  The key to throwing a great wine party is to have fun. (Comstock)
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Lots of singles are intimidated by entertaining. Unfortunately (or not) many of us have reached a time in our lives when throwing out a bag of Doritos and a keg of beer no longer constitutes elegant entertaining.
And while many married folks seem to have an easier time embracing their inner host/ess (likely a condition caused by matching dishes itching to make their public debut), many singles feel downright terrified by the idea of entertaining... grown-up entertaining.
We can't (or don't want to) pull off a Martha Stewart dinner party. We don't have the matching china, the finger bowls or the tomato forks and we can't squeeze more than six people around the table anyway. The solution? A wine party.
Even if your apartment is the size of a foreign automobile, you can still entertain in style. And even if you aren't secure enough in your knowledge of wine to feel comfortable selecting wines and appetizers to go together, we've got the answer. Below you'll find advice and recommendations for throwing a fabulously swanky wine party that won't break the bank and doesn't require a ton of planning.
When I first began researching this story, I asked a number of wine experts and foodies for easy, fail-proof, elegant and reasonably affordable food and wine pairings. Soon I was inundated with recipes for prawns and capers in a rhubarb reduction and salmon ratatouille étouffée.
So much for easy entertaining. But then, I happened upon a book that made a wine party seem not only possible, but -- gasp -- fun. "The Wine Club: A Month-by-Month Guide To Learning About Wine With Friends" by Maureen Christian Petrosky told me everything I needed to know about hosting a wine party, including which wines to buy (with both cheap options and swankier choices), which glasses to use and elegant and easy food pairings with recipes even a stove-phobe can pull off. Plus, the book is scattered with "wine-speak" definitions, so you'll finally know what your snooty Aunt Kate is talking about when she's waxing on about how "trocken" the wine is.
Petrosky's selections for June? Riesling. In her words, it's "the ultimate picnic wine." Petrosky recommends Trimbach Riesling, Alsace, Dr. Konstantin Frank, Johannisberg Riesling Dry, and the bargain choice Pacific Rim Riesling.
To go with the Riesling, Petrosky recommends sushi -- spicy tuna rolls, California rolls and veggie rolls -- and coconut frozen yogurt. (Combine 2 cups of fat-free yogurt, 1-14 oz can of coconut milk and 1/2 cup light corn syrup, cover and chill for two hours, then put mixture in a freezer for two to four hours before serving.)
Think your home is too small for entertaining? Think again. Entertaining expert Jeanne Benedict says, "Don't forget about spaces that are tucked away or behind closed doors. For a quaint beverage or dessert set-up, consider your closets! Simply remove clothes or clutter by temporarily stashing them under a bed or even storing them in your car. Drape fabric from the closet rod for a nice backdrop. Put a table or raised surface in the closet, and set up your food or drinks."
Benedict also suggests "bed seating" for parties, "Instead of the traditional chair, [this] popular event trend... creates a more cozy and conversational atmosphere. This is a great way to add comfy seating in a small space. Position the long side of the bed against a wall, and place large throw pillows on the bed along the wall, similar to a couch. Place a coffee table or a couple of side tables in front of the bed so people will know that this is a place to sit. Cover the bed with a nice, large solid color sheet or blanket if you are concerned about food and drink on your bedding."
The key to throwing a great wine party is to have fun, choose a variety of wines so that the party isn't a bust on one sketchy selection and remember that most people are just so happy to be invited they won't even notice if you don't have the right glasses. Just invite your friends and pour the wine.
Wine Party Dos & Don'ts
Executive Chef and Culinary Consultant Royal Dahlstrom (www.chef-royal.com ) offers these suggestions for throwing a fail-proof wine party:
Dos:
- Do serve your wine in wine glasses
- Have a dump bucket available
- Have a nice assortment of foods matched to the wines. Fruit, antipasto and cheese are safe and sure bets
- Have lots of water on hand. You and your guests should be drinking as much water as wine to avoid dehydration and to help the body taste the wine
- Offer beverage alternatives for those choosing not to partake
- Offer a wide variety of palate cleansers such as grapes, bread, crackers and water
Don'ts:
- Don't get worked up about separate glasses for each wine -- rinsing glasses between wines is fine
- Don't pick a clear dump bucket -- stick to an opaque vessel to hide the interesting mingling of unused wine
- Stay away from fruit like apples, bananas or pears that will brown and break down throughout the night
- Don't pick too many wines. Five or six wines are optimal
- Stay away from a veggie tray. Only a few wines go well with raw vegetables
- Don't offer just one palate cleanser. You want to appeal to different preferences.
