At a deli counter somewhere in Little Italy, Philly I happened to grab a sample of a cracker with a thin slice of salami on top of it, finished off with a mere couple of drops of white truffle oil and...I nearly needed smelling salts to bring me back to reality. The second sample was tasted following a sip of some label-less red wine, and then not even smelling salts could save me then. Try this for any wine occasion, and remember that less is more when it comes to the thickness of the salami and the amount of truffle oil.

Manchego is a well-known imported Spanish cheese that is known to quite literally burst in your mouth when paired with most wines, especially a red. It is Spain's most popular cheese because for the way it explodes on your palate. Made from 100% sheep's milk in an area of rocky terrain, when this cheese is paired with wine it is quite divine.

All you have to do for this simple appetizer is puree some olives with a little bit of olive oil. You can add herbs, garlic, anchovies and any type of seasonings you like. Put out some small bread sticks or crackers and you have an instant wine pairing. It is a great idea to make one basic batch and then add different ingredients to portions of that batch. That way there is a variety of flavors for people to try.