Looking for a simple, fun and tasty party idea? Host a wine and charcuterie party. You can offer different spreads and wines to try. Make an awesome playlist, and let everyone mingle for a few hours. The trickiest part? Planning what to serve. Here’s the good news: I have some fancy charcuterie board party ideas that your guests will love.
15 Fancy Charcuterie Board Party Ideas
1. Wine Tasting Flight with Individual Charcuterie Boards
Here’s a fun idea if you’re hosting an outdoor party. Set up wine tasting flights and individual charcuterie boards for everyone to enjoy.
You can serve a red, white and rose or whatever combination of wines you want.
I recommend offering a mix of deli meats, cheeses, nuts and fruits that will pair well with your wines. You can even make a list of what to pair with each wine for a memorable culinary experience.
2. Gourmet Chocolate Dessert Board
Chocolate and wine. Could there be a better pairing? This is one of the top charcuterie board party ideas for a luxurious experience.
This tray features Ghiradelli chocolate squares, but you can offer whatever type of chocolate you want. Sprinkle in strawberry slices, raspberries, blackberries, cherries, pistachios, walnuts and whatever other treats will pair well with your spread.
Red wines will work best for this idea and will really bring out the flavors of the chocolate and berries.
Related: 23 Mouthwatering Finger Food Desserts We Love the Most
3. Italian Charcuterie Board
Red wine and an Italian charcuterie board – it’s a match made in heaven. This board features freshly sliced figs, salami, prosciutto crudo, sundried tomatoes, olives, shredded Parmesan cheese and slices of crusty bread. Sprigs of rosemary add some flavor, color and a delicious aroma.
Feel free to add nuts and other fruits if you like. I would add some roasted red peppers and kalamata olives into the mix to add some more Mediterranean flavor.
4. Antipasto Board
This is one of my favorite charcuterie board ideas for party hosts because it encourages your guests to mingle and sit down for a while. Set out bowls of fresh tomatoes and mozzarella, nuts, chips, grapes, deli meat, crackers, toast, pickles and whatever other goodies you want to add.
You can even sprinkle in some bowls of fresh dip, like hummus. Don’t forget to add your bottles of wine to complete this centerpiece.
5. Breads, Pickles, Grapes, Wine and More
How delicious does this look? A cozy table with wine glasses and a tray full of the best charcuterie items. Create little salami or pepperoni roses, along with curled up slices of turkey meat. Add in crackers, cheese cubes, fresh fruit, breadsticks, olives, pickles and a few spreads to make this dish complete.
You can make up a few charcuterie trays like this to serve your guests if you’re having a large gathering. Red wine is preferred, but a nice sparkling white wine could work well with this type or board, too.
6. Cold Snacks Board
Looking for simple charcuterie board party ideas? Here’s a great one! You can easily scale this spread to feed a larger crowd. Or you could serve one type of charcuterie component on each slab, like cheeses on one board, fruit on another and meat on the other.
Feel free to get as creative as you want. Serve a few different reds, which will pair well with the meat.
If you’re sticking mostly to fruits and nuts, a nice white or rose will work well.
7. Meat, Cheese and Wine Pairing Board
Here’s one of the simpler and more traditional charcuterie board ideas for party hosts. It offers a mix of sweet, savory and salty treats that pair well with a variety of wines.
This board has olives and pickles, honey, jam, nuts, crackers, bread, cheese, cured meats and fresh seasonal fruit. The fruits and jams you choose will depend on the season and theme of your party. Certain cheeses also pair better with some jams and fruits than others.
You can’t go wrong with apples and cherries, as both offer sweet and sour flavors. Apricot is a nice jam that will pair well with almost anything.
Choose a light red for this type of board or a fresh white wine.
Related: 26 Delicious Picnic Finger Food Ideas That Look Fancy
8. Marinated Cheese and Olives Board
Looking for simple wine tasting party ideas? You’ll love this spread. It has a mix of marinated olives, cheese and peppers served with crusty bread. Of course, you can use whatever mix of foods you want, but this combination is always a crowd pleaser.
