A formal dinner doesn't happen every day, making it so special. Easter, Christmas, and Thanksgiving are among the most common and loved occasions for family gatherings and dinners with friends. In fact, these holidays are usually accompanied by multiple tasty dishes laid out on a large table. You will want to plunge into the best wine dinner menu ideas to improve your special occasion. So, how should you arrange a wine dinner? Keep reading this blog post to find out.

A wine dinner provides wine pairings for each dish of a meal. The number of dishes you have defines the number of wine portions paired with them. For instance, a 5 course wine dinner menu involves five wines that go with each menu position and so on. Besides, wine dinners are suitable for different formal dining.

A universal rule of thumb for wine dinner ideas is starting with lighter meals, followed by more intense-flavored foods. This also relates to wine for dinner – soft wines are traditionally served at the beginning of your dinner, while desserts with rich flavors go with glasses of bolder wines. Here are 5 course dinner menu with wine pairings you wish you had known earlier.

Appetizers are integral to wine dinner menus. Cheese Boards, caviar, spring rolls with vegetables, grilled seafood, canapes, and oysters are among the most popular hors d'oeuvres. Chilled sparkling wine, ideally with high acidity, is a good wine for dinner to pair with appetizers. Brut remains a way to go.

Creamy soups, like mushroom, broccoli, or cauliflower, taste well with a glass of cold white wine. You will want to opt for a bottle of Albarino or Sauvignon Blanc to serve with a soup course. Remember to prep your soup for a day ahead to make it taste even more delicious.

Salads are perfect palate-cleanser dishes within a wine dinner. Lettuce in Caesar or other salads might be complicated to pair with red wine, so your best choice is light red, like Grenache and Pinot Noir, or rose wine. Alternatively, go for a bottle of orange wine if you are in a fancy mood.

The best dinner wine to serve with your main entrée is a medium- to full-bodied red wine unless you have fish. Look no further than Merlot and Tempranillo. For main fish courses, selecting a bottle of Chablis, Pinot Grigio, or Champagne for lean fish is your best bet.

When it comes to a dinner wine to serve with a dessert, the type of sweet treat will determine the best wine to pair with. Fresh desserts with cream and berries go well with sparkling wines with a kiss of sweetness, like Moscato, while apple pies require something light with tasting notes of honey, apricot, and ginger, such as Riesling.