Hey party animals, it's the Vineyard Vixen here and I’m ready to spill the beans (and maybe a little wine) on the best pairings for those drool-worthy birthday desserts. Today, we're celebrating The Silver Fox – a true connoisseur of life, laughter, and, most importantly, dessert! And he’s got two favorites that we’re sure to be indulging in over his birthday month. Yes, that’s right he gets the whole month when most of us get a birthday week.

Our birthday boy's first love – a decadent chocolate cake with mocha buttercream frosting. It’s dark and mysterious just like him. The richness of chocolate, the velvety smoothness of mocha, it's a dessert that demands attention. So, what wine do we bring to this cocoa-kissed affair? Drumroll, please!

But wait, there's more! The Silver Fox isn't a one-dessert kind of guy. Enter the Meyer lemon tart – a zesty, citrusy delight that'll make your taste buds tango. Now, what wine will waltz in perfect harmony with this sunny sensation?

Blanc de Blancs:

This crisp, vibrant sparkling wine is like a breath of fresh air on a summer day. Its citrusy flavors, dance hand in hand with the zingy lemon tart. Plus, the biscuity yeast notes will blend exquisitely with the buttery puff pastry. It's a pairing that's practically a flavor party in your mouth! One to try, Schramsberg Vineyards Blanc de Blancs.

Vineyard Vixen’s Meyer Lemon Tart

Ingredients

Frozen Puff Pastry Sheet, thawed

5 - 6 Meyer Lemons (more or less as needed)

1 ¼ c sugar

Pinch of salt

2 large eggs at room temperature

10 tbs unsalted butter, cubed and softened

Instructions

Blind Bake the Tart Shell

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F

Roll out the puff pastry and place it on the bottom of a rectangular tart pan or shallow baking dish.

Prick the bottom of the pastry with a fork several times to prevent it from rising.

Cover the pastry with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans, then bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until it turns light golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool. Remove pie weights or beans when cool.

Meyer Lemon Tart Filling

Evenly slice one of the lemons in thin even rounds and set aside to use as garnish when serving. Using a fine grater, zest 2 of the lemons and set aside. Halve and juice as many lemons as needed to extract ¾ c juice. I suggest starting with the zested lemons first.

Have ready a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl near the stove. In a large saucepan over medium heat whisk in the sugar, salt, eggs, lemon juice and zest. Whisk constantly until smooth and continue to cook custard over medium heat whisking constantly, until thickened enough to coat back of a spoon, about 3 minutes. Do not overcook or custard will curdle.

Remove from heat and add the butter a few pieces at a time, gently whisking until fully incorporated. Immediately pour the filling into the sieve pressing custard with spatula through the sieve into the bowl below to remove any lumps.

Spoon the custard filling into the cooled tart shell and refrigerate until chilled and fully set, about 2 hours.  The filling should be soft and slightly giggly, but not runny. 

To serve, cut into slices and top with whipped cream and garnish with a lemon slice.

So, there you have it, my wine and dessert loving friends – the ultimate guide to wine pairings for The Silver Fox's birthday bash. Whether you're Team Chocolate or Team Lemon (or a wise member of both), these wine selections will have you clinking glasses and raising forks in celebration.

Cheers to another year of deliciousness, laughter, and, of course, fabulous wine pairings!

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