Hosting an Italian Wine & Cheese Cocktail Party

Looking for some new ideas to spice up your next holiday cocktail party? As a wine educator who plans a wide range of events for our clients, I have seen a significant interest in wine and cheese pairings, which works well in a cocktail party format.

Obviously, many people serve wine and cheese at their parties, but when the host makes it a deliberate theme, it can be that much more fun and memorable. More specifically, the host can choose a particular geographic area and select a range of wines and cheeses from that area/region, i.e. Italian wines and cheeses.

Italian wines are a great choice since there is such a wide range of wines from which to choose and many of the price points are wallet-friendly. You can start with an affordable Prosecco or Lambrusco for sparkling options, then move on to crisp white wines from Northern Italy or more aromatic whites from Campania. Medium-bodied reds might include Dolcetto or Barbera from Piedmont, while fuller-bodied reds from Southern Italy, such as Salice Salentino, Primativo or Aglianico, will round out the selection.

Next, choose five different Italian cheeses to pair with the wines. Keep the mantra, "What grows together, goes together," in mind, as an easy way to ensure that the pairings are harmonious, or be more adventuresome in making your selections.

For an interesting way of serving the cheeses, you can purchase slate tiles at the local home improvement store and can use chalk to label the cheeses on the tile. It adds an unusual, yet relatively inexpensive, touch to the party.

As a final touch, print out a map of Italy and label it with the wine and cheese origins to provide guests with a better understanding of where everything came from. Most of all, enjoy!