Wine has always been associated with everything classy, elegant, and passionate. We share candlelit dinners with wine with that special someone, give wine as gifts for special people in our lives, and give wine wedding favors for that very romantic celebration.
A wine and cheese party is the same, but made more fun. If you want to have a wine and cheese party that will bring out the inner elegance that you and your friends have and have a break from the usual pizza and beer party, here’s a quick guide to be the perfect host for such a party.
If you have your favorite wine, make the wine as the primary dish and choose your cheeses according to the wine. Or if you have a special cheese in mind that you definitely want to serve, make this the focal point and have the wine suit the cheese, and not the other way around. Either way, the key here is to make your preference stand out when choosing the wine and cheese to be served.
For the pairings, here are some of the well-loved wine and cheese groupings: Pair Swiss Cheese or Brie Cheese with Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir. If you want Reggiano or Gruyere, it is best to pair them with either Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc or Shiraz. Another classic pairing is Cheddar with Shiraz, or Monterey jack with Riesling or Merlot. Pair soft or semi-soft cheeses with a light wine variety and hard or semi-hard cheeses with a harder blend of wine.
Place cheeses at room temperature 3 hours before consuming them. Cheese tastes its best in this temperature than when cold. Serve at least 2 to 3 types of cheeses per wine. An ideal allotment is 4 ounces of each type of cheese per person. It would be good if you can have extra cheese on hand, but having less cheese can definitely spoil the party. Chill wines before serving them and use the right wine glass. Having a great wine is not enough because despite its taste, if you place them in the wrong glass, the true taste and quality of the wine will not shine through.
Now you can invite your friends over to a great-tasting wine and cheese party. Complete your party with a fun crowd, great music and make this the start of many wine and cheese parties. With many cheese and wine pairings that you can choose from, you can definitely have one party after another.
Criss White is a professional article writer for lifestyle, bridal, wedding, and various other topics. To view some wine wedding favors or to look at some wedding colors, visit Bridal and Wedding Favors.