What to pour at your next dinner party, from appies to afters.

It's the classic dinner party dilemma. You've got your guest list, your menu and your décor theme all planned, but what are you goin to pour?

Too often, the libations are a distant second thought when it comes to planning the evening. And yet, what you pour – and what you don’t – might have the greatest impact on the success of the event.

After all, alcohol is an icebreaker that whets the appetite, complements the cuisine and keeps spirits merry throughout the meal. Too much, too little or the wrong sort of liquid, and your party will fall as flat as the bubbles in that bottle of Prosecco you left open overnight.

Here is our guide to choosing the right drinks for making your dinner party flow.

TO BEGIN …

If you love shaking things up, by all means offer a cocktail before dinner. To make it easy, serve one signature seasonal cocktail such as a cranberry-tinted Cosmopolitan. It’s less complicated and more responsible than throwing open the bar. Limit cocktails to one or at most two, and keep them small – spiritbased cocktails are meant to pique the appetite, not quench the thirst.

An alternative to spirits might be sparkling wine, either on its own or in a cocktail. The crisp lightness of bubbles gets the appetite going and the lower alcohol content lets you pace the evening. A classic champagne cocktail, for instance, is a superb way to get your guests into a festive mood, plus it can be assembled beforehand: simply pop Angosturabitters- soaked sugar cubes into the bottom of champagne flutes, then, as your guests walk in the door, top with bubbles and serve.

TO CONTINUE…

Keep in mind that the point of hosting a dinner party is not to show off your knowledge of esoteric wines from, say, littleknown Burgundian garagistes, but to make your guests feel both welcome and well-fed. So unless your guests are all wine connoisseurs, plan to match your wines as much to the people as to the food.

First, make sure you have enough wine on hand to be able to serve everyone a minimum of two five-ounce glasses during the meal. That means three bottles of wine for a dinner party of six people. That can add up, but luckily you can find some really interesting wines for under $20. (Don’t count on serving the wine your guests bring – it should be considered a gift, not potluck.)

There are, of course, basic rules for pairing wine to food, though those rules are not hard and fast.

Whites generally go better with lighter fare and first course dishes such as soup or salad. Aromatic whites such as Riesling or Gewürztraminer go nicely with Asian food, crisp Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Gris pairs well with seafood, and soft, round Chardonnays are lovely with creamy dishes and white meats like pork.

Meanwhile, reds are generally better suited to big, bold flavours and hearty main course dishes. The slightly acidic flavour of Chianti is great with pasta, while a leathery Cabernet Sauvignon pairs well with roast beef and a fruity Syrah is ideal with lamb.

More important than the rules, though, is knowing what your guests like. So what if your best friend will only drink jammy Australian Shiraz and you’re serving sole meunière? Or what if your boss’s husband refuses to drink anything but beer? Your job is not to judge, but to pour what makes them happy. So go ahead and create your perfect pairing, but offer a choice for those who want it. That’s how you get a reputation for being a great host.

The other important thing is to provide lots of water during the meal and not just for teetotalers and designated drivers. Make sure every guest has a full water glass and carafes or bottles of H2O are within easy reach.

TO FINISH…

If you’re serving a cheese course, use it as an opportunity to finish off the table wines served during the main course. By the time you move on to sweets, though, you will definitely want to serve a dessert wine or liqueur – and don’t forget to offer coffee, tea or an herbal tea or two.

Pair spicy caramel flavours – tawny port, Sauternes, Tokaj, vin santo or ice wine – with creamy desserts like crème caramel. Chocolate goes well with rich, fruity, strong drinks such as ruby port or Grand Marnier. And complement fruit desserts with a touch of acidity or astringency in, for instance, a framboise, limoncello or eau de vie.

Finally, once the last course is served, the host can relax and enjoy the conversation rather than worry about whether the roast is overdone. So you will want to pour one last slow sipper, a luscious brandy, perhaps, or a warming whisky, just to toast yourself on a job beautifully well done.