Party-Worthy Wine Pairings: Perfect For Easy Entertaining

June 29, 2023

Red or white, sweet or dry, wine lovers are often entertainers at heart. When inviting guests to share your personal favorites, nothing enhances a tasting get-together quite like complementary snack and wine pairings. The next time you find a wine party on your schedule, consider these simple yet delicious recommendations from sommelier and founder of "The Lush Life," Sarah Tracey, who partnered with Fresh Cravings to create "Dips and Sips." Aimed at reinventing wine and cheese parties, the movement focuses on simplistic recipes, easy dip pairings and suggested wines.

"When I entertain at home, I'm always looking for ways to impress my friends with fresh, creative bites I can pair with wine," Tracey said. "My favorite hack is finding great products with high-quality ingredients then creating simple, elevated ways to serve them. The less time I spend in the kitchen, the more time I get to spend with my guests."

Tracey relies on the versatility of Fresh Cravings' array of dip options and crowd-pleasing, bold flavors worth celebrating. With authentic-tasting chilled Salsas offering a vibrant alternative to soft, dull blends of jarred Salsa and flavor-filled Hummus made with premium ingredients like Chilean Virgin Olive Oil, these dips elevate both traditional and reinvented recipes.

For example, Tracey's recipes for Polenta Rounds with Pico de Gallo Salsa and Crab, Spiced Butternut Squash Naan Flatbreads, Cheesy Tortilla Cutouts with Salsa and Hummus-Stuffed Mushrooms offer flavorful, easy-to-make appetizers that can make entertaining easy and effortless. Plus, these crave-worthy morsels are just as tasty and approachable for guests choosing to skip the wine.

Find more recipe and pairing ideas perfect for enhancing your next party at: www.FreshCravings.com

Hummus-Stuffed Mushrooms
Recipe courtesy of Sarah Tracey
Total time: 15 minutes
Servings: 6

• Nonstick Olive Oil spray
• 16 Ounces of Cremini Mushrooms, stems removed and gills scooped out
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste
• 1 Container of Fresh Cravings Classic Hummus
• 1 Jar of Manzanilla Olives stuffed with Pimentos, cut in half
• 1 Jar of roasted Red Pepper strips
• Oregon Pinot Noir

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Prepare a sheet pan with nonstick Olive Oil spray.

Place the Mushroom Caps on a sheet pan, spray it with the Olive Oil and season them with the Salt and Pepper, to taste.

Roast for 7-8 minutes then let the Mushrooms cool to room temperature.

Fill each Mushroom Cap with Hummus and top each with one Olive slice.

Thinly slice the roasted Red Pepper strips and arrange them around the Olive slices.

Pair with lighter bodied Pinot Noir with cherry tones from Oregon.

Cheesy Tortilla Cutouts with Salsa
Recipe courtesy of Sarah Tracey
Total time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 6 large Flour Tortillas
• 16 Ounces of Pepper Jack Cheese, grated
• 1 Can, 4 Ounces of Green Chiles, drained
• 1 Bunch of fresh Cilantro, finely chopped
• 1 Container of Fresh Cravings Restaurant Style Salsa, Medium
• New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Prepare a sheet pan with Nonstick cooking spray.

Place a large Flour Tortilla on a sheet pan. Top it with a handful of grated cheese.

Sprinkle the Chiles on top of the cheese layer. Add the chopped Cilantro. Sprinkle them with the additional cheese.

Top with another tortilla. Bake until the cheese is melted for about 10 minutes. Work in batches to make three sets of Cheese-filled Tortillas.

Cut out the desired shapes with cookie cutters.

Serve with Salsa and pair with Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand with zest and zing.

Spiced Butternut Squash Naan Flatbreads
Recipe courtesy of Sarah Tracey
Total time: 25 minutes
Servings: 6

• 1 1/2 Pounds of Butternut Squash
• 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
• 1 Tablespoon of Maple Syrup
• 1/2 Teaspoon of Cumin
• 1/2 Teaspoon of Chili Powder
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste
• 1 container Fresh Cravings Roasted Garlic Hummus
• 1 Package of Mini Naan dippers
• 1 Bunch of fresh Rosemary, minced
• La Vieille Ferme Rosé

Preheat the oven to 425 F.

Chop the Butternut Squash into 1/2-inch chunks.

Toss the Squash with the Olive Oil, the Maple Syrup, the Cumin and the Chili Powder.

Spread it on a sheet pan, sprinkle it with the Salt and the Pepper, to taste, and roast it until they are tender for about 20 minutes.

Spread the Hummus on Naan dippers and top each one with Squash and fresh Rosemary.

Pair with deeper, savory and earthy Rosé.

Polenta Rounds with Pico de Gallo Salsa and Crab
Recipe courtesy of Sarah Tracey
Total time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6

• 1 Tube 16 Ounces of prepared Polenta
• Nonstick cooking spray
• Salt, to taste
• 8 Ounces of Jumbo Lump Crab Meat
• 1 Container of Fresh Cravings Pico de Gallo Salsa, Mild
• 1 Bunch of fresh Mint, finely chopped
• Mateus Rosé

Heat oven to 400 F.

Slice the Polenta into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Arrange them on a baking sheet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray and bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Sprinkle them with the Salt, to taste, and let them cool.

Combine the Jumbo Lump Crab Meat with the Salsa.

Top each Polenta round with the Crab Salsa mixture.

Garnish with finely chopped fresh mint and pair it with a vibrant and fruity Rosé.