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The Wine and Cheese Party - Simplified! |
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The Wine & Cheese Party - Simplified!
M eet the new image of wine! Hip, trendy, flirty, and inviting.
Wine has had a pop-star makeover during the past few years. Wine still retains its sense of style and sophistication but long
gone are the images of stuffy "members only" wine clubs, in fact, wine is less intimidating than ever and wine tasting parties
are sprouting up everywhere. So, how does a "wine novice" begin to host a fun and easy Wine & Cheese party? Think of wine
tasting in this way, it is simply paying attention to how the wine affects all five of your senses; sight, smell, sound, touch
and taste wines.
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Sight
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Although wines are usually red or white at first glance they actually have
a spectrum of shades. After the wine is poured (about 1 ounce or 1/3 of the glass) , gradually tilt the glass slightly and
allow the light shine through onto the tablecloth below. The host should use white linens to drape the table. The color from
the wine’s shade will appear on the white tablecloth. Is it an intense burgundy? Perhaps you will see hints of plum
or even shades of pink in a red wine. With white wine you may see yellows, golds, greens, etc.
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Smell
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Traditionally Red wines are served in round, bowl-shaped wine glasses and white wines are served
in tulip-shaped glasses however, if you only have the more common tulip-shaped wine glasses available you can certainly use
them. These wine glass shapes are especially designed to aid in maintaining cool temperatures and swirling to aerating (or
allow air to come in to) the wine. They also direct the boutique (or the aroma of the wine) upward and out of the glass, allowing
you to better smell the wine. Close your eyes and try to identify what you smell. Wines pick up a lot of scents and flavors
from where, when, and how the grapes were grown and processed. Think of it like the different seasoning in a scrumptious soup.
You may smell spices like clove, fruits like cherries or peaches, and flowers like lavender. Use your imagination and try
to picture each element.
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Touch or Body
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As the wine pours over your lips you will experience the fourth sense, the wines feel known as
"body". Maybe it would be easier to think of this as texture rather than "touch". It’s the mouth feel of the wine. It’s
thin or thickness, how it flows in the mouth and glides over your tongue. Is it thick like velvety syrup or as light and delicate
as water? The Body of the wine usually falls into the 3 groups; soft-bodied which are light, full bodied which are the fullest
and usually the most intense flavored wines, and medium-bodied which falls between the soft and full-bodied wines. World renowned
Sommelier, Andrea Emmer-Robinson once compared the difference in the texture of wine to that of milk. Is it light like the
texture of skim milk, whole milk or cream?
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Taste
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Before we talk about the taste let’s talk about the categories of wine. This is easy since
there’s really only two – Reds and Whites:
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Red
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White
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Pinot Noir: Lightest-bodied of the reds.
Think fruit and baking spices
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Riesling: Light-body and lots of sweet fruits
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Merlot: Medium-bodied but velvety.
Often with hints of Blackbery and plum
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Sauvignon Blanc: Medium-bodied, sharper flavors.
Example: Citrus and tart apple
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Cabernet Sauvigono: Full-bodied.
Powerful and earthy like cedar
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Chardonnay: Full-bodied. Full of deep, rich flavors |
Reflect upon the aromas you smelled earlier – do you taste similar flavors? As you can see wines can
range from sweet to savory. Here are some flavor descriptions you can look for and use when it comes to taste: Plum, blackberry,
smoky, peppery, unsweetened chocolate, tarragon, lavender, cherry, cedar, cinnamon, clove, apple, pears, lemon, figs, apricot,
melon, and caramel.
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Wine Fact: Whites
are often thought of as crisp and Reds as hearty usually because of Tannins. Tannins are the natural substance in grapes (especially
the skins) that give it that tart sensation on your tongue. Any color grape can make red or white wine but the skins are left
in during the processing of red wines which gives it not only the darker color but Tannins. For your party you can select
at least 3 wines from one category ( all reds for example) or one of each from both categories(reds and whites).
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Sound – Cheers!
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This is the host’s reward - the warm, playful delight of a great party. Remember wine tasting
is about the experience so give a toast, discuss the wines, ask others what they smell and taste, tell them what you taste,
laugh, and enjoy!
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Cheese service – Simplified
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There’s a reason why Wine Tasting is traditionally accompanied by Fruit and Cheese. They
are the quickest edibles you’ll ever have to prepare for a party. Cheese, fruit, and crackers help cleanse the palate
after tasting wine and complement the flavors of many wines. And most of the work is done after you leave the checkout line!
Begin by shopping at a Gourmet or Specialty foods store (such as Taste Unlimited, Trader Joe’s, etc.) but most local
Grocery and Bulk Discount Stores (ex: Sam’s Club, Costco, etc) also offer a verity of fine cheeses. Select at least
3 but no more than 5 cheeses with a verity of flavors and texture – here’s our suggestion:
• One Soft Cheese like Brie, Camembert, Mozzarella, etc
• One Hard Cheese like aged Swiss, Gruyere, Romano, etc
• One Semi-hard Cheese Cheddar, Gouda, Monterey Jack, etc
• Consider a Blue or Gorgonzola Cheese – surprisingly delicious
with fruit!
Fruit and crackers
Fruit provides a sweet contrast to most cheeses and accent many wines. Again, present your guest with 3-5 different fruit
choices. They should be either sliced or easy for your guests to pick-up and handle. They should not be too "juicy" or "messy".
We recommend:
• Sliced Apples (including a slightly tart Granny Smith apple)
• Sliced Pears
• Sliced Peaches or Apricots
• Seedless Grapes (red or white)
• Star Fruit – Its firm flesh and fascinating shape
Accompany the fruit and cheese with small slices of bread like sliced crusty baguettes or a variety of crackers.
Serving suggestion
Cheese should be served at room temperature so begin creating your cheese presentation at least 2 hours before your quests
arrive. One of the most visually alluring ways to present your fruit and cheese is to arrange them on a large serving platter.
You may also consider arranging a thin layer of lettuce leaves or even thoroughly soaked, rinsed and dried grape leaves (sold
in jar in the specialty section of your local grocery store) on your platter. Then group clusters of the sliced fruit and
crackers on the platter. For the Cheese use a cutting board. Place whole blocks of the cheese on the cutting board along with
a cheese knife and allow guests to slice the cheeses themselves.
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Find out more in our publication - Vivid Expressions
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