’s a perfect blend— sweet, but not overly so, refreshing, yet comforting. We love to sip it by our wood stove fireplace on weekend mornings with something simple like a muffin.”
At Brook & Bull, they send this tea to favorite industry partners. “It’s fun to share something special and curated,” Trout explains. Music also plays a key role in their holiday spirit. “We listen to Christmas carols, but strictly between Thanksgiving and Christmas— no earlier or later!”
At home, the family fills out “acts of service cards” for their annual advent calendar. “Each card might allow a kid to choose the first Christmas carol of the day or pick a favorite cookie for us to bake,” she said.
A special tradition is visiting Brights, a local candy store, to fill up on favorite treats for the advent calendar. “Their peppermint bark chocolate is a seasonal delight,” Trout says. “You can even watch the staff making fudge and seasonal candies. The smell of sugar wafting through the air is the perfect way to kick off the Christmas season!”
Melissa Berghan, owner of Gifford Hirlinger Winery
“Cutting down our own Christmas tree with friends is one of our favorite traditions,” says Melissa Berghan. “We make a day of it, enjoying lunch, and everyone brings a special bottle of wine to share.”
For the holidays, Berghan likes serving crab legs paired with bubbly. “We also open one of our reserve red wines to enjoy with our prime rib dinner on Christmas Day,” she adds.
Lois Cho, CEO and co-founder of CHO Wines
Lois Cho describes her holiday traditions as rooted in food and gathering rather than decorations or gift exchanges. “Having grown up in Korean immigrant families, food was always the centerpiece,” she explains. Now, she decorates the Christmas tree with ornaments made or collected over the years, and food remains a central theme. “We’ve begun making dumplings with the kids to save for the New Year,” she notes, referencing a traditional New Year’s Day dish in Korean culture.
Cho's Thanksgiving meals often include her grandmother’s recipe for Korean spicy garlic fried chicken, known as “kkanpunggi.” She says, “These crispy wings glazed in soy, garlic, and chili sauce are always a hit.” Now that Cho and husband Dave have entered the wine industry, they enjoy pairing their CHO Wines’ Blanc de Noirs and Brut Rosé sparkling wines with the chicken, celebrating their family’s journey in the United States.
Chris Butler, co-owner at Liska Wine Company
Chris Butler and wife Draga Zheleva blend their different cultural backgrounds, creating a unique holiday experience for their family. “We’ve been defining how we want our holidays to look, feel and taste, focusing on rich and memorable meals,” Butler explains.
Christmas is particularly festive for them, with traditional dishes like Bulgarian sarmi (fermented cabbage rolls) and chanterelle soup. “Last year, we explored four of Yotam Ottolenghi’s cookbooks and created a Mediterranean-style feast bursting with color and flavor,” he recalls.
The family enjoys a mix of wines from small producers, along with a selection from Liska and Cristom Vineyards, complemented by German Riesling and Northern Rhône Syrah. “We don’t pair wines with specific dishes; we simply choose bottles we love and think our family will enjoy,” Butler says.
Ximena Orrego, winemaker and co-owner of Atticus Wine
Every Christmas, Ximena Orrego prepares traditional alfajores with her mother, Doris. “This recipe, passed down through generations, is closely guarded,” Orrego says. “There’s no other alfajor like it.” This delectable dessert— delicate shortbread cookies dusted with powdered sugar and filled with rich manjar blanco (thick sweetened condensed milk)— is a South American staple, but they’re especially treasured during the holidays.
“The alfajores are our only Peruvian tradition now,” Orrego says. During the pandemic, her family adopted new traditions. “We settled on filet mignon with a rosemary wine reduction and port mushroom sauce for Christmas dinner. It’s a once-a-year feast!” Regardless of the changes, one thing remains constant: “We always make the alfajores.”
And what pairs perfectly with these sweet delights? A special bottle of Champagne, of course!
Aakanksha Agarwal is a wine, travel and lifestyle writer from India. Formerly a Bollywood stylist, she now resides in the U.S., embracing writing full-time while juggling family life and indulging in her passions for cuisine, literature and wanderlust.
