I normally like to have our “Wine & Dine” episodes a little more planned out, get dressed up to film them etc. - but I think it’s important to show the high stakes situations in real time! Here’s how we’re approaching the wine lineup for a totally impromptu dinner of 12 new friends!

We want the dinner to feel festive, but not overly formal. Because it’s a lot of new friends who also don’t know each other, our priority is making everyone feel at ease - like they can eat what they want, drink what they want, and talk to whomever they’re really hitting it off with. For the wine lineup, this means wines that are different from what they might typically drink (so that the lineup feels special) but not overly polarizing (since we’re prioritizing making everyone feel at ease).

Situations like this are why it’s so useful to have a curated wine collection, even when you’re just starting with 10 or so bottles! A thoughtful, diversified wine collection gives you the ability to host any kind of person and curate the exact experience you want for them, even if it’s super last minute!

Now we just have to worry about the cooking.. so wish us luck tonight!!