Party-Sense

In a nutshell, wine goes with food and food goes with wine, but when planning a dinner menu  how does one know what is the right wine to choose?  With thousands of wines available this can be a tricky question to answer.


Many a host or hostess has lost sleep due to stress and confusion all due to wine intimidation. I wish I had the answer, but in my mind there is no right or wrong answer to this question. I believe that balance is the key. Food and wine need to compliment and not overpower each other. Hosts should also allow their own personal preferences be their guide. With that being said, there are a few key factors I go by when planning what to serve at my event.

If I am serving wine with my salad course, and my salad contains vinaigrette or lemon based dressing, I usually pair it with Sauvignon blanc. If I’m serving brunch and have dishes containing eggs, such as omelets, Champagne is the perfect compliment. Sweet wines, like Riesling, should be served with fresh fruit. Cheeses go well with sweet wine too. Blue Cheese in particular goes well with Port, but very strong cheeses can overwhelm any wine.

For main course dishes that are rich and creamy, dry whites, like Chardonnay, go well. I also prefer dry whites when serving fish entrées. Hearty steak and red meats should be teamed with something heavy, such as a Cabernet sauvignon. Hot and spicy food usually pair better with beer than wine, but if you do want wine try something sweet like a Gewurztraminer.



Desserts can be difficult to enjoy with wine. Dry wines impart an unpleasant taste. If you do decide to serve wine with dessert try a dessert wine. Dessert wines are usually best when served alone -- consider them the dessert.



I hope this helps guide you through your next wine crisis. If you have any particular pairings you are fond of please let me know! Comment on the post or email me at Christine@party-sense.com. I would love to hear from you!