Hosting Wines
Tis the Season for hosting!
I think buying wine should be the least stressful part of hosting, so I put together a list of a few wines I look for if I am having people over. Most of these selections are well-priced if you need to buy for a big group and everyone is sure to find something they can drink throughout the night. These are also super easy to find at your local grocery store or Total Wine.
A good rule to go by is one bottle of wine per 2 guests for every 2 hours. So 10 guests for 4 hours? Grab 10 bottles.
Happy hosting!!
1: The Prisoner Red Blend ($44) / 2: Decoy by Duckhorn Cabernet ($18) / 3: Louis Martini Cabernet (Sonoma – $15 or Alexander Valley – $29) / 4: Michael David Cabernet Freakshow ($16) / 5: Etude Pinot Noir Carneros ($37) / 6: Lyric by Etude Pinot Noir ($19) / 7: Elouna Pinot Noir / 8: Mumm Napa Brut Prestige ($17) / 9: J Vineyards Pinot Gris ($13) / 10: Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc ($11) / 11: La Crema Chardonnay ($13)
I love Prisoner Red Blend! This is a great red wine if you are looking to serve just one red for the group – you really can’t go wrong here. Obviously it’s a little pricier, so maybe not the best choice if you have a very large group.
We served this at our wedding actually and I can’t say enough good things about Decoy wines – especially at this price point for large groups. It’s an easy drinking wine and sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Louis Martini is another good go-to and a great value if you want to serve a Cabernet.
Chances are if you’ve been to our house for ‘Grill Sundays’ you’ve probably had this one! We’re big fans of Freakshow, especially at this price point.
Etude Pinot Noir is another great red wine for a group, especially if you aren’t too sure about a red wine that is going to be a little bit lighter than a Cabernet. Again, a little on the pricier side for a large group – but a great choice if you don’t mind spending a little extra!
A great option if you can’t convince yourself of #5 – is Lyric by Etude. This is still a delicious, smooth pinot and is a great value at that price point.
We’ve definitely served Elouan when hosting at our house. This is a super easy pinot noir and I’ve often found it at Trader Joe’s (when I’m picking up cheeseboard ingredients), so it’s an easy grab.
Mumm!! Who doesn’t love sparkling wine? It’s SO festive and such a fun choice for a party. The price isn’t bad either
All of the wines from J Vineyards are fantastic – but I would definitely grab their Pinot Gris to please your white-wine drinking crowd. If you are only doing one white wine, I’d grab this!
As I’ve said a couple of times now – I love New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs! Kim Crawford is a well-known one and this one can also be found at Trader Joe’s – so it’s a winner for me.
La Crema Chardonnay is another great buy for white wine drinkers! It’s a great value and I think it’s always good to have a Chardonnay on hand for a crowd.
