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An Afternoon Of Wine and Appetizers With Friends

This post brought to you by Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards. All opinions are 100% mine.

A get-together with friends and family is one of the most enjoyable ways to enjoy our days, and we cherish having loved ones over for a visit, especially during the autumn when the weather gets cooler and indoor gatherings are more cozy. A glass of wine, savory food and friendly chitchat makes for a wonderful way to pass the time.

We recently hosted a small luncheon with some neighbors and enjoyed various Sonoma-Cutrer wines paired with some small, light appetizers. We shared two types of Chardonnay and a Pinot Noir with our guests to help everyone enjoy the relaxed atmosphere while we caught up.

sonoma cutrer wine pairings-3

Sonoma-Cutrer’s Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2012 has deep, sensuous aromas of blackberry, raspberry and black cherry with a hint of cola and earthy forest floor, and we offered it to our guests with an assortment of olives and feta cheese to start off our evening. I enjoyed all the wines, but the Pinot Noir was absolutely my favorite.

pinot noir wine pairing appetizer feta olives

Sonoma Coast Chardonnay is more classic with fruit aromas of Golden Delicious apple, Bosc pear, and white peach accented with toasted nuts, oak spice, and a hint of vanilla. I thought this would work wonderfully with some sweet fruit, so I offered it along with lush strawberries and white grapes.

sonoma chardonnay wine party-2

Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Ranches Chardonnay 2012 is a clear golden-green wine of green apple, lime and pineapple fruit aromas complemented with notes of nougat, caramel and Sonoma-Cutrer’s signature minerality. It has a crisp flavor with additional notes of peach, grapefruit and an elegant barrel spice, and seemed to me that it would pair very nicely with linguine primavera tossed with shrimp in virgin olive oil. It’s a light pasta appetizer, perfect for such a light, crisp Chardonnay.

sonoma cutrer wine pairings linguine shrimp scampi

sonoma chardonnay wine party

Sonoma-Cutrer has been recognized by premium wineries for its exceptional grapes and has
been producing the finest quality wines since it opened as a vineyard company in 1973. Their elegant Chardonnays would be wonderful served during holiday parties this year, a perfect accompaniment for Thanksgiving Dinner, Christmas parties, and New Year celebrations. The Pinot Noir would be a lovely give to present to hosts of parties you are attending, so everyone can enjoy this wonderfully fragrant wine too.

You can follow on Sonoma-Cutrer’s various social pages to keep up to date: facebook Sonoma-Cutrer, instagram Sonoma-Cutrer, twitter @SonomaCutrer, and find lots of other great food pairings on their site Sonoma-Cutrer.

What is your favorite wine to enjoy at parties?

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  • I actually don’t drink wine but am always happen to spend time with friends.

  • The Sonoma Coast Chardonnay sounds crisp and delicious. I bet the vanilla hint is especially good.

  • The Chardonnay sounds delicious and refreshing.

  • I like sweet wines, along the line of muscadine.

  • I love a great glass of red wine with friends. I drink this brand regularly! Great choice.

  • I’m NOT a wine expert at all. I love these reviews because I want to know which ones are worth trying and which ones aren’t. My mom use to drink wine before she went to bed each night and it helped with her depression and helped her sleep.

  • Penelope

    My father is the same way, a glass of red wine nightly is good for his heart according to his doctor, and I find it can be a nice way to relax too.

  • I like a really, really sweet wine. And your afternoon sounds so adult. I miss adult only gatherings some times. 🙂

  • I’m not much of a wine drinker, but I enjoy a glass of chardonnay every now and then.

  • Now that sounds like my kind of afternoon!

  • I love serving wine while entertaining. My personal favorite is sparkling sangria.

  • I usually go with a Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay for myself, but a good Pinot Noir is also on hand for guests. I like to have both a red and white available.

  • I don’t drink wine, but I love to get together with my friends to chat & snack. I know they’d love your wine recommendations.

  • I always enjoy a glass of good Chardonnay. These all sound tasty!