Canada's best cheeses to buy for your party

Wine
When guests come over for drinks and appetizers, you needn't offer a great array of wines, but you should have a little variety. Offer a dry red and a dry white. Popular Canadian red varieties include Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Pinot Noir; white varieties could be Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay or dry Riesling.

Plan on half a bottle per guest for a party that lasts up to two hours. It's also nice to offer an off-dry white, such as one of Canada's excellent off-dry Rieslings. Most of them have enough acidity to be palatable to dry-wine drinkers. Don't forget sparkling wine; it adds a nice festive touch to the occasion.

For a really special start, offer each guest a Kir Royale or Raspberry Kir:
• Kir Royale: Pour 1 oz (2 tbsp/25 mL) black currant wine (Cassis or Crème de Cassis) into flute; top with sparkling wine.
• Raspberry Kir Royale: Pour 1 oz
(2 tbsp/25 mL) raspberry wine (framboise or Crème de Framboise ) into flute; top with sparkling wine. Garnish with fresh or frozen raspberry.

•Andrew Chase