Hosting a Wine and Cheese Tasting with Riondo Prosecco

This post was sponsored by Riondo Prosecco through their partnership with POPSUGAR Select. While I was compensated to write a post about Riondo Prosecco, all opinions are my own.

Hosting a wine and cheese tasting is one of life’s little pleasures.  They’re playful enough for a casual weekend brunch and double as an appetizer or dessert to any meal.

So what’s my favorite wine to serve for such an occasion?  Riondo Prosecco is a floral and fruity, light bodied sparkling wine that hails from Italy with a clean, delicate finish and it’s currently at the top of my list.  It was voted the #1 prosecco in Italy in 2010 by Il Mio Vino and continues to serve as a staple in our home.

The beverage is great to serve alone for a light and refreshing taste any day of the week but it also pairs nicely with a wide variety of salty snacks, rich nuts and delicate fruit.  After a particularly hot summer afternoon, I always look forward to a cold, bubbly glass of sparkling wine with fresh fruit.  In fact, Riondo Prosecco even tastes great with fruit juices, spirits and garnishes.

When hosting a wine event any day of the week, I like to include at least 2-3 different types of cheese whether it be aged cheese or goat cheese and a variety of crusty bread, crackers and chips.  Sparkling wine goes well with many cheeses because the bubbles cut through the fattiness and creaminess of each type.  Rich goat cheeses like Gorgonzola and feta cheese are always the first thing gone when added to a cheese platter.

To finish the taste off, I love to add fruit for some sweetness that balances the palate.

Fresh fruit like strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, grapes and even acidic tomato and vinegary olive spreads are some of my favorites to serve a cheese, fruit and sparkling wine combination to guests.

Finally, I like to include a unique platter to serve everyone on.  Whether it’s a vintage wood cutting board, marble slab or porcelain platter, it’s always conveniently located next to the wine and makes for a beautiful and elegant display.

The hubs and I like to make blueberry and orange mimosas for brunch and sparkling cocktails for dinner.  This particular sparkling wine has a twist closure which makes it convenient and easier than ever to preserve the carbonation for another tasting.