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Hosting a Wine Night

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I’ve always loved entertaining, whether it be an impromptu song and dance for my parents’ friends as a kid or hosting wine nights in my college apartment. I love playing hostess because I enjoy bringing people together over good food, drink, and conversation. I learned early on that it doesn’t take much to get your place party-ready, especially for something more low-key like a wine night.

Here a few tips for hosting a wine night, followed by details of a recent wine night I hosted.

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Wine glass markers from World Market
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Each wine night, I switch up my cheeses and adjust the size of my spread based on how many people I’m expecting. I also restock the crackers, grapes, and components as they run out. Cheeses (left to right): Port Salut, Goat, triple-cream Brie, Toscano with black pepper, and aged Gouda.
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Cornichons and Peppadew Peppers; the former have a tart-sweet flavor, while the latter are spicy-sweet.
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Two of my favorite (now empty) wines of the night – the vibrant 2015 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc and the velvety 2014 McManis Petit Sirah (89 pts. Wine Enthusiast).
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Flowers from Trader Joe’s for the table
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Fun napkins are always a must
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Mints for freshening up post-tasting
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A pumpkin for a festive touch
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I have so many different wine glasses for whites and reds, but I especially like Ikea’s ‘Ivrig’ wine glasses ($2.99 each); the elongated bowl shape enhances the aromas of each wine. I also like that the glass is thicker than some of my others which are more susceptible to cracking or breaking.

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