Do you have an upcoming dinner party where you really want to “wow” your guests? The best way to do so is by greeting them with some amazing appetizers and wine right when they walk through your front door! Everyone loves to kickoff a soiree by munching on some small bites. They are easy to prepare, delicious, and are fantastic to pair with wine. Unlike the main course where you can be constricted to just a few pairings, appetizers can really diversify the variety of food and wine pairings. So put that charcuterie board to the side and pull out the baking sheet with these delicious, easy-to-make small bites!
Pasta Chips with Any Wine
Time to take chips and dip to a whole new level. Most people would agree that chips and dip are a great appetizer to snack on. However, there is not too much elegance with a big bowl of Lays and the sour cream and onion dip next to it. There is also no excitement by pairing chips with wine. Let’s add some elegance to the chip bowl with some deliciously fried pasta chips! Pasta chips are super easy to make – it takes just roughly 30 minutes start-to-finish. Pasta chips can also add some layers of complexity depending on the different seasonings that you decide add. Plus, erase the guilt of the sour cream and onion dip and replace it with some spicy marinara or creamy alfredo sauce to dip your pasta chips into! Why we love this appetizer is that it pairs well with basically any type of wine. Starch is universal in terms of the wines you pair it with. The dipping sauces also appeal to both white and red drinkers – creamy alfredo for the white drinkers, spicy marinara for the red drinkers.
Click to see full recipe
Cheesy Cauliflower Toast with White Wine
Avocado toast is one of the hottest new crazes of the last decade. However, it can be a tad boring to pair avocado toast with wine. Let’s shift gears and prep a pairing that we know will work well for the white lovers! Cheesy cauliflower toast can be a delicious spin to the typical avocado toast – and just as quick and easy to make. It requires just a few easy ingredients and takes only about 10 minutes to make! The combination of the crunchy cauliflower and the melted fontina cheese pairs perfectly with any dry-to-rich white wines such as a Chardonnay or a Sauvignon Blanc. Why we love this appetizer is it can be made in abundance and quick. Whether you want to put it on one big sourdough loaf or tiny, bite-sized pieces, odds are the white wine lovers will keep going back for more.
Click to see full recipe
Pair with Baldacci 2018 Sorelle Chardonnay
Bacon Brussels Sprout Skewers with Light-Medium Reds
Everyone loves a good skewer dish! There is something so satisfying about eating small bites off of a stick. Plus, you only need one hand to hold your skewer so your other hand is free to hold your wine glass! For this pairing, we are going to appease to the light-to-medium red drinkers and prep some bacon brussels sprout skewers. Light-to-medium reds consist of a wide variety of wines such as Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, or red wine blends. That means this small bite can appeal to a wide audience! This dish is perfect for light-to-medium red drinkers because it combines red meat and roasted vegetables which are both terrifically paired with these types of wines. Why we love this appetizer is that it only requires just a few simple ingredients to make and some skewers. It’s the perfect nibble and sip appetizer!
Click to see full recipe
Pair with Baldacci 2017 Elizabeth Pinot Noir
Pair with Baldacci 2018 Fraternity Red Wine Blend
Slow-Cooker Grape Jelly and Sriracha Meatballs with Bold Reds
This dish has been a Baldacci family favorite for years. It would make sense – we are a Cab house! When it comes to bold reds, you cannot go wrong with red meat. That is why we recommend letting the bold red wine drinkers snack on some tasty, grape jelly meatballs! The combination of the sweet grape jelly sauce with the zesty sriracha creates a perfect blend of flavor that will bring out the hidden notes that bold red wine drinkers crave. Bold red wines range from Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Syrah, Zinfandel or other tannic reds. Similar to the skewers, it’s fun to have a literal bite-size dish that your guests can stick a toothpick into. Why we love this appetizer is it takes only about 5-minutes to prepare. Simply add the meatballs and sauces to the slow cooker in the morning and they will be ready to serve by party time. You will see the bold red wine drinkers flock to the slow cooker with their toothpicks.
Click to see full recipe
Pair with Baldacci 2017 Allwin Syrah
Pair with Baldacci 2016 Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon
Churro Almonds with Dessert Wines
Time to put some icing on the cake of a perfect dinner party. How so? Pull out the churro almonds with some dessert wine, post-dinner of course! Dessert wine, although less common, can be one of the most enjoyable food pairing experiences. For one, everyone loves dessert! But also dessert wines have a specific sweetness to them that sugary treats compliment so well. Churro almonds are sweet, salty, crunchy and super easy to make. Dessert wines consist of Gewurztraminer, Moscato, or any late-harvest, Sauternes or ice-wine style. Why we love this appetizer is that it introduces a pairing that most guests aren’t used to. So many pairings focus on cheese, meats, veggies, but the desserts are often overlooked. These churro almonds with a dessert wine will leave a lasting imprint on every party attendee.
Click to see full recipe
