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We have always enjoyed a nice jar of wine jelly, but no matter which brand we tried, we were always left with the thought: Shouldn’t “wine jelly” taste more like wine?
After 20-some years since tasting our first wine jelly, our question has been answered by Clif Family, and it’s no surprise why:
Clif Family makes its own wine from its California vineyards and it’s organic, too: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Grenache, Grenache Rosé, red blends, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Zinfandel, and a Petit Sirah dessert wine.
From these, the winery makes three wine jellies, which are also certified organic:
Red Wine & Cracked Black Pepper Jelly
Rosé Wine Jelly
White Wine Jelly, made with Clif Sauvignon Blanc
A good wine jelly is made with a concentration of real wine; the better the wine and the more wine in the jelly, the better the wine jelly.
A top wine jelly will taste like a glass of wine in jelly form, as the jellies from Clif Family so beautifully illustrate.
Each wine jelly is a gem on a cheese board or a fine cheese sandwich—say, Brie on a baguette, blue cheese and prosciutto, fine Cheddar or Gouda, and dozens of others, including grilled cheese!
The jellies also add flavor and excitement to cheese and charcuterie boards and have many more uses, which we detail in the next section.
In addition to their deliciousness, these jellies are feel-good gifts.
That’s because Clif Family is a B Corp Certified business, which means it prioritizes the highest standards of positive social and environmental impact (the owners began by founding Clif Bar).
Here’s more about B corps.
GET YOUR WINE JELLY
Not just for yourself, but as Thanksgiving favors and holiday gifts: You can select single jars or a gift box of all three.
Head to ClifFamily.com.
You’ll see other yummy items produced by the family, including other small-batch specialty foods that are enjoyable on their own or can be used to make tasty dishes:
Honeys
Nut Mixes
Preserves
More Goodies
If you find yourself in the Napa Valley, visit the Clif Family tasting room in St. Helena. In the interim, here’s:
> The history of jelly.
> The history of wine.
> The different types of jelly and jam: a glossary.
> Cheese condiments: pairing jelly and more with different cheeses.
20+ MORE WAYS TO USE WINE JELLY
When you open your first jar and the lovely aroma of wine wafts upward, you’ll want to dip into it with a spoon—and that’s a fine way to enjoy your first taste.
But, use it any way you would use jelly or preserves. In addition to your own creations, may we suggest:
As A Condiment
Atop canapés and crostini, with or without cheese or other ingredient
Atop ice cream, parfaits, sundaes, and sorbet (microwave into a sauce if desired)
Mixed into Dijon mustard or mayonnaise
Mixed into yogurt
On a cheese or charcuterie plate
On a sandwich (cheese, cheeseburger, ham, hot dog [yes!], turkey, PB&J, etc.)
On toast and grilled bread
With an omelet or scrambled eggs
With fish, lamb, pork, poultry (and to baste them, too)
As An Ingredient
Added to a baked apple or pear (place in the center before baking)
As a glaze atop a fruit tart or underneath the fruit (i.e. atop the crust)
Atop a block of cream cheese or a log of goat cheese, served with breads or crackers
Blended into a sauce with sour cream*, crème fraîche, or Greek yogurt, plus Dijon mustard and capersIn a vinaigrette or marinade
Melted or whisked into sour cream*, crème fraîche, or Greek yogurt as a topping for baked potatoes, fish, other vegetables, and grains
Mixed with cream cheese, goat cheese, or mascarpone to fill crêpes
Mixed into the ricotta for blintzes or dessert ravioli
Mixed into sour cream or Greek yogurt as a dip
Microwaved into a sauce as a drizzle for angel food/pound cake, pancakes, waffles
Place a dab atop a bowl of porridge
Spread atop a baked Brie
Spread over the top of a cheesecake (after baking and cooling)
Turned into a pan sauce by de-glazing the pan (here’s how)
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*Sour cream is sensitive to heat and can easily curdle if heated or reheated at a high temperature. Do not microwave. Crème fraîche can be heated without curdling or splitting. Regular yogurt will separate when heated, but Greek-style yogurt which is double- or triple-strained won’t.
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[1] Rosé wine jelly with a glass of rosé wine (photos #1 through #4 © Clif Family).
[2] Red wine jelly. The jellies are sold individually and in a gift box with all three varieties.
[3] White wine jelly, made with Sauvignon Blanc.
[4] The lovely gift box with all three flavors.
[5] Clever canapes with peanut butter and wine jelly (photo © Jif).
[6] These wine jellies are a great addition to a cheese or charcuterie board (photo © Castello Cheese).
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