How to Select a Theme for a Wine and Cheese Party
Good wines and cheeses are produced all over the world. But, hosting a party that highlights all of those diverse tastes and pairings could prove difficult. Finding a theme will help narrow your focus and give your guests something to look forward to. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Select a Theme for a Wine and Cheese Party
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Select a theme based on a particular region of the world. The United States, Australia, Europe, South America and South Africa are some popular wine regions.
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Choose wines based on the grape type. Throw a red wine party or a white wine party.
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Compare California Cabernet Sauvignon, French Bordeaux or Portuguese port from different vineyards and different years. You could even dedicate your party to dessert wines from all over the world.
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Choose similar cheeses from different countries. For example, the United States, Ireland and Sweden all make cheddar cheese. Purchase cheddar cheese from each country and taste the difference in flavor.
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Select a theme that targets the education of your guests, allowing them to experiment and explore a full variety of flavors.
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Allow each guest to influence your party's theme. Have each guest bring one or two bottles of his favorite wine and a block or two of his favorite cheese.
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Pick out cheeses that are grouped in a specific category, such as goat's milk, cow's milk or sheep's milk cheese. Other categories include sharp, buttery, nutty, crumbly, soft, processed, blue vein and fresh cheese.
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Match your invitations to the theme of your wine and cheese party. Doing so can provide a pulled-together appearance.
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Find cheeses that originate from the same region as the wines you choose. You might choose to serve French Camembert with champagne or Spanish manchego with a rioja or tempranillo.
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Tips & Warnings
Know your audience. Some people may not be as adventurous when it comes to wine and would prefer to stick with a particular grape type or region.
A bring-you-own-bottle theme could help to offset some of the costs of hosting a wine and cheese party.
Adding region-specific fruits to your wine and cheese party can round out your theme and provide a flavor boost.
