Here’s how to organize an easy French wine-tasting party, including: • What wines to serve at a French wine-tasting party. • Five inexpensive French wines to serve at a French wine-tasting party. • My menu for a French wine-tasting party. • Easy recipes for a French wine-tasting party. Let me tell you about a wee problem when you’re a cookbook author, restaurant reviewer, food writer, etc.: Friends and relatives think that you can, off the top of your head, come up with perfect recipes, menus, wine pairings, restaurant recommendations, etc. for just about any occasion. It’s not that easy. Sure, I know what I like, and I’m very happy to give recommendations based on where I’ve dined and what I’ve eaten, done, cooked, served, etc. But when someone asks for something very specific (e.g., “a great vegetarian restaurant for a birthday party for a five-year-old who loves princesses!”), I’m often at a loss. If I haven’t done it myself, I don’t know what to recommend.

My brain is not Google. And so, when someone dear to me asked me to help her put together a French wine-tasting party, complete with French wine recommendations and a menu, at first I thought, “no problem”—I mean, I love French wines and French food, right?  But then, I listened to the perimeters.beer and wine box She wanted bottles that averaged about $25 each, because she’s entertaining a houseful. best wine bars in usaShe said that some bottles could go higher, but others would have to go lower. best wine in india online shoppingAnd, she invited my husband and me up to be her guest for the weekend (she lives in the Twin Cities). best fruits with red wine

The party is Saturday night, and frankly, neither she nor I want to spend all day cooking. (Hard to believe, I know. Aren’t I a cookbook author? But does your doctor want to spend Saturdays doctoring? Sometimes I, too, want some time off!)And one more thing. I know exactly the type of wines that she and her husband enjoy: weighty California reds. best rose wine under 50They’re huge fan of high-end Zinfandels. best wine country spaI run in the opposite direction; best wines to give as christmas giftsthat is, I love the brighter, lighter, food-friendly reds of France. best wine sellers onlineNot that my hostess and her husband wouldn’t be open-minded, but I figured I’d want to meet them half way, at least. best wine for chicken

Which is to say, these are not esoteric French wines, but rather, more approachable picks that most wine-lovers can appreciate. Given those perimeters (moderately priced, approachable French wine + easy-peasy French food), here’s what I’ve come up with. Five Moderately Priced Wines for a French Wine Partybest wine regions france You simply have to have a bubbly at a French wine-tasting party. good wine spiritsLook for a reasonably priced Champagne—that is, a true Champagne from the Champagne region of France. best wine for cold cutsThis is where the splurge might be in order—spend a little more here, and spend less in an other category, below. best wine tasting courses nyc

Here are a few good, reliable, somewhat widely available picks: • Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Champagne Réserve ($36) • Henri Abelé Bruth Champagne ($35) • Pol Roger Brut Réserve ($35) 2. White Wine from the Crozes-Hermitage RegionThe Rhône is best known for its fabulous reds, anchored by Syrah in the Northern Rhône and Grenache in the Southern Rhône. good wine guide 2012But the powerful, generous, full-bodied Northern Rhône wines that I know my hostess’s crowd would love come at a powerful, full-bodied price. food and wine best restaurants 2013And the Southern Rhône reds—while splendid for casual, everyday drinking—are not, to me, as fascinating (for the price) as a fabulous white wine from Crozes-Hermitage.best wine deals for christmas 2014

Made from Marsanne and Roussanne grapes, these wines are generally medium-bodied, with a good combination of stone-fruit roundness and citrus-fruit briskness, and subtle floral notes–without being perfumy. 3. Red Wine from Bordeaux The best French red Bordeaux in the $20 to $30 range generally bring exactly what I’m looking for in a food wine. best quality wine brandYes, there’s fruit (cassis often comes to mind), but what I love most is that while they’re richly flavored and they’re none to heavy, with a brightness on the finish that I always look for when pouring wine with dinner.top 10 wine brands worldwide One of my favorite moderately priced Bordeaux reds is Chateau Blaignan Cru Bourgeois Medoc ($22.95).best seller wine in india

However, because this might not be available in your area, ask your wine shop to recommend a 2014 vintage, if possible, from a “Right Bank” producer—that is, a Bordeaux in which the blend is anchored by Cabernet. Wines from the Médoc handily fall into this category. 4. Red Wine from one of the “cru” (villages) of Beaujolais.who makes the best port wine Please do not confuse Beaujolais village (cru) wines with Beaujolais! best wine rating sitesThe ones I want you to look for are not-Nouveau. best store bought white wineRather, they are labeled by the names of the villages where the grapes are grown: Brouilly, Chénas, Chiroubles, Côte de Brouilly, Fleurie, Juliénas, Moulin–à-Vent, Régnié, or Saint-Amour.top wine regions in the united states

