How to Host a Fun Wine & Charcuterie Party!

What better way to spend the afternoon than to enjoy wine and “adult lunchables”! And by lunchables, I mean cheese and charcuterie! For this weekend’s dinner party, I wanted to bring some of my girls together to enjoy springtime in France. So I designed a floral, relaxed, atmosphere, centered around all things French inspired. French wines, French crafts, even the setting for our meal was French inspired! There was born the theme for this weekend’s dinner party “Charcuterie & Corks”! Continue reading as I share with you how to host your own wine and charcuterie party!

Setting the Mood – French Theme

As stated earlier, this party theme was centered around all things French inspired. In doing research, I discovered the French were the first culture to create what we call today “picnics”. During the renaissance era, the French would host indoor dinner parties called “pique-nique”, dating back to the 17^th century. At these dinner parties, guests would bring food, wine, and enjoy intellectual conversations. Therefore, I wanted to set the mood with my decor, and whisk the girls away to their own renaissance era with our very own indoor picnic.

Creating the perfect ambiance is the first step to a successful wine and charcuterie party. Inspired by 17th century picnics, I used folding tables, comfortable pillows, bright spring colors, fresh flowers from Trader Joes, and alternating wine glasses to create a posh, yet cozy atmosphere.

Decor Inspiration For a Wine and Charcuterie Party

If you want to create your own indoor picnic experience, think about the vibe you want to create. I wanted something pretty, relaxed, and inviting, with a touch of elegance. This French-inspired theme naturally lent itself to a floral and serene setting. Here are some tips to help you set your own spring French scene:

• Decor: Use soft, pastel colors and lots of fresh flowers. Think lavender, roses, hydrangeas, or peonies if they’re in season. Rustic straw placemats, a playful tent to create a feeling of nostalgia, and vintage looking wine glasses to add a touch of charm.

• Lighting: I recommend using natural light, or soft, ambient lighting to set a cozy mood. You can also use faux candles, or real taper candles of various heights to create interest. Alternate colors as well to create a whimsical atmosphere for your guests, especially if you’re hosting your party in the evening.

• Balloons: If you want to create a memorable moment, get creative and design a balloon wall for your guests as well. There are plenty available on Amazon if you want a fun DIY project. Our beautiful balloon wall was designed by the talented Olivia Singleton, owner of All Day Soirée. If you’re interested in booking her for one of your events, you can contact/follow her on Instagram or fill our her inquiry form. She’s the best!

• Music: Part of our evening was a wine and cheese pairing experience. While guests laugh, enjoy each other’s company, and build their boards, curate a playlist of relaxing French spa music, café music, or soft jazz to enhance the overall experience.

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Selecting the Wines

Wine is always the star of the show, so selecting good quality wine varieties is crucial. Since this event was French inspired, I solicited the expertise of my dear friend Kimber Warren, WSET Level 2 expert and aspiring sommelier for her guidance on the wine selection for the evening. Not only did she select an outstanding mix of reds, whites, and rosés, but she provided us with an amazing tasting experience. Kimber hand selected each of the following wines to pair with our cheese selection throughout the evening:

White and Sparkling Wines:

• Crèmant De Loire Arnaud Lambert: Kimber served this young bright sparkling varietal as our welcome drink for guests as they arrived. The Arnaud Lambert Crémant de Loire is a dry, complex, and traditional sparkling wine from France. It’s made from Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay grapes and has an alcohol content of 13% by volume. Notes: Aromas of crisp apple, green pear, brioche, lemon verbena and wet crunchy mineraly notes are a true treat for your sniffer. 
• 2022 Famille Paquet Bourgogne Chardonnay: This Bourgogne Blanc from Mâcon is a radiant, pale gold color with hints of green. On the nose, it carries rich ripe fruits such as pears, golden apples, and subtle hints of citrus. The palate for this wine is well-balanced, with ripe apples, soft hints of peach, and a whisper of oak. (this is also one of my new favorite Chardonnays!). This wine pairs well with soft cheeses like Brie, camembert, or goat cheese.

Rosé and Red Wines:

• 2022 Domaine de Fontsainte ‘Gris de Gris’ Corbieres Rosé: This rosé is a delicate, pale pink color with subtle coral highlights. The palate for this wine is crisp perfectly balanced with fruit and acidity. This rosé carries red berry flavors to the nose, with a hint of peach or melon. Notes are nectarine, white cherries, bergamot, meyer lemon, orange blossom, mineral finish. This wine pairs beautifully with soft cheeses like Brie or more nutty cheeses like Gruyère.
• 2022 Domaine de Thulon Beaujolais Village: This is a great red wine to serve as an overall crowd pleaser. Upon pour, it exhibits a vibrant ruby-red color with a slight purple hue. The aroma of this wine is very floral, coupled by ripe red berries, and a subtle hint of spice. Upon serving and tasting this wine, you will taste hints of strawberries, raspberries, and red currants. This wine paired nicely with our red wine infused cheese!

