5 Tips for Hosting a Wine & Cheese Party like a Pro

Wine and cheese is my favorite kind of party. I love it, love it, love it. My love for wine and cheese started a few years ago in France. They give you cheese with every meal and you know the French have to make everything into an aesthetic & aesthetics make me happy. My last wine and cheese party was in Fire Island with all of my Ocean Beach friends and it was one of the best days of summer. So we decided to throw a little winter one.

1. Buy the platter: If you’re like me, you’re not an expert on cheese, pairings, or creating a perfect platter. But I know some people who are. Make your life easier and go get yourself a beautifully put together platter with all the finest cheeses from the Babylon Cheese Cellar. I added burrata because it could be the only thing I eat for the rest of my life and I would be okay with that (they have 2/$10 specials on burrata everyday of the week).

Our platter had:

Cremeux de Bourgogne Truffle: cow’s milk triple creme from France layered with shaved black truffles
Beemster: a cow’s milk aged gouda from Holland
Manchego: a sheep’s milk cheese from Spain.
Honey Goat:a soft creamy goat cheese mixed with mild honey from Canada
Prosciutto di Parma and Sweet Sopressata
Grapes, apricot, and salted almonds

If you want to learn about pairings & designing your own platter for your own knowledge, the Babylon Cheese cellar even host classes.

2. The wine: The wine was a local Cabernet Franc from Wolffer Estate located on the east end. I love red wine and their Cabernet Franc is absolutely delicious. I won’t pretend to talk about tannins, aroma, and acidity because Lord knows I have no idea. It just tastes great & I like wine thats locally produced.

3. Create an ambience: I wanted to create a Victorian themed party. I love brass detailing and antique candle holders. There’s something so calming to me about multiple candles. It just sets the right mood. I got these napkins, napkin rings, and appetizer plates from the Hearth & Hand with Magnolia collection at Target. The cheese boards belong to my lovely sister (a perk to getting married is having 8 different selections of cheese boards when its over).

4. Get a floral arrangement : Every party needs beautiful flowers. I wanted an arrangement that would compliment the Victorian theme. This centerpiece was made by Gifts From the Heart Florist in North Babylon. Martha is the owner and she couldn’t be nicer. We spoke briefly over the phone and the only instructions I gave her were “an arrangement that is white with greenery” and she brought my vision to life. Seriously, how beautiful. It’s 3 days later and the centerpiece is in perfect condition still. It’s nice to have flowers around in the winter to make spring feel closer!

5. Great music: Our summer wine and cheese just had a speaker with some relaxing tunes. This time around we had a professional harpist. My friend’s sister, Emily played for us. Her music was so beautiful that it made me emotional. If you have any friends who play an instrument, encourage them to bring it along. Live music just makes it a whole different experience. If you are planning a wedding, want live music for the ceremony, and want everyone to be in tears, I highly recommend Emily.

And Viola! You guys have the dreamiest little party to get you through the end of these winter months.