Hosting A Wine And Cheese Party

Food and Recipes » Beverage Guide » Wine Guide

Hosting A Wine And Cheese Party
By. Shawn Wilson

I love the holiday festivities. Time to catch up with friends that I haven't seen in a while, have a glass of wine or three, and eat! A wine and cheese party is the perfect holiday occasion, lending a touch of elegance and sophistication that you just don't get with beer and pretzels!

There's no right way or wrong way when it comes to planning a wine and cheese party, but there are a few things you should know so that it doesn't turn into a whine and cheese bash.

Try to pair a strong cheese with a strong wine and softer, mellower cheeses with softer, mellower wines. The following pairs are suggestions only; you're of course free to explore your own. Half the fun is coming up with new and interesting pairs;

a)Cheddar & Riesling
b)Blue Cheese & Cabernet Sauvignon
c)Boursin & Gewurztraminer
d)Camembert & Cabernet
e)Edam and Gouda with Riesling or Champagne
f)Havarti & Bordeaux

When planning how much to buy, arrange for two to three different kinds of wine and four to six different kinds of cheese. Buy one bottle of wine for every three people and feel free to adjust this if you know the people on your guest list drink more or less than average.

Besides wine and cheese, don't forget to offer alternative beverages for those who choose not to drink alcohol. As well, you should plan to add some, if not all, of the following to your table; assorted crackers or toasts, fresh fruit such as apples, pears and grapes, and both black and green olives. You'll also need wine glasses, corkscrews, plates, napkins, cheese boards and cheese knives. Remember that everyone will need a glass for each type of wine.

Now that you have the shopping completed how are you going to set this up?

You could simply arrange everything on one table but depending on the number of guests, this may become a bit inconvenient. Try placing the wine and cheese groupings around the room at different 'stations'. This will encourage your guests to circulate and avoids congestion around one table. Consider using blank recipe cards so that you can label the different cheeses with their name, a description of the flavor and perhaps a few details about where it was made. Do the same with the wine.

Let the wine and cheese speak for themselves. Keep the accessories simple and understated, like white tablecloths and candles. Use seasonally themed decorations; if it's winter time, you might want to use holly, pine garlands or holiday decorations. In the fall consider using colorful leaves. Summertime wine and cheese parties are a perfect opportunity to showcase flowers from your garden or simply purchase from a flower shop.

To finish things off, have coffee and tea ready to serve at the end of the evening accompanied by a light dessert.

Cheers!

Users Reading this article are also interested in:

Top Searches on Wine Guide:

• Wine And Cheese Party

• Wine Bottle Cheese

About The Author, Shawn Wilson

This article was written by Shawn Wilson, a member of the customer support team at Datepad, where internet dating is always free. Datepad has a massive directory of informative dating articles along with a great list of dating site reviews on their dating blog.

Wine Guide

•	Chardonnay - The Universal Wine
•	Riedel Wine Glasses - Greatest Wine Glass - Wine Accessories 462
•	Giving Wine As A Gift
•	Starting Wine Clubs
•	Wine Gift Online - Unique Wine Gift - Greatest Wine Glass 161
•	Wine Regions of Australia
•	Unique Wine Glasses
•	Unique Wine Glasses - Greatest Wine Glass - Red Wine Glasses 600
•	Electronic Wine Tasting
•	Learning About Winter Wines
•	Varieties of White Wine
•	Unique Wine Gift - Wine Lovers Gift - Greatest Wine Glass 102
•	Understanding and rating wine
•	Which Wine Rack Should You Choose?
•	The Mountain Drive Wine Stomp
•	Wine Bar - Things To Look For In Wine Bar
•	French Wine Regions
•	Why Is Wine So Popular
•	Keep Your Gift Giving Easy With Gourmet Food And Wine Baskets
	» More on Wine Guide

FoodEditorials Beverages Guide has useful information on all sorts of Beverages from Coffee & Teas to Alcoholic Drinks such as Beer and Wine. Also get tips on how to create fancy and creative Cocktails & Mocktails which will make you the life of every party!

Need faster Access? Try our Local Hosting Sites

Asia : Singapore - Malaysia - Indonesia | America : USA