Planning a dinner party but not sure where to start with your wine choices? Don’t worry—whether a relaxed get-together or a more formal dinner party, picking some absolutely knockout wines can really make the night (and make you look good too). Below are some of my top tips for a cracking night of food and wine!

Start with fizz

Everyone loves a good bottle of fizz and it really sets the tone. I would always lean towards a Champagne and particularly the Grower Champagne if you want to impress, but I do appreciate that Champagne is pretty price these days. If Champagne is a bit out of range then do not fear, looking at a top Cremant or Cava can really do the trick. I love the wines of Recaredo (although technically not classified as Cava but that's a story for another day). The are sparkling wines made in the Cava heartland of Penedes and are simply one of the best Spanish Sparkling winemakers around. Their 'entry' fizz, Recaredo Corpinnat, Terres Brut Nature, will trounce most Champagne at that price point.

Cremant also can offer another great value option and I am always drawn to Alsace for Cremant. The Pinot, Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Noir blend from Domaine Leon Boesch, really delivers with a perfect balance between crispness and richness. It's quite hard to fault this wine really its everything I want in a sparkling. These would all be a great start to the night and will be the perfect accompaniment to any little snacks you may serve, be it cheese, olives or even nuts & crisps.

Whites

When it comes to white wines, I tend to like to play it safe as not everyone loves the more complex styles of white. Yes of course if you are serving something particular and you know a fatty Jura Chardonnay will pair with then by all means but I tend to think fresh and approachable is the safest bet for a party. You can appeal to the masses and got down the Sauvignon Blanc route, boring you might say. but chose one that has a little more intrigue or from a region people aren't aware of. Saint Bris would be my choice and particularly the one from Goisot. Guilhem & Jean-Hughes Goisot, Saint Bris Exogyra Virgula, 2022 is A Sauvignon Blanc but from near the Chablis region of Burgundy, which is a surprise to most. Think Sancerre crossed with Chablis. A Sauvignon yes but not super 'traditional' in style. Less of the grassy and more of the tropical.

If you wan to stray away from the norm to really wow your pals then a favourite of mine is Domaine Des 13 Lunes, Abymes. An Alpine wine from the Savoie region of eastern France made from the local Jacquere grape. This one which is made completely naturally following biodynamic methods is lean, mineral, bright and zippy and is a great option if you want to try something different.

Red

With red wines I like to get a bit of variety going. And yes again if you have something you particularly want to pair then by all means you go for it but I do find that not everyone likes fuller bodied reds or same for lighter reds so why not have both. For lighter bodied yes you can definitely look towards the lighter styes of Pinot Noir or Gamay but again why not try and pick something froma different region. Cave Verdier-Logel, Cuvee Des Gourmets from the Auvergne will offer the light and juicy Gamay people love but from a region that will make you look lke you know what you are talking about. A Galician Red such as Bodegas Albamar, Capitan Xurello might be another option however if you really want to wow. A blend of the local Caino, Espadeiro & Mencia this is low alcohol, juicy with bags of tart fruit and is quite reminiscent of those ever popular little Jura reds we know and love.

For your heavier offerings I always tend to pull something out the bag that not everyone knows. Yes everyone knows Cab, Syrah, Malbec etc so here is where you can definitely bring something different out. Antolini, Valpolicella Ripasso  made from the local Corvina, Rondinella & Corvinone grapes could be a great shout. It is made with the year's wine which is fermented a second time with the marcs (leftover skins etc) of the dried Amarone and Recioto grapes, for 5/7 days.Smooth and velvety yet surprisingly fresh.

Otherwise look to something like the Markovitis, Xinomavro from Naoussa in Northern Greece. Made from 100% Xinomvaro with notes of  Ripe Fruits, Spice & Violets this is super elegant and one to try for all you Nebbiolo lovers out there.

Sweet Or Not To Sweet

So this part is entirely up to you but I personally have hosted many a dinner party where I have lovingly selected some of my fave sweet wines for them not be sat ignored at the end. I feel this is just one of those styles that not everyone is too fussed about. To be honest if I am going cheese to finish I am going to go comte and some Vin Jaune is for sure coming out nut thats mainly for me as I love anything oxidative. If i do decide to venture down the sweet wine road I tend to look towards SW France with a couple of my go-to's from Jurancon and Gaillac respectively. Domaine Rotier, Renaissance 'Vendanges Tardives' for an intriguing wine made from Loin De L’Oeil in Gaillac with lovely richness and notes of tropical fruits and pear. Or the Clos Lapeyre, La Magendia from Jurancon with exotic and toasty notes matched with the hallmark Jurancon acidity.

Serving Wine at the Right Temperature

If you really really want to wow your guests, serving wine at the right temperature is key to elevating the whole vibe. Each wine has its sweet spot where the flavours and aromas truly shine.

For white wines, avoid serving too chilled, as this can mute the aromas. Fuller bodied whites such as oaky Chardonnay, should ideally be served at around 10-12°C which will bring out the profile of the wine. However, crisp whites, such as old friend Sauvignon Blanc & Riesling, are best with a bit more of a chill around 8-10°C, as this will highlight the acidity and freshness.

With red wines, there’s a tendency to serve them too warm. To keep things tip top, lighter reds such as our pals Pinot Noir and Gamay should ideally be served at around the 12-14°Cmark whilst more fuller bodied winnes made from Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah drink best at around 15-18°C. The main issue is if a red is served too warm, the alcohol will tend to be more prominent and will overpower the subtle aromas.

Finally, when it comes to sparkling wines, I would advise a similar sort of rule to white wines. If its lighter bodied serve it at a lower temperature where as if it is fuller bodied serve a. bit warmer. This means for things like Prosecco, Pet Nat and lighter bodied Cremant go lower so more like the 6-8°C range, whereas for richer more complex sparkling wines so Champagne and some types of Cave which tend to have more richness opt for a slightly higher temperature of around 10-12°C. You should really notice a difference in the aromatics and complexity of the wines.