Guide to making the perfect wine and charcuterie dish

{By: Lauren Trunfio} Wine and charcuterie is the perfect treat for any occassion… Girls night, date nights, or even for celebrations and parties. We know you’ve all seen those elegant (and intimidating) platters of charcuterie and wine on Pinterest boards and social media feeds, but did you know that this simple meal is beyond easy to replicate in your own home? Here’s a guide to making the perfect charcuterie and wine dish that will have everyone raving. 

First things first… you need a cutting board

Well, you don’t NEED a cutting board, but for the sake of presentation and the convenience of your guests, it’s probably a good idea to use one to house all of your meats and cheeses. If you don’t have a wooden cutting board anywhere in your home, you can easily pick up a cost effective one at Ikea for less than $10. 

Choose up to 2-3 cheeses

Now onto the cheeses! When it comes to choosing the best possible cheese combinations for a charcuterie, we recommend pairing a hard cheese such as parmesan and gouda, with a semi-soft cheese. Sweet dessert cheeses are also great options as well to satisfy all of your hunger cravings. Trader Joes, COSTCO, and Whole Foods have great options. 

Onto the meats 

Now that you have your cheeses, it’s time to move onto meats. We recommend sticking with the classics, like Italian dry salami and Prosciutto. You can buy the meat pre-cut into slices, or you can purchase packaged meat and cut it yourself. Whatever you decide, you can’t go wrong with these options. 

Wine, wine, and more wine

Now onto our favorite part… the wine! In order to compliment everything that you have already on your plate without overpowering certain flavors, we recommend sticking with lighter-bodied whites such as Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or Pinot Noir. 

This post is brought to you by GSWGA. The Garden State Wine Growers Association is a non-profit organization of New Jersey-based wineries, vineyards and allied businesses.  It serves as a centralized information repository, resource and clearing house for industry members, and offers a unified voice advocating for issues important to the entire range of New Jersey winery and vineyard operations.