December 5th - December 9th, 2012
Now that Thanksgiving has come and gone, the holiday party season is in full swing. You've probably received multiple clever invitations and sent at least one of your own, but the question remains: what wines should I serve and what exactly makes a wine a good "party" wine.
We've put together some simple guidelines for you to follow in the hopes of making your life easier this holiday season. Remember, these aren't rules (we are not big on rules), merely some suggestions. Rules are for wine snobs, and let's face it, you didn't invite them to your party anyway.
#1. Party wines need the ability to pair with many different foods.
It's a pretty safe bet that you're serving a wide variety of foods and need a wine that goes with everything from cheese to those mini cocktail wieners. You'll probably never hear Bob Parker say, "This cab is a hedonist's delight, filled with black fruits and perfect for cocktail wieners." I really wish he would though. With this in mind, you might want to find a Red and White that are overall crowd pleasers and don't paint yourself into a corner with an obscure wine that tastes like "Chestnuts and shoe leather" or anything like that.
#2 Budget, Budget, Budget
If your friends are anything like mine, then they tend to sport-drink at Holiday parties. Basically they only notice the wine if it's REALLY bad. Other than that, they just happy to be socializing with friends and even though the wine may be delicious, it's not likely to be the first thing on their minds. Given this, there's really no need to break the bank when buying a case or more of party wine (hence our 15% discount). I know, you never expect your average retailer to tell you "spend less money," but we didn't set out to be an average retailer. We figure that Charlotte has plenty of those.
#3 Easy Access?
If there's ever a time in life where a screw cap comes in handy, it's when Cheryl from the office just polished off her third bottle of Chard and you're in charge of opening the wines. Just a thought...
#4 Experiment
Don't be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone. Try an Albarino instead of Pinot Grigio, or a Grenache instead of Cabernet. It's your party and a perfect time to introduce your friends to some wines that they may or may not ever had before. You'll probably be surprised by their responses. Besides, what better impression to leave on your guests than "Amy and Bob really know their wines" You can just smile, nod, and never tell them that it was $7.00.
#5 The only rule is that there are no rules
Well, actually, there is one rule. Don't drink and drive. Other than that, have fun, be goofy, and enjoy the time with your friends and family. If the wine is preventing your friends from having fun, then you should consider revising your invitation list.
Cheers!
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