Need advice for a wine and cheese tasting party

[Terrylee5151]

I have never had a wine and cheese tasting party and would like to have one. The problem is....I don't know where to start.

SparkleNana, I know you do a lot of parties, Any words of wisdom?

Anyone esle....please put in your two cents

Here is my ideas so far

I only want to have about 6-8 people.
I will furnish the wine and cheese myself.
I will put the cheese with the the dry wine and chocolate fondue or something of that sort with the sweet wine.
It may be outside depending on the weather.
Hmmmmm that is all I have so far....please, I could use some ideas.

 

[teachermomof2]

I found this on about.com
http://wine.about.com/od/holidayswithwi ... ngpart.htm

It covers just about everything. A friend of mine has one each summer and she usually has appetizer type foods as people are arriving. Then they move into the wine and cheese tasting.

Sounds like a fun time!

 

[Terrylee5151]

teachermomof2,
Thank You!!! I am looking through it right now and there are a lot of ideas there. I have a pad a pen taking notes as I go. This sounds like it could be a lot of fun....lets hope so.

 

[Cathymac]

Sounds like fun! I've always wanted to host/attend one of these, but we don't drink and DH doesn't eat "cold" cheese (he's so weird!), so....a cornbread and iced tea tasting party just doesn't sound as elegant somehow!! LOL!

Have fun...keep us posted!

 

[Gingerbug]

One thing that is sort of fun is to compare the wines before and after eating a certain food item. At one of the vineyards here...when they do wine tasting they have you sip a bit of the dessert wine and then eat a rich piece of chocolate and sip it after that...very different taste.

Fresh bread also goes well with the wine and cheese as well as crackers. Get some inexpensive wine charms if you do not already have them as they are fun and help people keep track of their glasses.

A little notebook or note sheet for each guest...might be fun depending on your guests (you know them best) where people can jot down the wine name and their impressions of it...in case they want to purchase it later.

 

[SparkleNana]

This is a wonderful idea for a party! I liked the idea about the friend serving apetizer-type food before the wine and cheese. OR after - or with! You definitely want to have something substantial in your stomach.

I did go to one at a bed-and-breakfast. The cook/co-owner of the b&b worked with the owner of a wine shop. The wine shop owner picked wines to go with each small plate of food. And he had a handout with the names of the wines - sold at his store. It was wonderful! (I think it was too much work - the owner of the b&b never gave one again. Actually, her husband left her and she sold the b&b -- so DO NOT be too ambitious! Simple is good!)

The owner of a wine shop could give you ideas of different wines to team up with food.

Another idea (an easy one, I have used) - is to have 4 or 5 different bottles of ONE type of wine. (Such as cabernet saviougnone - however you spell it.) You could have the wines covered in paper and Lebeled #1, #2 etc. (Get the big double bottles - they are usually in the $8 to $12 range.) I have served this with pasta, bread - no salad. I think the salad dressing changesd the taste of things too much. But do have salad if you like. You can have fruit (and cheese) for a healthy dessert. Oh - and have olive oil to dip the bread in.

Give each person an index card and a pencil and they can write down what they think of each wine while they eat and drink. (Oh - if anyone asks what they can bring to the meal, tell them to bring a bottle of wine - the kind of wine you are tasting - covered in paper so nobody will know what it is. They can bring the single (not double) size bottle.

This is really informal and easy and fun. Of course, I adore the carefully planned and "expensive" ones too. But I think wine is fun - I love to taste different ones. Whatever you choose to do, I think your guests will be very lucky to have been invited!

 

[Terrylee5151]

Okay you guys talked me into it....I will be serving more than wine and cheese. You are right, we will need something on our stomach if we will be drinking wine.

Maybe I will have a quiche and salad, I love the idea of dipping bread in flavored olive oil. They do that at an Italian restaurant we go to.

Some of the wines I am planning are

Sweet wines
ice wine (from Canada)
A local wine from Conneaut Cellars

Dry wines
Merlot
Amerone (spelling)

Semi sweet
White zinfandel
???

So far that is as far as I have gotten. I am going to do this in August so I have a little bit of time to plan.

Thank you everyone for all your ideas. I knew I could count on you guys....

 

[SparkleNana]

Terrylee5151 -- you are so great to do this party!

(For those that don't know about "ice wines" -- I THINK they are wines that have the grapes left on the vines long enough that the first freeze comers and the grapes actually "freeze" and then thaw. Then they are picked and made into wine. This "freezing" of the grapes makes the wines really sweet. See how fascinating wines are? If you like gardening and like cooking - you've got to like wines!)

Remember that your guests are really really lucky that you are making such a thoughtful party for them. You are inspiring me too. (Although I would love to be a guest, rather than the hostess. But hostess is good too.)