A brief guide to wine pairing for an at-home private dinner

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 you are hosting before you draft a list.

Two whites are generally sufficient

One bright, one rich. A Chablis and a barrel-aged Chardonnay; a Riesling and a White Burgundy; a Verdicchio and a fuller Italian white. The two-white approach carries a dinner from amuse-bouche to fish course without feeling repetitive.

Purchase one bottle more than you expect

Servings almost always run 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 need it.

Decant the reds you are uncertain about

A tight young red opens with thirty minutes of air. A fragile older red can fade within twenty. When unsure, decant the young bottle and leave the mature 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 remember the wines they actually tasted.

Finish sweeter than you began

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

Written by the editorial team at Marblesummitpavilion. Last revised 2026-07-20.