7 Tips for the Best Wine and Cheese Party fun – and festive for all your holiday parties, plus how to make a simple but STUNNING charcuterie board!
One of my favorite ways to entertain is to make a charcuterie board. They’re easy to whip up, no cooking is required, they’re bursting with seasonal produce and colors and people devour them on sight!
WHY I LOVE A WINE AND CHEESE PARTY:
- Easy, effortless and cheese boards are so much fun to assemble.
- A cheese and wine party is simple for casual entertaining during the holiday season.
- Customize the cheese or charcuterie board – and add your favorite wines!
- A wine and cheese party is fun, festive and perfect for any party all year!
- Prep it ahead of time so entertaining is a snap.
- Guests go crazy for a beautify charcuterie board – there’s something for everyone!
- A wine and cheese party is a casual approach to entertaining.
- The holidays are a great time to kick off your first wine and cheese party.
WHAT IS A CHARCUTERIE BOARD?
Charcuterie is a French term for a meal or snack with a variety of cheese, cured meats and some sort of bread or crackers.
They’re incredibly popular around the world – especially in the U.S. over the last several years and have morphed into really any sort of snack or light meal board. Be sure to check out my Kids Charcuterie Board and to satisfy any sweet tooth, my Dessert Charcuterie Board.
7 TIPS FOR THE BEST WINE AND CHEESE PARTY:
First of all, there really are NO rules for wine and cheese parties. Relax and let your creativity flow! Below are my best tips:
- Guests and playlist: make guest list and a fun playlist that’ll set the mood.
- Wine selection: Have both red and white wines available.
- Cut the cheese: into different sizes and shapes (wedges, slices, cubes) – it looks prettier!
- Use small bowls are great for dips, pickles or olives.
- Room temperature: serve the cheese or charcuterie board at room temp for best flavor.
- Shop at home before assembling your board. It’s a great way to use up open packages!
- My favorite stores for a cheese or charcuterie board are Aldi or Trader Joes. Great selections and prices!
THE BASICS OF WHAT YOU NEED FOR THE BEST WINE AND CHEESE PARTY:
- A selection of different wines – red, white and in the summertime I love a sparkling rosé
- A few different cheeses – soft and firm, bold and mild flavored
- Sliced crusty bread or crackers
- A little something sweet like bite size chocolates or cookies
- Enough wine glasses and small plates
- A cheese board, serving platter or charcuterie board. You can even use a large ceramic platter, a tray or a rimmed baking sheet! If you’re looking to buy new, TJ Maxx is a great source for beautiful boards at reasonable prices.
WHAT’S THE BEST KIND OF WINE FOR A WINE AND CHEESE PARTY?
- You don’t have to be a wine expert so don’t stress about picking the “right wine”! Choose a couple of classic wine options – fruity reds and a dry white and if you have a favorite wine include it. The best wines are ones you enjoy!
- Target is often my go-to for wine. They have a good selection at reasonable prices. Same goes for Aldi and Trader Joe’s. You can even buy right from the grocery store.
- If you enjoy sweet wines – or know your guests are – moscato is a good choice.
- For red wines, a cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir,
- Sauvignon blanc is my first choice for white wines followed by Pinot Grigio.
- This is optional, but you can also offer a sparkling wine like Rosé (especially during the summer season) or prosecco.
WHAT TYPES OF CHEESE IS BEST FOR A WINE AND CHEESE PARTY?
- Hard cheeses and soft cheeses: cheese selection should have 3-4 different kinds max.
- Bold flavor: blue cheese is delicious. I like to drizzle a little honey over the top of it.
- Your favorite: but of course – it’s also a great time to try a new cheese!
- Soft creamy cheeses – brie or a log of goat cheese with jam over the top is my go-to.
- Firm cheese like Gouda, Aged Cheddar, Gruyere are also good choices.
- Whipped cheeses, dips or spreads are another great addition to your board. Whip up a batch of my Garlic Feta Dip or Hot Honey Ricotta or even fresh made hummus with a little feta cheese on top.
EXTRAS TO ADD TO YOUR CHEESE BOARD:
- a selection of mini pickles and olives
- salted nuts
- cured Italian meats (salami, prosciutto, soppressata)
- cheese knives or cheese slicer (helpful but not absolute)
- dried fruit or fresh fruit (pomegranates makes a beautiful addition)
- dried fruit or fresh fruit – pomegranate, apple slices (slice just before serving), pears, grapes, fresh berries, sliced figs
HOW TO ASSEMBLE YOUR CHEESE BOARD:
- Choose a board or serving platter.
- Gather all the ingredients you’re going to put on your board.
- Slice the cheeses in different sizes for extra eye appeal.
- Add small bowls for dips, pickles or olives.
- Place larger items on the board.
- Add sliced, crumbled or diced cheeses slightly overlapping.
- Place meats on the board.
- Fill in gaps with the smallest items.
CAN I MAKE A CHEESE BOARD OR CHARCUTERIE BOARD AHEAD OF TIME?
Yes – you can definitely prep the items for the board a day ahead of time – I like to assemble the day of.
Wait to add any bread, nuts or crackers until just before serving.
Enjoy!
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How to Throw the BEST Wine and Cheese Party
Equipment
- charcuterie board or tray
Ingredients
- crackers, sliced baguette or other bread
- cured meats: prosciutto, salami, soppressata
- Nuts, olives, mini pickles
- 3-4 cheeses hard and soft
- fresh fruit: apples, pears, grapes or pomegranates
- optional garnish: rosemary
Instructions
- Arrange cheese and meats on the platter. Fill in spaces with nuts, breads and garnish. Bring to room temp and enjoy!
What brand are the small square crackers with holes?
Hi Helen – they’re from Aldi – I believe it’s their own brand. Unfortunately they’re seasonal and usually I only find them around Christmas time. I wish they carried them all year!