August has arrived and with it some of the year’s best produce, including succulent ripe peaches — the kind where, with one bite, the sweet juice tickles your arm as it runs down to your elbow.

For a more elegant approach to eating these delicious stone fruits, try them roasted with cinnamon and basil-infused butter, then topped with crème fraîche, sour cream or ice cream.

Check out the wine pairing below the recipe: Côte Bonneville Riesling, an impressive Washington State wine whose peach-like flavors meld beautifully with the dessert.

Peachy keen, wouldn’t you agree? (Sorry, I couldn’t resist!)

Ingredients (4 servings)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

3 tablespoons dark brown sugar

3 teaspoons chopped fresh basil

pinch ground cinnamon

pinch salt

4 ripe peaches, halved and pitted

Whipped crème fraîche, sour cream or ice cream for serving (optional)

Instructions

1) Heat grill or oven to 375 degrees.

2) In a small bowl mash together butter, sugar, basil, cinnamon and salt. Spoon mixture into cavities of peach halves and arrange peaches stuffed side up on baking pan (or, if grilling, on tin foil with the edges curled up to catch the juices). Bake inside grill with the top closed or in the oven until peaches are softened and butter is bubbling, about 15-20 minutes. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature, sprinkled with fresh basil and with a dollop of crème fraîche, sour cream or ice cream.

Wine Pairing

Though most known for its red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and more, Washington State also produces world-class white wines like this 2019 Côte Bonneville Riesling.

With enticing aromas of lime, white peach and pear, this slightly sweet wine hits the mark due to a mouthwatering acidity that balances out its sweet fruit notes. On the palate, the wine is fresh, vibrant and full of lemon and lime zing. It pairs well with everything from appetizers to dessert. The off-dry style of this Riesling also makes it a perfect choice with spicy Asian cuisine.

Côte Bonneville, a small, family-owned winery located in Yakima Valley — Washington’s oldest appellation — produces terroir-expressive wines from the highly acclaimed DuBrul Vineyard. The Riesling vines were planted in the early 1980s and consistently produce grapes of unique flavor and structure. DuBrul Vineyard was named “Vineyard of the Year” by Seattle Magazine in 2007 and again in 2009.