Galentine’s Day is around the corner! I don’t know about you, but I’m more of a Galentine’s Day fan these days than Valentine’s Day.  Especially since having Emilia, time with my girlfriends is so treasured. I partnered with SoChatti and Personal Wine to design a chocolate and wine tasting party. While this post is sponsored, all opinions and ideas are my own.

I’ve hosted ‘Girls Night In’ before. Everyone loved that theme, but I think I’ve fallen in love with a wine and chocolate tasting theme even more! While I themed it for Galentine’s Day [with the napkins], it could be done any time of year for a Girls’ Night. Any occasion is a great excuse for a chocolate and wine tasting!

Table Decor

Having a baby has changed my game a bit.  I don’t have as much time as I used to for pulling together tablescapes – I know what you’re thinking… um DUH.  It’s been an adjustment for me though because I LOVE to fuss over tablescapes.

While I think this table is just as stunning (if not more!) than some of my other tablescapes, it was hands-down easier to pull together.  I opted for a paper runner by using wrapping paper from Paper Source.

Knowing we’d have so much color on the table from food, I decided to keep the plates white.  There’s something to be said about letting the food speak for itself. I also didn’t want the table to be overtly Valentine’s Day.  Last year, I did a huge Galentine’s Day brunch, which was fun, but I wanted this to be different. I thought the ‘xoxo’ embossment on the menu and placecards was a great touch with the Crate & Barrel napkins being the pop of Valentine’s Day.  

Also, if you don’t have all of the plates, consider the SoChatti tasting kit.  It pulls everything together in a simple box.  For a limited time, you can also enter my giveaway here.

Wine & Chocolate Tasting Menu

Finding the proper pairings can be the toughest part of hosting a wine & chocolate tasting.  Don’t fret – I have the perfect pairings for you.

If you plan to do all three styles of chocolate, I’d highly recommend the SoChatti tasting kit because it not only comes with the chocolate but tasting bowls & spoons, too. It makes hosting super convenient.  

• SoChatti Tanzania Chocolate paired with tropical flavors with a sweet wine (like Sophia Rae Brut Rose)
• SoChatti Honduras Chocolate paired with dried fruits, nuts and peppermint with a white wine (like Party Favor Piot Grigio)
• SoChatti Peru Chocolate paired with strawberries and macadamia nut cookies with a red wine (like Plunder’s California Pinot Noir)

Flow of the night

Figuring out the flow of a party can always be tough.  You don’t want to be too structured. However, I think it’s important to have a flow in your mind so you get to do everything you planned, too.  

I planned for about 20 minutes per chocolate and wine tasting, which worked super well.  The key was to have the Honduras chocolate in the middle of the pack since guests were making their own candy drops.  By having it in the middle, it gave enough time for candies to dry so we could enjoy them.

To get super specific, I had guests try the chocolate on its own first.  Then, try the chocolate with the food, and then sip the wine and taste it as well.  After that, we’d enjoy our glass of wine and casually nibble on what we wanted. That flow seemed to work super well.  

Why I loved SoChatti & Personal Wine for my Wine & Chocolate Tasting

So you may be thinking that this is here because it’s a sponsored post, but honestly, it’s not.  These two brands are the perfect fit, and I’d use them for my party without it being sponsored.

First and foremost, they’re premium brands.  I discovered SoChatti this winter through a friend in Indy.  My new favorite hot chocolate recipe features its fabulous flavors. Plus, you can easily buy it on Amazon.  Considering I buy everything on Amazon (like even my toilet paper – don’t judge), that was an easy yes for me.  

Personal Wine

Personal Wine is similar to me with its elegance.  If you know me, you know I LOVE personalized wine labels.  I truly love personalized labels but still find that I’m always soaking them off.  Personal Wine can design wine labels for you. They also have them by holiday like Valentine’s Day.   I discovered the brand through Nicole Regan this last holiday season (love her btw!) and immediately loved the brand.  Without Personal Wine, I would have had an assortment of brands. Thanks to Personal Wine, I was able to brand all of the bottles with the Girl Meets Party logo yet maintain the integrity of the brand [hey now that’s my corporate side coming out] on the back of the bottle.  

Can you do me a favor?  If you host a wine and chocolate tasting, especially a chocolate and wine tasting near me, will you share the photos with me?  I’d love to see them!! This party was so fun, and I can’t wait to host it again soon.