Rosé Party : How To Throw a Wine Party with Rosé
If you know me at all, you know that I survive mostly on rosé, gin, bacon, and coffee (a fairly standard glambassador diet,) so when the opportunity knocked to throw a party after my recent trip to the South of France, rosé was the obvious choice!
I’ve always loved entertaining - not sure if it’s due to my undeniable Southerness - or because I love any excuse to decorate, but there’s no doubt that my extreme desire to create fun for people is number one!
NOTE: I wrote this blog post when the world wasn’t in quarantine. So, just, adjust to the number of fabulous folx in your household and carryon! Or send yourself an invitation! Or if you do choose to have friends, wear a mask and hang outside instead!
Admittedly, it’s really fabulous to see rosé become so popular lately. It’s been a staple in my family for years since we started making trips to the Languedoc in France, drinking airy, salty rosés that accompanied fresh goat cheeses and luscious, wild blossoming herbs. (More about that below.) I recall only a few years ago many of my friends thought they didn’t like rosé until less sweet ones arrived on the market. Now, it’s everywhere!
So how does one throw a rosé party? Read on for the how-to and essentials!
How I Organized My Rosé Party : Where to Start
N°1 : Send invites
Send them out as early as possible…in today’s world people are busy! For myself personally, because my calendar fills up quickly, I love an early invite. Though it may not seem casual to invite people early, it ensures that the darling people who want to attend have the opportunity to be there! Don’t worry, the casual & cool part comes next anyway.
/// Want to your invite feel more casual? I’m SUPER in love with Paperless Post’s new “Flyer” invitations. They are really easy to share via text (or email) and often have gifs or really cool vibes and have fun trendy designs. They’re the invite equivalent to insta-story gif stickers. Seriously, so rad.
MAKE YOUR OWN SUPER CUTE ONE HERE
PRO TIP: Because a text is less formal, you might find your responses less formal too, meaning no response at all. You can always send a follow up text asking people to RSVP, according to every etiquette book I own this is totally acceptable and encouraged!
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/// Want to stay casual, but also be a bit more formal? Knowing that you want your party to be a success, a text invitation might be more effective when paired with an email invitation. Plus, who doesn’t love multiple options of beautiful design? These online designs have a fun invite + an adorable envelope to match.
------> {https://www.paperlesspost.com}
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/// Want to be formal and fabulous? It doesn’t get much classier than sent-in-the-mail-paper-invitations. Just be sure to provide some way for people to follow up with you, be it a formal RSVP with a pre-stamped enveloped, or a phone number for texted RSVPs.
PRO TIP: Always have stamps on hand so that your invites don’t just sit in your desk drawer in envelopes, never sent. (Oops!)
N°2 : Decide on Your Party Vibe
Some ideas:
- laid-back gathering of friends (best done around the coffee table or on the porch)
- informal wine & cheese party (just snacks and wine!)
- casual dining (done around the table, but perhaps bring-a-dish style)
- dinner party (at the table, with place settings. Can be still very casual or formal, depending on your styling and invitations.)
N°3 : Pick Your Dinnerware, Linens, and Glassware
I’m a sucker for proper China, so I love setting a full table. For my rosé party I chose to use my vintage set of “Strawberry Fair.” It’s a family heirloom and to me it simply makes sense to actually use the things you have! I mixed in some Wedgewood as well to add some texture in the same color palette. For this occasion I used real silver flatware, why not, right? PRO TIP: the more you actually use your silver, the less often it needs polishing.
Because rosé is the theme of this party and I lean toward Southern French varieties, I added rosemary to each place setting, a very French touch especially with the flowers still blossoming on the stems. I went to a party in France and this special addition really stuck with me + your guests can take their rosemary home with them if they want!
Despite classic tendencies, I have a propensity for indulgent F-U-N (refer back to my showgirl diet for reference) and indulging in the middle of the day with my favorite friends is one of my most loved activities! (Have you ever played boozy charades in the middle of the day with funny folks? If not, do it. You’ll be wearing rosé colored glasses in no time and truly living la vie en rosé.) Anyway…that means tons of glassware. Mix up colors, heights, types, and shapes. And since you’re tasting different brands of wine, this is the perfect occasion for busting out your coolest stemware.
Seize the opportunity to iron your tablecloth…or toss it in the dryer on the refresh setting if ironing your linens just seems like too much. Because the sun is out and it’s full on summer sensational here, I opted for my Kate Spade lobster tablecloth, even if lobster isn’t on the menu, it’s seasonal and statement-esque.
