Wine and Cheese Party Idea for the Holidays

A wine and cheese party is a fun & festive way to gather with friends & family for the holidays. Use these tips and tricks to create an interactive wine & cheese tablescape perfect for holiday entertaining.

With Christmas & New Year’s right around the corner I’m joining a group of friends for supper club to share ideas on how to throw a fun & festive wine and cheese party. A wine and cheese party is the perfect way to entertain friends and family whether you’re hosting a Christmas party, New Years gathering, or just a spur of the moment get-together.

Let’s be honest…who doesn’t love a glass of delicious wine paired with a cheese & snacks!

In this blog post, you’ll find a fun idea on how to create an informal, interactive wine and cheese tablescape. This tablescape is easy to put together, looks beautiful, and guests can easily grab the wine & snacks they love (leaving you more time to enjoy fellowship with friends & family).

Wine and Cheese Party

Thank you to the ladies of Supper Club for allowing me to join them this month! You will find links to each unique wine and cheese party idea at the end of this blog post. Make sure to check out all of the party inspiration, there are so many great ideas!

If you’re coming here from Simply 2 Moms, welcome! Anne & AnnMarie have wonderful ideas on how to host the best wine tasting party this holiday season.

For those of you that may be new here, I’m Heidi, the creative mind behind ERH. I’m a wife, mom, and lover of all things cozy. I love to share home décor ideas, seasonal inspiration, and comfort food recipes here on the blog to hopefully inspire others to create their own version of a well loved home. You can learn more about me, my family, and Eleanor Rose Home, here.

I’d love to have you join the ERH community.  You can sign up here to receive weekly newsletters, updates on new blog posts, exclusive email subscriber content, along with access to my printables & eBook vault!

What is a wine and cheese party?

Before we begin discussing this wine and cheese party idea for the holidays, you may be asking yourself, “What is a wine and cheese party?” The answer is simple. It’s a party at which wine and cheese are served. That’s it!

Let’s take a look at how to throw your own festive wine and cheese party for the holidays.

Wine and Cheese Party Tablescape

When creating any tablescape for a party or gathering, it’s important to first decide on the linens and dinnerware that will be used to set the table.

For this wine and cheese party idea you could either set the table (like I did). Or, for a more informal tablescape do not set place settings, instead, stack the dishes, utensils, napkins, and glasses off to one side on the table for guests to easily grab at their leisure.

This tablescape is completely customizable, so use this as a guide or template to create a table that works best for your formal or informal party.

Linens

To create a cozy, elevated atmosphere I always like to use cotton tablecloths and napkins no matter the party setting. I love the texture and feel of cotton linens. They elevate the table and more environmentally friendly than using paper napkins & tablecloths.

To begin our wine and cheese party tablescape, I placed a green & white plaid tablecloth on the table. I have been loving the color green this season, so this tablecloth matched perfectly with the other greens & neutral colors already prevalent in our Christmas décor.

The tablecloth I used is no longer available however this cotton printed tablecloth is inexpensive and would be beautiful, this Christmas in the country tablecloth is festive & whimsical, and this striped tablecloth could be used for Christmas or other seasons as well.

The napkins I chose for our wine and cheese party are these cream colored floral napkins. I loved the lace edging, neutral color, and that these napkins could be used after the holidays as well (I love finding pieces that can be used throughout the year). If you like a more festive holiday napkin; these winter scene napkins are adorable, these Christmas napkins are gorgeous, and the candy canes on these napkins are so cute!

Dinnerware

Break out the fine china!

I love to use our fine china for parties & get togethers. It’s a great way to utilize and enjoy dishes that are typically tucked away in a cabinet or hutch. The Wedgewood bone china I used for our wine and cheese party, were dishes gifted to Dave & I for our wedding almost 19 years ago.

On our table, I simply added a dinner and salad plate since this is a more informal party. Again, you could forego the place settings altogether and stack the plates on one side of the table for guests to easily grab.

