THE WINE AND FOOD REVIEW: WINE AND FOOD PAIRING FOR A COCKTAIL PARTY

You have this huge party coming up at the end of the week. Invitation cards have been sent out. This is a very important occasion and it will host very important people. You have been placed in charge of the wine and the recipe for that day. What do you do and what are the factors to consider?

Here is a small guide I prepared on how to make sure that the food and wine department works hand in hand with other departments like sound, decor to ensure a spectacular cocktail event.

You must consider the number of invited guests, who are they, what is their age bracket and what class do they belong to. You don’t expect to serve cheap and generic wine to V.I.P’s.

How long will the event last. With all this in mind you can approximate the average glasses per person per night and the amount of food you need to prepare. When it comes to food ensure that the food is in sizeable/divisible parts which are standard. For example kebabs and quesadillas are a great idea to serve in such events. Meaty snacks, salads and dips are also great for a cocktail party. Since the event will be invite only you won’t have to deal with surprise guests who will run out the food.

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Another very important tip is to ensure that you serve at least two vegetarian meals like fruit salads and garden salads to accommodate any vegetarians who might be in attendance. You should offer some low fat foods for those watching their weight. Choose a few dishes that can be made /ordered way ahead of the party to avoid last minute rushes and badly done food. Garnish the platers or trays that you will use to serve the guests. It makes it attractive.

Here is a guide to tell you what food and wine to pair.

If you are serving any food with shrimp you can serve the following wine: Frascati, Sauvignon Blanc, Grüner Veltliner .If the food you plan to serve is in an acidic sauce like tomato sauce or vinegar look for wine that is acidic. Acidic food should be paired with acidic wine. Foods go well with the wines they grew up with. For example if you are serving Italian food serve Italian wine. If the food is full flavoured like tuna fish serve with full flavoured wine like Chardonnay. Here is a table that makes the work easier.

WINE&FOOD PAIRING CHART

FOOD	WINE
CHICKEN IN A CREAM SAUCE	CHARDONAY, FULL WHITE BURGUNDY
FRIED CHICKEN	SAUVIGNON BLANC, CHARDONNAY, VINHO VERDE
ROAST CHICKEN	CHARDONNAY, WHITE BURGUNDY
CHICKEN SPICY/SMOKY	CABERNET SAUVIGNON
ROAST TURKEY	CHARDONNAY, PINOT NOIR, RED BURGUNDY, VINHO VERDE
DUCK AND OTHER BIRDS LIKE QUAIL	PINOT NOIR, RED BURGUNDY
ROASTED/GRILLED BEEF	SAUVIGNON, MERLOT,CABERNET,MALBEC, RED BORDEAUX,SHIRAZ, ZINFANDEL
BEEF IN SAUCE	CHATEAUNEF-DU-PAPE, CABERNET SAVIGNON,MALBEC, SHIRAZ,ZINFANDEL
BEEF IN ACIDIC/VERY SPICY SAUCE	CHIANTI, BARBERA, SANGIOVESE
LAMB	BAROLO,NEBIBIOLO, BAROLO
FISH IN RICH SAUCE	CHARDONNAY
MILD FLAVOUR FISH IN LEMON SAUCE	SAUVIGNON BLANC, VINHO VERDE
SALMON FISH	PINOT NOIR, PINOT GRIS, BURGUNDY,CHARDONNAY
CAVIAR	DRY CHAMPAGNE
GREEN VEGETABLES	CHABLIS, CHARDONNAY
MUSHROOMS/POTATOES	PINOT NOIR
TOMATOES	SAUVIGNON BLANC, BEAUJOLAIS, RIOJA, VALPOLICELLA,CHIANTI
APPLE BASED DESSERTS	SAUTERNES
CHOCOLATE	BRANCHETTO D’ACQUI, ASTI SPUMANTI, MUSCAT