Caroline Cellars Family Estate Winery launched the holiday season with its annual holiday open house weekend from Friday, Nov. 30 to Sunday, Dec. 1, attracting guests eager to indulge in festive treats.

A highlight of the winery’s open house was a unique wine and preserves pairing experience, said retail manager Jaclyn Neufeld, who said they’ve been doing the open house for about eight years.

For $15, visitors sampled three house-made preserves — apple onion jam, mango chutney, and cranberry compote  — paired with a selection of the winery’s wines, including its signature icewine.

Neufeld said the tasting proved to be a hit for visitors.

Josh Molyneux, a wine server and salesman at the winery, said how the open house had breathed new life into the quieter season.

“It’s been good. People have been enjoying the preserves and wine pairings,” said Molyneux. “We’ve been bringing people in.”

Throughout the weekend, guests had the chance to purchase jars of the featured preserves.

The winery offered additional discounts on a variety of in-store items, including Christmas chocolates, Caroline-Cellars-branded products, and most wines — icewines and reds included.

Despite the usual slow season, Neufeld was pleased with the turnout of the open house weekend.

“We like to celebrate and say thank you to our customers. That’s why we put things on sale, so they come and enjoy it and take advantage of them, especially for Christmas.”