Pick a theme
One way to avoid your party being an epic bore-fest is to have a theme. Themes can be based on the time of year (a summer solstice wine and cheese pairing, or a New Year’s Eve champagne tasting) or a special event (debut of a new movie or book? Feature wines from the superstar’s home state). You could also try basing your theme around certain types of wine—for example, only Kenyan wines.
There are so many options for themes that you may want to let guests pick them for you. When you send out your invitations, ask partygoers to suggest a theme that they would like. When you get all their responses, choose the one that sounds most appealing either because it’s easy to pull off or because it sounds like something fun!
What time of day is the party?
The time of day and type of food you’re serving will play a big role in determining the best wines to serve. Ask yourself:
- Is my party in the morning? Morning wine should be light, smooth, and not too acidic.
- Is my party at lunch? At lunch, wine should be crisp and light enough to compliment, but not overpower the meal.
- Is my party at dinner? At dinner, wines tend to be bolder and stronger, much like your main course.
- Is my party after dinner? After dinner wine is usually sweet, rich, and bold so it serves as a nice complement to dessert.
Choose one white wine and one red wine.
- Choose one white wine and one red wine. Red wines are more heavily associated with winter, but it makes sense to have both on hand so that all your guests can find something they enjoy drinking.
- For the white, choose a Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay. If you tend to like lighter wines, choose a Sauvignon Blanc; if you prefer richer whites, go with a Chardonnay. Both of these grape varieties are popular and widely available, which is helpful when you’re shopping for large quantities of wine.
- For the red, choose between Merlot and Pinot Noir. Similar to above: just decide which flavor profile you prefer most in red wine (Merlot is darker and sweeter than Pinot Noir).
- Include a bottle of sparkling wine or champagne. Your party will feel instantly elevated if someone can toast with champagne when your guests arrive!
Keep it simple.
For example, heavily oaked Chardonnays are not a good choice. They are often too dry and spicy for most tastes and can overwhelm the flavor of food. Similarly, wines that are overly fruity or sweet should be avoided. In addition to not pairing well with food, they can appeal too strongly to those who do not enjoy wine with their meal. Tannic wines or wines that have been aged may also be unsuitable for many palates as they tend to overstimulate the tongue making it difficult to fully enjoy subtle nuances in the food being served. If you want to avoid confusion while also limiting your choices to only truly drinkable wine, keep your selection simple by selecting only one red and one white varietal such as Merlot or Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay respectively.
Consider the food.
One of the most important things to consider when selecting wine for a party is the food you’re serving. Though there are no hard and fast rules, as a general rule white wines go better with fish and chicken, and red wines go better with meat. But it’s not just about what foods you’re serving; you also have to consider how your guests will be eating the food. Foods that are sweet or sour should be paired with wines that are sweeter or more acidic. For example, spicy Asian dishes go well with Riesling because the sweetness will counteract some of the spices in the dish. You’ll also want to think about how heavy or light your dishes will be: creamy pasta sauces call for heavier wines while lighter Italian dishes need lighter wines so that they don’t clash on your guest’s palates.
You also want to consider what ingredients were used to prepare your food. If you’re serving any sort of sauce, like tomato sauce, you should consider how acidic it is – if it’s very acidic then stay away from strongly acidic wines like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, but if it has a lot of sugar then avoid sweet German Riesling types.
Consider your guests, the food, and other factors before selecting the wines you’ll serve at the party.
Once you’ve chosen the perfect menu, it’s time to choose the wines. If the food is a major focus of the party, then you may want to serve wine that complements each type of food. If you know your guests’ tastes in wine, then you may want to select wines that suit their taste preferences. Consider the occasion and time of day as well as other factors as you choose your wines.
- Select varietal or blends based on how they pair with the foods served at your party.
- Choose wines that suit your guests’ taste preferences
- Consider different occasions when selecting wine for parties
- Choose wines that suit the time of day and other factors
- Choose a theme to help narrow down choices if necessary
- Ensure consistency between courses
