Hosting a dinner party always sounds like a great idea—until you wind up knee-deep in dishes, frantically prepping and plating while your company mixes and mingles. Instead, throw a wine-friendly soirée with cheese and charcuterie. Complete all the prep before guests arrive, and let thoughtfully paired wine and high-quality ingredients do the rest. Get inspired from our pairing suggestions below, and be prepared to fall in love with no-fuss entertaining.

THE COMPONENTS

We recommend incorporating a variety of flavors and textures to allow for a multitude of pairings. Choose a few different styles of cheese and one or two options from each category:

Mix up the cheese—soft, hard, blue & fresh

Add something salty—cured meats, sardines or olives

Make it crunchy—raw, roasted or candied nuts

Throw in some fruit—fresh, seasonal or dried

Don’t forget a spread—honey, mustards, pesto, tapenades

A variety of vehicles—baguette, rosemary crackers, breadsticks or pitas

PERFECT PAIRINGS

Consider the wines you’d like to pour and assemble your cheese platter accordingly. Here are a few of our favorite pairings:

Chardonnay: brie, apples, honey, walnuts

Sauvignon Blanc: goat cheese, coppa, green olives

Pinot Noir: gruyere, prosciutto, dates

Zinfandel: blue cheese, dry-cured chorizo, smoked almonds

Cabernet Sauvignon: aged cheddar, salami, Dijon mustard