I love entertaining at home. Compared to dining out, it’s more personal, relaxed, and affordable.

As a former restaurant manager and sommelier, I have a few tips to help you pull it off effortlessly at a moment’s notice.

Wine 
I find it helpful to stock up (12 or so bottles) and have diverse inventory on hand. At Annex Wine & Beer, we offer a 10% discount if you buy a case or more. Couple that with some bargain items like our Closerie des Lys Blanc for $8.99, and you get great savings. That makes racing through bottles a little easier to swallow!

Wine Shopping list:

• Copious amounts of rosé! Most are delicious with or without food. That makes it a great “cocktail wine” for impromptu visits from friends.
• A yummy white to please your friend who just wants something cold and easy to drink. We have lots to choose from in the $10 price range.
• An affordable red for those who only go for the darker juice. Again, we have a ton in the $10 to $15 range. And remember, you get 10% off if you buy a case. Mixing and matching wine is just fine!
• Reds to complement grilled items. The caramelization that happens on steaks and veggies alike calls for Pinot Noir. Try the Domaine Girard Pinot Noir from France ($12.99), Klee from Oregon ($17.99) or The Gardener Pinot Noir from right here in Sonoma ($25).
• Sparkling wine (Prosecco, Crémant, Champagne) to have on hand for a celebratory start to the gathering or mimosas in the late morning.

Our wine specialists at the Annex can help you curate a terrific summer drinking list with both familiar favorites and new varietals!

Food Prep and Shopping Suggestions:

These finger friendly bread based snacks are great for noshing at formal and informal gatherings.

Step 1: Slice 1 to 2 loaves of French bread (try an Acme baguette) into 1/4-inch-thick rounds.

Step 2: Brush each slice with olive oil (Burroughs Family Farms Bulk Olive Oil is on sale right now. And it’s delicious!) or melted butter (I love how affordable and tasty the Cadia butter is)

Step 3: Place the rounds on baking sheets and bake at 350 degrees until crisp throughout and lightly golden around the edges, about 15 minutes.

Toppings:

1. Spread with Coeur Chevre organic fresh goat cheese, orange marmalade (try one from Frog Hollow or Full Belly Farms, both are located right across from the cheese section) and fresh mint.

2. Spread with fig jam (Inna just delivered their black mission fig jam!), top with blue cheese (Farmstead Original Blue) and prosciutto (try La Quercia) or ham (I love True Story).

3. Spread with fig jam, top with goat cheese and chopped walnuts (grab a bunch from our bulk bins).

4. Spread with butter, top with thinly sliced bread-and-butter pickles (Woodstock or Cadia are both great choices).

5. Spread with hummus (grab our Annex made pre-packed Hummus), top with olive tapenade (try the Divina Kalamata olive spread).

These toppings are all items that are fairly easy to either keep in stock or grab quickly from one of our stores.

Here’s to happy, memory-making gatherings!

-Sarah