BOSS BABE LEVEL ALERT : I found an email invitation on Paperless Post that matches my lobster tablecloth EXACTLY. I mean, hello!? No-brainer.
Pick flowers or greenery from your garden or from the side of the road. Sure okay, I used to be a florist, so a luxurious amount of flowers from your local florist is nice, but want something more budget friendly? Grab your clippers and head outside. Almost every place I can think of has Crepe Myrtles in the summer, also roses and a plethora of wildflowers. I’ll be honest…I’ve totally cut roses from the bushes at my local grocery store. Since you don’t really need these flowers to last past your party, get to cutting!
Your To-Do List :
Set the Table (or place your wares)
Get your linens ready (iron or otherwise)
Pick and Arrange Flowers
Add final touches to the table (something in the plate + wine)
N°4 : Select Your Rosé
Most people think they don’t like rosé because they are drinking ones that are too sweet and too dark. The key to a delicious rosé is a good balance of flavor, salt, and acidity. My general go-to for knowing I’m almost guaranteed to like a rosé is if it’s somewhere between a light pink blush, light coral, or light salmon color.
Yes, I’m biased. My favorite rosés come from the Languedoc region of France, either from the Minervois or Provence. Minervois wines can be harder to find in the US still, so Provence is a great alternative. And if it’s a yummy beach, poolside, or summertime rosé you’re looking for, the Camargue is a great area to select from. But essentially, a rosé from Provence is the equivalent to the little black dress - it’s classic, reliable, and makes you feel like a million bucks (even when the price tag is low!)
Sure, darker pink rosés have their place, there’s no denying that, but a really high quality, delicious one is very hard to find at a good price point. My suggestion is to either leave those to the experts and find one that’s actually recommended by someone in-the-know, or to only buy one bottle that your instinct tells you is worth the gamble, or skip it all together until you are more familiar.
In the meantime, select varieties from whatever location really speaks to you.
For a party;
Try ones that have different grape blend percentages (example Grenache vs Syrah.)
Try some that are of different light colors
Try some that are from different regions or even countries
Try some based on your instinct. This will help you cultivate your ability to judge a bottle by it’s cover so-to-speak. If you pick a total dud, no worries, you learned something!
If you want the wine delivered to you…(yay!!)
Winc - https://bit.ly/wincjolie
Le Grand Verre - https://bit.ly/JolieLeGrandVerre
N°5 : Throw a really fun party!
I always have music totally ready to go and on before anyone arrives (ugh, nothing, I mean nothing, worse than walking into a totally quiet house when you’re ready to party.) But make sure the music level is at talking volume. Not to loud, not too soft. Get it juuuuuust right.
Get that lighting on! Turn off the overhead lighting (unless you have a fabulous chandelier, then turn that baby up to glamour level!) Then turn on lamps, plug in string lights, and light some candles. Even if it’s the middle of the day, some lamps need to be on. It sets a nice mood.
Bring back the art of the toast - nah girl, it doesn’t have to be an eloquent or presidential level speech, but a good toast sets everyone at ease. It makes everyone feel special and it’s a good indicator that the party is ready to go to another level of awesome.
A good formula to follow:
Thank everyone for being there + followed by a dedication to something or someone (even if it’s just to the lobster tablecloth,) + a “cheers” in any language!
EX: “Ooooo! I want to propose a toast!…Thanks y’all for being here! It’s really rad to have such a fabulous group of people here! So, here’s to sharing delicious wine over a ridiculous table cloth, may our wine glasses never empty and our hearts always be full! Cheers and santé!”
Keep the Conversation Going At a loss for words? Play favorites! Since you’re tasting yummy wines, go ahead and discuss which ones you like most and why. One opinion will probably lead to another which will remind someone of a story or that time that they…blah blah, you get the picture.
Be at ease. The fussier and busier you are, the less fun your guests have. Be relaxed so they can too. So chill out, drink rosé, it’s just no that big of deal honey, so just don’t worry about it!
N°6 : Send a follow up
Unless you want to, you don’t have to get formal with it! It’s just always a good idea to send a follow up thank you! I’d say one of these by text, is pretty perfect…
Have any fun party ideas? Have any bottles of rosé that really wow’d you? Did you create the cutest invitation ever? Shoot me a message on facebook or instagram @joliegoodnight OR shoot me an email jolie@joliegoodnight.com.
Cheers and santé! xo,
Jolie Goodnight