Why I love them: With their vivacious cherry-berry notes, they have a bit of that bright Chianti thing going on. The best are shimmery, spicy, earthy, and just fruity enough; that is, though some fruit-forward-loving wine-drinkers might think them best with food, those of you who, like me, enjoy a little refreshment in their red they make fine stand-alone sippers, too.best wine that goes with cheese If you can’t find these, look for wines from other villages. best chicken in wine recipeMy favortes include Morgon, Julienas, and Fleury.what kind of wine goes best with pizza 5. Red Wine from the Loire Valley: Chinonbest bc wines 2014I’m getting a wee bit esoteric for this final pick. top 10 wines in the uk press

Most Americans think “white” when they think Loire Valley, and indeed, the Sauvingon Blanc and Chenin Blanc wines from this region can be beauties. But I think the reds from the Loire Valley are a wonderful surprise for those who do not yet know then. And their price will help you average out that French Champagne splurge.best book on wine and spirits I’m suggesting a Chinon here. glass of wine compared to shotMade from Cabernet Franc (with up to 10% Cabernet Sauvignon), these are light- to medium-bodied wines that offer food-friendly brightness, yet go down smoothly.red wine name list in india • Marie de Beauregard (Saget la Perrière) Chinon ($16)food and wine best chocolate

• La Varenne Chinon ($18) • Domaine Gouron Chinon ($15) Note: Those who know a little about French wine will know why I didn’t go for a French Bourgogne (Burgundy). Those who know a lot about French wine will understand why I didn’t. Red Burgundies can be expensive, and they can be a roll of the dice, quality-wise. diabetes which is best red or white wineAnd, remember—my hosts like some heft in their wines. best red wine from wine and spiritsRed Burgundies are about shimmer, brightness, grace, and elegance, all curiously combined with earthiness and barnyard-y-ness. top 10 expensive wine brandsBut they’re not about heft. good food and wine guide 2014

That’s why I’m leaving those on the shelf for this tasting. Easy Menu for a French Wine-Tasting Party I knew that the more complicated the menu, the more of it I’d have to cook. And, in fact, my goal is to cook very little or nothing. You see, I’ll be in Minneapolis/St. Paul, and I kind of want to get out and see some things, not spend all day cooking, right?buy wine spain online Because my hosts wanted to serve enough food to count as dinner, but did not want to do a formal-ish sit-down dinner, I decided to do a “fork supper”—a meal served buffet-style that can be managed on one plate and eaten with a fork, whether guests decide to sit at a table, on a couch, or simply stand around the kitchen island.buy wine box handbag So, here’s the list I gave my hostess:buy under counter wine cooler

A Good Pâté or Two: Seriously. If you live in any decent sized-city at all, you likely have a fine market where you can buy an excellent version of pâté. Since my host will be serving 12 people, I say, put out at least two: A chunky Pâté deCampagne or Duck Terrine and a more fine-ground Mousse de Canard. where to buy 90 plus wineBe sure to put out plenty of cornichons (those little sour French pickles and some Dijon mustard.where to buy ice wine near me A Cheese Platter: Put out an array of your favorite French cheeses. where can i buy small wine bottlesYou don’t have favorites? where to buy cheap wine in bulkRead about some of mine, here.age to buy wine in uk

Add a few of my oeufs-mayo (French hard boiled eggs with glammed-up mayonnaise sauce) and some roasted asparagus my vinaigrette, if asparagus happens to be looking good at the market! A selection of quiches and/or flatbreads. You are free to make them from scratch or buy them from the very best delis/gourmet markets in town. box of wine pinkIf you want to make a quiche, try my recipe, posted on the blog Simple Nourished Living.dry red wine español Tartlets from the best pâtisserie in town. dry red wine where to buyAgain, feel free to cook these yourself, but this weekend, I’m not going to! where to buy wine storageIf you really want to cook something, go for some Madeleines–little French teacakes that are super-easy to eat from a buffet. best red wine dry

See my recipe for Madeleines, here.This post took a lot out of me! I hope you found it helpful. If so, please consider supporting my work on this site. It’s so easy–and costs you nothing: Next time you want to buy something from Amazon, simply go to the Amazon site through one of my links or ads (such as the one below). good red wine quotesNo matter what you buy, I’ll get a small commission from your purchase–even if it’s not the item I’m advertising. best deals on wine coolersAgain, it adds nothing to your costs. wine for cats newsSo head to Amazon and look around! best wine bar in dcThank you so much for your consideration. best dry red wine cheap