Hosting at home has never been more popular. Yet, many hosts shy away from hosting a wine and cheese pairing because they lack the knowledge to make it feel like an actual cheese pairing. The specialized knowledge of both wines and cheese takes years to amass to truly do it well, but that shouldn’t stop you! We’ve got the advice you need to host an epic wine and cheese pairing that will be sure to impress even your most well-versed cheese and wine-loving guests. Read on to learn what it takes to become the expert host of your very own wine and cheese soiree.

Adoray on a charcuterie board with dill

Choosing Your Wines

It is important to pick wines that complement, but don’t overpower, the flavors in your cheeses. Generally speaking, white wines pair better with soft cheeses while red wines are best with hard cheeses. But this isn’t the only factor at play—the sweetness of your wines should also be taken into account. For example, if you are serving a sweeter white wine, like a Riesling or Gewurztraminer, then you may want to opt for creamy cheeses like Brie or Camembert. On the other hand, if you are serving dry whites such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio, then sharper cheeses such as Gruyere or Cheddar would work better. Similarly, sweet reds such as Pinot Noir pair well with robust flavored blues while full-bodied Cabernets work best with hard aged cheeses like Parmesan or Pecorino Romano.

Red Wine in a Glass with bottle and a lake view in the background

Selecting Your Cheeses

Now that you’ve chosen your wines, it’s time to select your cheeses! When hosting a wine and cheese party it is always good practice to serve three different varieties of cheese – one soft, one semi-soft/semi-hard, and one hard cheese. This ensures that everyone has something they can enjoy and allows for more variety in terms of flavor profiles. As a general rule of thumb when selecting your cheeses, aim for bold flavors as they tend to stand out when paired with wines.

Cheese and Charcuterie Board With Decorations

Presentation Matters

Nobody wants a boring cheese board! Whether it’s plated on individual plates or arranged on a charcuterie board, presentation matters! Consider adding some greenery (think herbs like rosemary) as garnish for extra color and flavor profile contrast against the board’s natural wood tones; this will help set off the colors in your selection of breads and crackers as well as bring out any exotic flavors in the fruits that may accompany them. Placing small bowls around containing nuts & dried fruits will add interest too, and anything else fun – the one pictured is one we did in an apartment in Paris, so we used cheeses, wine and flowers from the neighbourhood market, and some fun Eiffel Towers for some theme decoration.

A Wine and Cheese Pairing in Paris with Eiffel Tower for Murder at the Winery Mystery Party Game

You know what pairs perfectly with all wine and cheese? A murder mystery! Take your Wine and Cheese Pairing to mysterious heights with Murder at the Winery!

Murder in the Winery Mystery Party Game

With these tips in mind, you can now throw an amazing wine & cheese party that will leave all your friends impressed! Remember to choose complementary wines & bold flavored cheeses when creating your menu; present them beautifully on either individual plates or on a charcuterie board; add some green garnish along with nuts & dried fruits; provide plenty of breads & crackers; lastly – enjoy yourself while sipping those fine wines!

Murder mystery party tip!

Get the package that fits your CONFIRMED guests, not the “maybes” and “on-the-fencers”. We live this hosting life, and know that not everyone can firm up an RSVP (and let’s face it, some are just flaky… yup, we are just dropping truth today…). The packages are designed to have everyone, even if they aren’t a suspect themselves, be fully involved with the mystery, so don’t worry about anyone feeling like they aren’t involved. Trust us – most times the Sleuths have more fun than the Suspects.

Try this Hosting Hack when planning your next party, and let us know how it goes!

Adoray on a charcuterie board with dill