weekend brunch
family gathering
cocktail party
dinner with friends
Cheese pairs naturally with wines produced in the same region. For example, serve Chianti with an Italian Pecorino Toscano, or couple Epoisses, a French soft-rind cheese with Pouilly-Fuiss&eaacute or Pouilly-Fumé.
Choosing wines for tasting. Choose wines from several types: a white Riesling and a Red Pinot Noir for a light style, Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot for medium-bodied and Cabernet Sauvignon for full-bodied wines. One bottle of wine will yield 4 to 6 glasses.
Classic wine and cheese combinations. Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano, which is an aged cow's milk cheese, and Spanish Manchego, an aged sheep's milk cheese, are perfect with a tannic Cabernet Sauvignon or a full-bodied red Rhône. Sauternes and Port are delicious with Roquefort from France, English Stilton or German Cambazola - all blue-veined cheeses that make the flavors of the wine explode on your tongue.
How full should you fill a wine glass? The shape of wine glasses - balloon for red and tulip for white - are designed to expose the proper surface area for aerating wine. Pour only to the widest part of the glass, and never more than halfway. The extra area in the glass gives the guest room to swirl the wine and a place for the aromas to collect and enhance the tasting experience.
Steam or soak the label from each bottle. Iron dry and mount on pretty little index cards, then display on small easels.
What to do with leftover wine. Hand-pump vacuum sealers are able to store leftover wines, if the wine is to be consumed within 24 to 48 hours.
Storing wine. Never store wine on top of your refrigerator or in your kitchen. The heat will increase the rate of spoilage.