Best wines for a Dinner Party

With spring in the air and lighter nights with us again, it’s probably time to start the ball rolling again with dinner parties and getting friends together for some great social occasions and a few glasses of good wine. Which wine to choose, well we all have our favourites but in truth to get the best from the bottle, it’s good to pair it with the correct food. In our blog we have given plenty of recipes with matching wines for you to consult, but at this time of the year, Spring lamb is often a top selection. 

What would we choose to partner with the lamb? Well, being fairly classically brought up, Bordeaux and Burgundy are our go to choice. It’s then a question of how much money you want to spend. Bordeaux comes in various shapes and styles but for easy drinking the Merlot based wines tend to go well and being slightly softer they are so much easier to drink. In general, that means a wine from the right bank or north of the appellation such as St Emilion, Pomerol or one of the satellite areas of these appellations. 

As for Burgundy, all of the reds are made from Pinot Noir so it boils down to whether or not you have a favourite village appellation or not. The wines from the Cote de Beaune tend to be slightly lighter in style with raspberry fruit predominant whereas those from the Cote de Nuits are fuller and with a leaning towards blackcurrant fruit style. Alternatively, why not try a wine from the Beaujolais such as Fleurie or Julienas? These tend to be fruitier and easier to quaff. 

If you like your Italian wines, have a look at something from the Piemonte such as either a Barolo or Barbera. I must say the Dolcetto from Dogliani is a great and affordable choice.

Whatever your selection, make sure you have a great time and enjoy some great times with your friends.