A concise guide to pairing wine for a private dinner at home

Six principles our head sommelier follows when arranging a six-course wine pairing for guests dining at home. None of them concern price.

Begin with the room, not the menu

The setting sets the pace. A glass-walled terrace on a summer evening will not suit the same wines as a candlelit dining room in February. Decide which atmosphere you are hosting before you draft a list.

Two whites are generally sufficient

One crisp, one full-bodied. 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 dinner from amuse-bouche to fish course without ever feeling monotonous.

Purchase one bottle more than you expect

Servings invariably run a little longer than the arithmetic suggests. We bring one spare bottle of every wine to a private dinner, every time, without exception, and the guest never sees it unless we require it.

Decant the reds you are uncertain about

A hesitant young red transforms with thirty minutes of air. A fragile older red collapses with twenty. When unsure, decant the young one and leave the old one untouched.

Serve smaller pours than you imagine

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

Finish sweeter than you began

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

Prepared by the editorial team at Coralwillowview. Last updated 2026-07-27.