When it comes to casual gatherings at our house, our go-to is always a good old wine night. We have become so accustomed to it that wine night necessities have truly graduated into the "staples" category in my kitchen. Here I have gathered everything you might need to throw a tasteful and classy wine night with little to no effort at all. Every single item is well crafted, budget friendly and as always aesthetically pleasing. Whether you choose to buy the same items I recommend or not, I invite you to view this post as your wine night checklist.
Wine glasses:
This one is pretty straightforward: you will need at least one type of wine glasses. If you choose the minimalistic approach or if storage space is an issue, I highly recommend the so-called "all purpose" wine glasses. I prefer neutral and timeless silhouettes with little to no engraved motives to compliment any style of table setting.
If you choose to have a variety, then check out my article about elegant glasssware for a full list of stemware recommendations. There I listed all of my favorite wine glasses (and then some) for reds, whites, rosé, sparkling wines and even cocktails.
Decanters/Aerators:
I truly believe in the magic of decanting. Of course, there is science behind it and undoubtedly wines (especially reds), when decanted properly, allow you to experience more pronounced aromas, complexity and layers of flavor. I prefer the traditional vessels to the aerators but that's simply due to the sexy looks of decanters and a beautiful way to serve wine. If you prefer to save space on your kitchen/bar shelves, then aerators might be a great option for you.
Cheese boards:
We all love a good charcuterie board but do not forget that you can utilize your cheese board as a desert platter or a cake stand as well. That way you get so much more use out of it. I love the traditional warmth of a wooden board but there is a wide variety of other interesting options from marble to glass to clay and many more for every taste. Here are a few of my personal favorites:
Cheese knives:
You most definitely need at least one set of cheese knives. They are usually significantly smaller that your regular knives and easier to use for cutting bite size pieces of cheese. They vary in shapes depending on the type of cheese they are meant for but you can also find plenty of universal options that work for most cheeses.
Honey & Jam serveware:
Here you can go in so many directions - from traditional honey pots to tiny pinch bowls - the options are endless - your style and preference should determine what to use. I personally like small glass honey pots - I feel like they enhance the amber color of honey and make it look particularly appetizing. When it comes to serving jams, I normally choose pinch bowls - they have a small footprint on the board but hold enough jam amount for everyone to enjoy. Pinch bowls also work great for serving olives and nuts.
Tongs:
Small serving tongs are easy to forget but are important to have on your cheese board. Remember, lack of proper serving tools might scare your guests off from the spread.
Cocktail picks:
Cocktail picks are useful not only when garnishing your beverages but also they make it easy to pick up olives, berries or hard cheese. Another fun way to use them is to serve canapé or miniature caprese portions (just put a cherry tomato, a mini mozzarella ball and a basil leaf on each pick and don't forget to season it!).
Share your wine night staples with us - follow and tag @fluidbykate on Instagram. Cheers!
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