The fine art of hosting a wine pairing event

Wine pairing can be an amazing way to set your next catered event apart from the rest.

A wine pairing party can communicate a level of sophistication, enhance the food you serve, and spark interesting conversation – that’s a party that will be remembered!

That said, a wine pairing event is not about showing off. It’s about balance. Serving the right wine with the right food can highlight subtle flavors and enhance the delicious courses you are serving.

How to pull a wine pairing event together:

“A common mistake is choosing wines first and trying to fit the menu around the wines,” says Jacquie Bols of Jacquie’s Gourmet Catering. “But in fact, the food should lead. We always consider the weight, texture, and dominant flavors of each dish.” For instance:

• Light, delicate dishes (such as crudo or poached seafood) pair beautifully with crisp, high-acid white wines.
• Rich, creamy dishes benefit from wines that cut through fact, such as a well-structured chardonnay.
• Bold, savory meats call for wines with depth and tannin to stand up to their intensity.

The goal is not to match flavors exactly but to create contrasting or complementing balance.

“That’s why presentation matters,” says Bols. “Proper glassware, correct serving temperatures and elegant presentation all contribute to how each wine is perceived.”

Here is what Jacquie’s Gourmet Catering prepared for a recent wine pairing:

HORS D'OEUVRES -

Duck and Cherry Crepe

Foie Gras Pate on a Mini Brioche with Fig Jam

Smoked salmon

Champ stem and white wine (for rose)

• 2024 Jadot Rose & A.R. Lenoble Champagne Cuvee

FIRST COURSE

Classic Vichyssoise

Crusty Bread with European butter

• 2020 Francois Carillon Bourgogne Cote d’Or

SECOND COURSE

Salad Niçoise with Fresh Tuna, Tomatoes, Potatoes, Green Beans, Niçoise

Olives,

Fresh Anchovy, Olive Oil and Champagne Vinegar

• 2019 Fevre Chablis 1er Cru Vaulorent

THIRD COURSE

Organic Pan Roasted Chicken with Wild Mushrooms and Fresh Tarragon

Creme Fraiche

Saffron Rissotto Cake

Baby Zucchini with European Butter

• 2017 Pierre Labet Meursault Les Tillets

FOURTH COURSE

French Camembert, Roquefort, Comte, Delice de Bourgogne with Fresh Sliced

Baguettes

Marcona Almonds, Dried fruits

• 2019 Paul Pillot Chassagne – Montrachet

Done well, pairing wine with gourmet-quality food tells a story. It guides guests through a curated journey where each course builds upon the last; the wine both complementing and contrasting.

We’d love to help make that happen for your wine pairing event. Put our wealth of great food, quality wines and gifted catering experience to work for you.