Choosing wine for a party

Party time is here again but whereas, I suspect, you spend hours planning the food, drink probably doesn’t get much of a look-in until the last minute. A bit of forethought, however can not only mean you drink more appropriately - bearing in mind parties are hot, thirsty events - but save you money into the bargain.

What type of wine to buy depends on the type of event you’re hosting whether it’s an informal get together for family and neighbours, a buffet or a hot sit-down supper. Obviously it depends on the type of food you’re serving too but here’s a general guide to cover most occasions.

Drinks and nibbles
Personally I think it’s hard to beat fizz for a drinks party, even an informal one and with so many excellent inexpensive sparklers on the market it doesn’t have to break the bank. Cava is the obvious choice, especially if you’re serving fizz-based cocktails but there are also good inexpensive sparklers from Australia, New Zealand, not to mention the terminally trendy Pinot Grigio, now available in sparkling form.

To make a cut price ‘champagne’ cocktail put a sugar lump in each glass and pour over a few drops of Angostura bitters. Add a splash (about a dessertspoon) of brandy and top up with well-chilled sparkling wine (I suggest Cava), tilting the glass towards the bottle as you pour.

A cold buffet
Cold food needs lighter, fruitier wines than hot food. In fact it suits the sort of wines you’d take on a picnic - light fruity reds and rosés and crisp whites - all served cool.

Sauvignon Blanc pips chardonnay as the fashionable party white this winter (although an unoaked or lightly oaked chardonnay is always a reliable crowd-pleaser). You might also add a few bottles of Australian riesling for more adventurous guests or those who prefer an off-dry white.

The red that suits a cold spread best - particularly if it contains chicken or salmon - is a fruity pinot noir. The only downside is that they can be expensive but you can find some well-priced examples from Chile and California. And roés - once only drunk in summer - is a great all-rounder. Southern French rosés from the Languedoc or the Rhone offer particularly good value.

A hot supper
Hot food generally needs more full-bodied wines than cold food (though if you’re serving something creamy like a fish or chicken pie you could get away with a lighter white). In general you want a wine that can stand up to strong flavours but which isn’t too high in alcohol - quite a big ask when so many wines are hitting the 14-14.5% ABV mark. Southern French and Spanish reds tend to be quite reasonable as do cheaper Chilean reds but check out the label to make sure you’re not serving a 15% blockbuster. And have plenty of water available so that guests can have an occasional glass if they choose.

How much to buy
The more choice you offer the more you’ll spend so I generally buy no more than 3 different wines for a party. As a general rule I work on the basis of half to two thirds of a bottle per person in total depending how long the party is. (A standard bottle of wine contains six small 125ml glasses) However you know your friends better than I do! If in doubt order a bit more - you can buy wine on a sale or return basis from most retailers.

Keeping cool
With the fridge full to bursting at this time of year the main problem with parties is getting and keeping wine cool. Try and store your bottles in a cold place for a start (though not a freezing one. Beware of the garage if temperatures are sub-zero). The best way to chill bottles for a crowd is to put them in large buckets of iced water - ice and water chill faster than ice alone.

What wine to order in a restaurant?

You’re eating with friends - there’s a party of six of you and you all order different dishes off the menu. Whose dish do you match or do you just give up the struggle?

Unless you all order an individual glass of wine to go with what you’re eating (which frankly seems a bit of a performance for an informal get together) the best thing is to order a couple of bottles that will rub along well with most dishes.

Top candidates in my book are neutral whites like Pinot Grigio, Alsace Pinot Blanc, Australian Verdelho and the fashionable Spanish white Albarino or light to medium bodied reds such as a Pinot Noir or a young Cabernet Franc from the Loire region of France such as Chinon, Saumur-Champigny or Bourgeuil that will go with both fish and meat dishes. A good gutsy dry rosé can also come in useful on these occasions.

Slightly fuller-bodied reds that will rub along nicely with a wide range of meat dishes include Cotes du Rhone Villages and other southern French reds such as Costieres de Nimes and Pic St Loup, young (crianza) Rioja or Navarra and young, inexpensive merlot, syrahs and shiraz. (The point about young fruity reds being they can stand up to the bold flavours of contemporary restaurant food)

If it's an ethnic meal check out the recommendations for World Food in Find a Wine

What to drink at a wedding . . .

Q I am the best man at a wedding and agreed to provide the wine for the head table. The couple is serving a soy, ginger salmon and chicken dish (i assume you get a choice). Any thoughts?

A The soy and ginger salmon would probably go best with an aromatic white such as a riesling or riesling blend but that may not be the best choice for the chicken. Probably the easiest solution would be to have an unoaked chardonnay and a pinot noir - both versatile grapes that would go with most flavours and also be familiar to most of the guests at the wedding. A medium bodied merlot - i.e. without extended oak ageing - should also work.