So you want to host a dinner party but you’re not sure what wine to buy or how much of it you need. Don’t panic, no need to stress, it is not that difficult a chore. The first rule of matching wine with food is, forget the rules. It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to select the right wine for your dinner. All you need is a little common sense, and some faith in your instincts.

Start by keeping it simple. Choose a wine that you like and would drink on its own, and that you think would appeal to most everyone. Select something mildly fruity and not overly tart. Perhaps a young, light-bodied red, like a pinot noir, served slightly chilled. You need to keep in mind that most of the wine will be drunk before and after the meal. Thus the importance of choosing a wine that tastes good on its own seems more and more logical. Bottom line; if you like a certain wine, enjoy it with the foods that you also enjoy.

You should not feel obligated to offer several varieties of wines. Again keep it simple. Select a mild red, and perhaps a semi sweet white for those who do not drink wine very often. Buying the right amount of wine is not that difficult a task either. As a general rule, there are roughly 5 glasses of wine per bottle. Take a good look at your guest list and count the number of people who will actually be drinking. Consider the day of the week; Fridays and Saturdays will have more consumption than Sundays or weekdays. People will drink more at night than they will during the day. These are all small factors when choosing the needed amounts.

The most important thing is to not get too stressed out. Unless your guests are true wine aficionados, most won’t even pay that much attention to what they are drinking. Try to relax and enjoy your dinner party, because that is what your guests will be doing.