If you want to create a unique wine experience for your next event, be sure to follow and contact Kimber Warren here on Instagram, or here on her services page. She is absolutely amazing, very knowledgeable, and can transport a room to any region with her depth of knowledge and grace.

Curating the Charcuterie Board

The most anticipated part of our event was providing the supplies for guests to make their own charcuterie boards! If you’re thinking of hosting your own wine and charcuterie party, you can copy the trends from TikTok and have everyone bring their own version of a board. OR you could make your cheese and charcuterie board an experience!

The art of charcuterie boards originated with the French as well, dating all the way back to the 15th century. In keeping with my French theme, I solicited the expertise of Brittany Boyce, owner of Something Bleu. Not only does she make some of the most beautiful grazing tables and charcuterie boards (see her Instagram here), but she also provides classes for those who want to learn more!

What to Include In A Charcuterie Board Kit:

Brittany prepared the perfect kit for all guests:

• Meats: A variety of cured meats such as prosciutto and salami.
• Cheeses: She provided an amazing selection of four different cheeses: Brie, Aged Cheddar, Merlot Toscano, and Manchego.
• Accompaniments: Fresh fruits (grapes, strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries), nuts (almonds and cashews), white chocolate truffles, and chocolate covered almonds. She also provided portable jam. I would also recommend providing honey to guests as well.
• Bread and Crackers: A variety of bread or crackers can be provided. We had a very classic selection of crackers for our charcuterie board kit.

Throughout the course of our dinner party, each guest learned step-by-step which cheeses go with each wine, how to cut each cheese, how to build a board from scratch, ingredient placement, and the ladies even learned how to make a salami rose!

If you want to build a similar kit for your guests, you will need to provide a cutting board for each guest, knife, a tray for all ingredients listed above, and a take home box. All cheese should be served at room temperature as well. You can find more details and tips in my article: How to Make a Charcuterie & Cheese Board.

Activities and Games

I wanted our event to be relaxing with a touch of entertainment throughout the evening. As such, Here are some fun ideas my girls enjoyed throughout the evening (beyond the wine tasting and charcuterie making class):

• Wine Trivia: To test who was paying attention, our Sommelier quizzed our ladies on the wine notes she shared throughout the class. Whoever answered the most questions correctly was able to pick their favorite wine bottle to take home as a gift / prize.
• Polaroid Moments: Throughout the evening, I captured fun moments, group shots, and photos of each guest with their completed charcuterie board to take home as a physical photo gift at the end of the night. After each snap, I added these to a dinner tray for the girls to laugh at and take home so they would remember their spring getaway to France.

• Music Trivia: Since we were already creating nostalgic moments with adult lunchables, whimsical tents, polaroid pictures, why not laugh and have some fun at a bit of music trivia! My friend Ebony led such a fun 90’s R&B music trivia session! Not only were we able to reminisce on some oldie but goodie classic songs, the winner of this game was also able to take home a bottle of wine as a prize as well.

Final Details For Your Wine & Charcuterie Party

Sometimes it’s the small details that can go a long way in planning a fun wine and charcuterie party. Here are a few additional tips to ensure your event is fun and memorable:

• Themed Invitations: Create themed invitations to set the tone for your event. This event was led with digital invitations with a French-inspired design as a Save-the-Date. I also recommend encouraging guests to RSVP so you know how much food and wine to purchase for your charcuterie stations. 1-2 weeks before the event, be sure to send out reminder notes to the guests who RSVP’d. The reminder notes included the time, date, location, colors, meal details, and dress theme. I will update this post soon with an editable link for you to download my invitation template as your own!
• Take-Home Goodies: Prepare small take-home bags or boxes for your guests. As a take home gift, each guest received their own set of cheeses cutting knives, a list of all the wines they enjoyed throughout the evening, and a few sweet treats as well.

I absolutely love hosting cozy events, and can’t wait to host another wine and charcuterie party. Food and wine should be enjoyed around love, laughs, and lasting memories. With a bit of planning and creativity, you too can transport your friends to the springtime renaissance period of France, all from the comfort of your own home.

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