How to Host the Perfect Wine and Cheese Party

If you want to entertain over the festive season but don’t want to slave over a hot stove, have a cheese and wine party. Hosting a soiree like this makes life easier for everyone – it is easy, relaxed, tasty, and fun. Here are some tips on how to host the perfect wine and cheese party.

The Table

The beauty of a cheese and wine party is that you can just lay the goodies out on a table and let guests help themselves.

The time you would have spent cooking can be spent dressing the table and laying out the food. You don’t necessarily need to use plates – some wooden boards or silver platters can be very effective. Another idea is to cover the table with chalkboard paper on which you can write the name of the cheeses and other treats, so guests know what’s what. Lay out butter knives, cheese knives, plates, and napkins. Arrange the cheeses across the table and nestle them among fruits, vegetables, and baked goods that will complement each cheese’s taste and color. With some effort, the table will be a breathtaking cornucopia of colors and textures.

The Wine

You don’t need to be a wine expert to throw a cheese and wine party. Some people will tell you that cheese tastes better when paired with a specific wine, but if you don’t buy into this, offer a range of red, white, sparkling, and non-alcoholic wines, some bubbly and soft drinks.

Ensure you have plenty of wine glasses, Champagne flutes, and soft drink glasses. If you are celebrating a special occasion, it is classier to use glass or crystal, rather than disposable plastic cups. For an extra special touch, gift a personalized wine glass to each guest to keep as a memento of the occasion.

Cheese

If you are a bit of a wine connoisseur, there are some classic cheese and wine pairings you can try. Pinot Noir is traditionally paired with gruyere cheese, Provence rose with Havarti, champagne with brie, Moscato d’asti with gorgonzola, Sauvignon blanc and goats cheese and Cabernet Sauvignon with aged cheddar. Mild cheeses are often paired with delicate, mellow wines, while bold, full-bodied wines go well with strong, pungent cheeses. Remember, the sweeter the wine, the stinkier the cheese – hence, the classic pairing of port and Stilton. Take your cheeses out of the refrigerator about half an hour before serving them so that they reach room temperature.

A Bit on the Side

Not everyone will be a fan of cheese – some could be lactose intolerant, so scatter your table with dishes of accompaniments such as fruit (grapes, dates, apples, and pears), cold meats like salami, prosciutto, capicola, nuts, chutneys, mustards, and fruit compotes.

The smell of fresh bread will make your guests’ mouths water, as will platters of crackers, breadsticks, pretzels, and chips. Pour flavored olive oils into dishes for guests to dip bread into or whip up some homemade dips such as hummus, guacamole, and beetroot dip.