Wine pairing at home: a brief guide for a private dinner

Six principles our head sommelier follows when arranging a six-course wine pairing for guests dining at home. Price never makes the list.

Begin with the setting, not the courses

The setting fixes the pace. A glass-walled terrace on a summer night will not carry the same bottles as a candlelit dining room in February. Choose which of those you are hosting before you draft a list.

Two whites usually suffice

One bright, one rich. A Chablis and a barrel-aged Chardonnay; a Riesling and a White Burgundy; a Verdicchio and a richer Italian. The two-white approach carries a meal from amuse-bouche to fish course without ever feeling repeated.

Purchase one bottle beyond your estimate

Servings always stretch a little further than the arithmetic implies. We bring one spare bottle of every wine to a private dinner, without fail, and the guest never notices it unless we open it.

Decant the reds that leave you uncertain

A hesitant young red opens with thirty minutes of air. A fragile older red falls apart with twenty. When unsure, decant the young bottle and leave the older one untouched.

Serve less than feels natural

A 100 ml pour is generous for a paired dinner. Pour lighter, refill more often, and your guests will recall the wines they truly tasted.

Finish sweeter than you began

Even when dessert is bitter chocolate or a cheese board, the final glass should draw the evening toward sweet. A late-harvest Riesling, a Sauternes, a Tokaji — the bottle matters less than the direction.

Prepared by the editorial team at Goldendeltacourt. Last updated 2026-07-20.