Wines For A Girlie Night In

When planning a night in with the girls there is nothing better than getting a few bottles of wine to make the evening go well. Whether it is the height of summer or the dead of winter there is a wine that will suit any party and this article will go through a few options that will get your evening off to a swinging start.

A great way to start the night off is with a bottle of sparkling wine. All those bubbles get everyone a little merry and get the chatting and laughing going. And just because it is sparkling wine doesn’t mean that it has to cost a lot of money or be something really sweet and cheap. Look for a Cava, a Spanish sparkling wine. This is very similar to Champagne but as it is not from the French region it can’t be called by that name. It is fizzy and fantastic at getting a party started. If you want something a little less bubbly you can try the Italian equivalent, a Prosecco. This too is a sparkling wine and is another great way of getting the bubbles without burning a hole in your pocket.

After you have enjoyed a bit of a sparkle you can then start on a good bottle of chilled white wine, if it is summery weather or move on to mulled wine if it is in the middle of winter. A great wine to drink with friends is a Pinot Grigio. Fresh, dry and mellow it goes well with salads and fresh fruit and makes a great wine to have with the girls. If you are eating it is best to think about the food you are having and match the wine to the food.

If you are having an Italian themed evening than the Pinot Grigio is a great wine to serve. It works well with pizza and pasta. If you are having more of a tapas sort of evening look at a Rioja. In general it is good to theme the wine by the food. Look at where the wine is from and that can work well with what you are eating – unless it is spicy. Very few wines work well with spicy food – the seasoning often overwhelms the taste of the wine. However there are exceptions – a strong Australian Chardonnay will work with spicy foods. It can stand up to the taste and still allow you to enjoy it. In fact Australian wines do well with barbecued food too – try a Shiraz if you like red wine.

So whatever you evening is with the girls, there will be a wine that suits the occasion.

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Fiona Muller has been writing for over 20 years. She is a qualified journalist and has worked in food and drink writing for the last few years, especially about wines for a girlie night in.