Home
>
Wine & Spirits
>
Choosing that Perfect Wine for a Dinner Party

Choosing that Perfect Wine for a Dinner Party

So, you find yourself having been invited to a dinner party and decided to bring the host a bottle of wine. But which type of wine should you buy? I am sure you have seen people seemingly bewildered in front of the wine shelves at the local grocery or liquor store. You have seen them, staring dumbly with no idea what wine to pick out. After you read this article, you can be assured you will never be one of those people.

Choosing a wine can be a tricky decision. You want your selection to please as many people as possible including your host. If you know ahead what is on the menu, the choice becomes easier. The general guidelines are as follows:

- Light-bodied wines complement light food.

- Full-bodied wines are needed when pairing with hearty food.

However, in the situation where you do not know the menu, it is ok as there are a few other key items to consider.

Host Preference

It is very important to consider the host. If you know the host well, you may want to select a bottle that suits his or her individual preferences. If you're less familiar with your host's favorites, select a popular wine variety such as Chardonnay or Merlot.

You can further customize the choice by selecting a wine that matches the recipient?s personality or intended usage. Are they more likely to open the bottle soon or age it in their cellar? Will they savor it during an everyday dinner or bring it out to impress friends? Do they have a fondness towards a particular wine or growing region?

Price Considerations

Of course all decisions must be balanced with respect to its price. In the situation of having a budget of $25 and above, your selections choices are wide open. A favorite of mine and a crowd pleaser is a Cabernet, a well rounded and highly excepted classic.

Ok, now let's take a look at the $15 to $25 budget range. My suggestion here is that you just stick with a traditional Chardonnay or Merlot. They are both widely appreciated and just a bit less costly than Cabernets.

Even at $15 and under there are some really enjoyable choices. For $10 you can get Veramonte Cabnernet Sauvignon from the Casablanca Valley, located in Chile. Another great selection is the Australian Shiraz or the Sauvignon Blancs, both of which may pleasantly surprise the recipient.

Contributor: Stuart Glasure [A wine enthusiast and publishing member of the wine source: http://www.winedefinitions.com.]

Airbnb cleaning service Arlington Heights ..

In The News:

Red flags like processing fees, urgent countdowns and requests for full Social Security numbers expose fraudulent settlement sites targeting consumers.

Comprehensive analysis of Google Maps, Waze and Apple Maps examines usability, routing accuracy, data handling and features across the top navigation platforms.

Expert analysis reveals whether wired Ethernet or wireless Wi-Fi connections are safer for home internet use, plus practical steps to secure your network from attackers.

Australian construction robot Charlotte uses sand, crushed brick and recycled glass to 3D print fireproof, floodproof homes with reduced carbon footprint.

Cybercriminals are using fake invitation emails to trick recipients into downloading malware and stealing personal information and data.

Flying drones could help retailers fight a 93% increase in theft rates as Flock Safety promotes airborne security systems to track suspects and deter crime.

The Fox News Artificial Intelligence Newsletter brings you the latest news on the emerging technology every Saturday, highlighting top stories.

Hacker group Radiant stole data from 8,000 children at Kido nursery chain, demanding ransom and directly contacting parents with intimidation tactics.

As 18 states implement bell-to-bell cell phone bans, creative students use Google Docs, iMessage on MacBooks and Post-It notes to stay connected in class.

A sheriff's captain says deputies often spend hours writing reports between calls, but Axon's AI program, Draft One, helps them save crucial time in the field.

Sora 2, OpenAI's new video-generation app, can create AI-generated videos based on a singular prompt. The results are both mind-blowing and terrifying.

iPhone and Android users can reduce Wi-Fi calling battery drainage through settings adjustments, background app limits and stronger Wi-Fi connections.

Work email scams are becoming harder to detect as criminals use AI and spoofed addresses to trick employees into opening malicious attachments and links.

From her Arizona living room, Christina Chapman ran a covert hub that helped North Korean operatives infiltrate U.S. firms, netting $17 million in stolen salaries.

UC Santa Barbara researchers developed a soft robotic intubation system that achieved 100% success rates for experts and 96% for paramedics with minimal training.

Scammers exploit probate filings to target grieving families with fake fees and debts, Kurt "Cyberguy" Knutsson reports.

Automotive giant Stellantis becomes latest victim of widespread Salesforce breaches affecting companies like Google, Cisco and Adidas this year.

A woman from Washington reunited with her missing Maine Coon cat Louie after 11 days using Love Lost, a free AI-powered pet recovery platform.

Expert cybersecurity tips help Mac owners remove malware infections and strengthen defenses with antivirus software, password managers and system updates.

Meta's AI chatbot training rules bans sexual roleplay with minors and block access to child abuse material as regulators scrutinize its safety measures.

Online banking users face a new threat: web injection scams that overlay fake pop-ups to steal logins. Here’s how to spot them and protect your accounts.

Meta introduced Teen Accounts to Facebook and Messenger while launching a School Partnership Program for U.S. educators to report bullying within 48 hours.

Executive order signed by President Donald Trump tasks Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s MAHA Commission with using AI to find new cures for childhood cancers.

New FileFix attack tricks Facebook and Instagram users into running malicious PowerShell commands disguised as Meta account maintenance to deploy StealC infostealer.

Step-by-step instructions help users migrate to Windows 11 while preserving emails, contacts, documents, and software licenses during the transition.

Choosing that Perfect Wine for a Dinner Party

Wine & Spirits