If you’re not a fan of peppers, you can use tomatoes instead. You can also serve some hummus on the side to add something extra to this board.
You can even make your own marinated olives and feta cheese for this board. All you need is some oil, spices, herbs and vinegar.
Here’s a great tutorial:
9. Bruschetta, Wine & Cheese Board
Bruschetta is the perfect addition to any classic charcuterie board, and it pairs so well with white wine.
Apart from the classic tomato bruschetta, you can serve variations with slices of smoked salmon or prosciutto and cucumber. Add whatever other versions of bruschetta you like. Be sure to toast your bread to add texture and flavor.
I would include a separate board with a bigger selection of fruits and nuts. Berries, walnuts and pistachios are always a classic combination.
And, of course, don’t forget to include a selection of cheeses and grapes to go with your wine and toasts. Brie and aged white cheddar are two great options for this type of charcuterie board.
10. Grazing Board
This grazing board has all the trimmings:
- Cured meats: turkey and pepperoni
- Cheese: blue and an aged cheese
- Fruit: red and green grapes, and orange slices
- Extras: crackers, olives and almonds
You can use whatever foods you prefer in each of these categories to keep your flavors balanced. Serve with a rich red wine, like a cabernet sauvignon.
If you’re hosting a large gathering, you can make boards like this for each person, or you can expand your spread onto a large table that allows everyone to graze as much as they want.
I would recommend serving different wines, not just reds. Include a white wine and a dessert wine to try, so everyone can pair the flavors together however they want.
11. White Wine, Pretzels, Cheeses with Other Goodies
Wine charcuterie board party ideas are all about pairing your cheese with a bit of bread, pretzels and strawberries. Soft breads work well, such as a French bread that you slice up. Crackers work well, too, thanks to the cheddar slices and soft cheese.
If you want to offer your guests a bit of variety, add a few pieces of toasted bread to your board, too. Pair with a white wine and serve with butter knives that guests can use to spread cheese or a dip on top of their bread or crackers.
12. Sweet and Savory Spread
Sweet and savory wine tasting party ideas like these are my favorite. You’ll have the lightness of crackers that allow you to build mini sandwiches with salami and cheese, as well as a French bread slice option.
Sourdough breads work well, too.
Strawberries, olives and grapes are also on this eclectic board, along with blackberries and honey. I’m a cheese lover, so I would add Brie, mozzarella and different types of cheddar to the board for a more refined taste.
13. Classic Charcuterie with Rose
Have you noticed that very few charcuterie board ideas for party hosts include rosé wines? Pair your fave vintage with a tray filled with:
- Green grapes
- Orange slices
- Peaches
- Crackers
- Cheese cubes
- Brie
- Strawberries
- Meat slices
If you want something light yet elegant, you can’t go wrong with this board.
14. Fruit and Nut Board with Wine
Wine tasting party ideas aren’t complete without a few easy-to-eat treats. Fill your board with the basics of crackers, salami slices and cheese.
Not sure which type of crackers you prefer?
Amazon has an entertainment pack of crackers for this very occasion. But you’re not done just yet. You’ll also want to add strawberries to your board and kiwi slices to add a punch of flavor.
If you want to add a sweet treat to your board, consider melting some chocolate wafers and dipping your strawberries in them. Chocolate goes well with wine already, so it’s a natural addition to your charcuterie board.
Related: Top 25+ Cold Appetizers Finger Food Ideas That Are Easy to Make Ahead
15. Wine Glass Charcuterie Topper
I bet you never thought that this would be on the list of charcuterie board party ideas. Rather than putting your board on the side, it sits on top of the wine glass. Place your charcuterie topper on top of your glass (these ones will do) and then, add the following on top:
- Salami slices
- Cheese slices
- Soft cheese
- Almonds or other nuts
Pecorino or Manchego cheese are both great options here. Brie works equally well and is a nice, soft alternative. Figs and grapes will go well with these toppers, too.
