| Planning a Party with Wine.Entertaining can | | | | option is overlooked, Champagne. Sparkling |
| be a stressful event, but one way to ensure a | | | | wines accompany many dishes well, and are |
| good for everyone including yourself is to | | | | especially good to sip alone over good |
| plan ahead. By taking care of as many | | | | conversation. Be sure to keep it well |
| details in advance, you will have time to | | | | chilled, and don't open too many bottles in |
| enjoy your company and take care of the few | | | | advance or else they will go flat before |
| unexpected things that arise. One area that | | | | getting to the glass.How much to buy.If you |
| is especially easy to plan in advance is | | | | will be serving primarily wine, or you know |
| buying and serving wine.What to buy.What | | | | your guests will be drinking mostly wine by |
| types and varieties of wine you purchase and | | | | choice, you will want to plan on one bottle |
| offer will depend on what type of event you | | | | for every 3 or 4 guests. If there will be |
| are hosting. If you are having a stand-up | | | | beer and spirits, reduce your wine cache to |
| party with mostly appetizers and finger foods | | | | about one bottle for every 4 or 5 guests. |
| then you will want to offer both red and | | | | For dinner parties, you will want to make |
| white wines. For white wine consider having | | | | sure every guest can have a glass of each |
| two options, first a good Chardonnay with | | | | wine served with each course. A bottle pours |
| ample oak tones that stand up to the many | | | | about 5 glasses of wine, so plan on a bottle |
| different foods that will be offered. A | | | | for 5 guests. An extra bottle of the main |
| second good white wine choice is a lighter | | | | course and desert wine is always a good |
| and drier Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. | | | | idea.How to serve.First, get the wine to the |
| For red wines, avoid anything too big and | | | | correct temperature well in advance of the |
| bold. Instead a lighter Zinfandel, Merlot, | | | | party. Set out all of the glasses where |
| or Pinot Noir are all great choices.If you | | | | guests can easily access them, in close |
| are serving a formal sit down dinner, you may | | | | proximity to the wine. Don't open it all |
| wish consider having both a red and white | | | | right away, and don't set the chilled white |
| wines on hand. But you should also consider | | | | and sparkling wine out at once. Just before |
| the food you are serving and match your wine | | | | guests are to arrive, open enough wine to |
| selections accordingly. If you are serving a | | | | fill glasses of the initial arrivals. After |
| multi-course dinner event, don't be afraid to | | | | everyone has poured their first glass, you |
| offer different wines with each course. | | | | can then open more to replenish based on the |
| Encourage guests to pour just a half glass of | | | | rate it is being consumed. Keep sparkling |
| each wine if you will be serving different | | | | wine chilled in an ice water bath, but white |
| wines in order to avoid over indulgence.Many | | | | and reds will be fine sitting out at room |
| times if your focus is solely on which white | | | | temperature for 30-45 minutes. |
| and red wines to purchase and another great | | | | |