On top of the dinnerware, I placed the napkin and then a small wooden cheese board with a Christmas tree charcuterie. I’ll be sharing more on this charcuterie idea in another blog post…so stay tuned for that!

Wine Glasses

Wine glasses are essential for a wine and cheese party! If you’re hosting a wine tasting party, I would suggest placing at least three wine glasses on the table for the different types of wine. On our table, I simply placed a universal wine glass that can be used for most types of wine.

To the wine glasses, I tied a Christmas ornament to act as a wine glass tag. This way if guests mingle about, each person knows which wine glass is theirs. I love how festive and cute the ornament looks on the wine glass too!

Wine and Cheese Party Centerpiece

The center of our wine and cheese party tablescape is the centerpiece! The wine is the star of the table with delicious snacks surrounding it. Here’s how to create this fun & interactive centerpiece.

What You Will Need for a Wine and Cheese Party Centerpiece

• Round Wooden Bread/Cutting Board
• Faux Evergreen Wreath
• 2 Bunch of Grapes
• 5 Oranges
• 1 bag of Whole Assorted Nuts
• Your Favorite Wines

How to Make This Wine and Cheese Party Centerpiece

1. Place the round wooden bread/cutting board in the center of the table.
2. Add the faux wreath on top of the wooden board. Make sure the wreath is large enough to leave for the room in the middle, but small enough that it doesn’t cover all of the table.
3. Begin to layer small bunches of grapes into the wreath, then add an orange. Continue doing this around the entire wreath making sure the oranges are evenly spaced.
4. Add nuts around the wreath, filling in holes where necessary.
5. Place bottles of your favorite wines to the center of the wreath.
6. Allow guests to grab & eat grapes, oranges, and nuts from the wreath and pour their favorite wines for drinking.
7. Enjoy!

To complete the wine and cheese party centerpiece, I placed two large pillar candles on either side of the table. I also sprinkled nuts around the wreath for an organic, natural touch.

What time should you host a wine and cheese party?

Wine and cheese parties are typically not meant to include full meals. A good time to host a wine and cheese party would be before dinner, around 4 pm or later in the evening between 8-9 pm after guests have eaten dinner.

Which wines should I serve at a wine and cheese party?

I like to have multiple wine options available for guests to be able to choose from. Having an assortment of red & white wine is always a good idea. Here are a few common wines to serve.

• Pinot Noir
• Malbec
• Champagne
• Moscato
• Sauvignon Blanc
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Rosé
• Riesling

Which wines go with which cheeses?

Here are a few classic wine & cheese pairing.

• Pinot Noir & Gruyere
• Champagne & Brie
• Moscato & Gorgonzola
• Sauvignon Blanc & Goat Cheese
• Cabernet Sauvignon & Gouda
• Malbec & Aged Cheddar
• Rosé & Havarti
• Riesling & Ricotta
• Prosecco & Parmesan
• Chardonnay & Gruyere

More Wine and Cheese Party Ideas for the Holidays

Next, be sure to visit Rachel of The Ponds Farmhouse to learn how to host a wine tasting party. For links to all the wine and cheese party ideas, continue reading to the end of this post.

Be sure to stay tuned for wine and cheese party recipes with the Supper Club in my next blog post! I’ll be sharing my individual Christmas tree charcuterie boards along with other delicious supper club recipes.

More Christmas Inspiration

Looking for more Christmas ideas and inspiration? Check out all things Christmas on the blog, here. And don’t forget to grab your Christmas printables for the holidays, here!

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Links to products featured in this post can be found in our Shop Our Home page. I hope this page makes shopping our home a little easier for you! I earn a small commission when you make a purchase from one of our LTK links. Your support helps me continue to create meaningful content for you!

I look forward to sharing more of my home with you and inspiring you to have a well loved home! Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and LIKEtoKNOW.it.

Heidi

Wine & Cheese Dinner Party Ideas

Stacey of Bricks ‘n Blooms | Michele of Vintage Home Designs

Anne & AnnMarie of Simply 2 Moms | Jen of Midwest Life & Style | Rachel of The Ponds Farmhouse

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