Ten Tips for a Sonoma-Style Wine and Dinner Party
Tired of Winter, Want to have a fun party that brings to mind a warm summer day in the vineyard? Why not have a Sonoma Style dinner party with friends. Here are 10 easy tips for success from our recipe specialist Rita Held.
Ten Tips for a Sonoma-Style Dinner Party
1. Getting It Together
Several weeks ahead, invite the guests; select and print out the recipes (visit the TSG Recipe Box); and order specialty food products. Wine can be ordered online too (if your state allows it). Create to-do lists, and the day of the party follow a timetable so the casserole gets into the oven and the wines get chilled on schedule.
2. What Can I Bring?
Guests today want to bring something—a great help in these busy and uncertain times. For a more cohesive menu, assign each guest a recipe to prepare and deliver in a serving dish. Simply send them the recipe link or specify a type of dish. Ask some guests to bring wine—specify the varietal, wine region, and maximum price.
3. Sonoma-Style Dinner
While good wines come from around the world, focusing on one wine region is fun. Sonoma, one of the world’s great wine regions, is a good place to start. The wines are exceptional and prices are often lower than comparable wines from Napa. White varietals include chardonnay, gewürztraminer, sauvignon blanc, and pinot gris; reds include cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, merlot, syrah, and zinfandel. Sonoma also produces excellent sparkling wines.
4. What Wines to Serve?
Believe it or not, choosing wine is the easiest part of menu planning. Simply serve what you like—and forget outdated wine rules. If you adore chardonnay, drink it with everything. To serve a variety of wines, select light whites or reds for light dishes, and choose full-bodied whites and reds for hearty dishes. Here are some suggested pairings with Two Sisters Gourmet recipes:
- A crisp sauvignon blanc with Asian Steamed Mussels or Lemon Garlic Shrimp
- A semi-sweet gewürztraminer with Spicy & Sweet Chicken Wings.
- Pinot noir or chardonnay with Over-the-edge Smoked Salmon Appetizer or Chicken Kiev.
- Sparkling wine or pinot noir with Classic Quiche with Gruyere .
- Cabernet sauvignon or merlot with Deliciously Devine Duo , Pot Roast Perfection, or Baby Back Ribs.
- Zinfandel with Italian Pizza or Pepperoni Pizza Loaf.
- A sec or demi-sec sparkling wine with Simply Pear Chardonnay Pudding.
5. How Much Wine to Buy
Plan on at least 2 glasses of wine per person for a daytime affair. For a long party, allow up to a bottle per guest.
6. Sonoma Wine and Food Pairing
Choose at least half dozen wine varietals to serve. The goal is to find the best wine for each dish on the menu. Taste one dish with all of the wines, and then repeat until each wine has been compared to each dish. Start with the mildest dish and the lightest wine. Here’s what to do: 1) Swirl the wine in the glass and immediately take a sip—think about how the wine tastes and feels. 2) Take a bite of food. 3) Swirl and sip the wine again. Did the food alter the taste of the wine? If each sip of wine tasted similar—and you liked the flavor after tasting the food—it is a good match. Discuss what combinations you liked best and why; which ones weren’t as good and why.
7. Wine Temperatures
For wine to taste best, it must be at the right temperature. Whites should be chilled but not ice-cold. To quick-chill whites, submerge the bottle in ice water for 15 minutes, or refrigerate about 2 hours. Red wine bottles should feel cool to the touch. If the bottle is warm, refrigerate it about 1/2 hour; if too cold, leave at room temperature 1/2 hour.
8. Setting the Table for Wine
Put the water glass on the far right, above the knife. Arrange the wine glasses to the left of the water, above the plate. One glass for each wine (or one for red and one for white) is ideal. If a single glass is used, rinse it between wines. Clear, long-stemmed wine glasses that curve in slightly at the top and hold at least 12-ounces are ideal.
For a centerpiece, keep it simple and decorate for the theme. Use something like the PartyLite Customizable Tealight Centerpiece for quick elegance and great ambiance.
9. How Much Wine to Pour?
A wine glass should be filled no more than 1/3 full—that allows space for swirling the wine to release aromas and aerate the wine. It is easier to swirl the glass without spilling if the base of the glass is on the table—hold the glass by the stem and quickly move the glass in a circular motion.
10. Have Fun and Trust Yourself
It’s fun to talk about wine—what flavors you taste and aromas you smell. But don’t be surprised if everyone disagrees—even the experts do. Just as people have different opinions about food, the wine palate is very personal. Trust your own opinion.
2 Comments April 8, 2010
Bubbles make me happy and I think they add to every occasion. Our family is a great fan of sparkling wines and champagnes: They’re fun, taste good, complement most foods and you can serve them in fabulous looking glasses. One of the first pair of wine glasses Rick and I bought when we were engaged had hollow stems so you could watch the bubbles flow!
