Charcuterie boards get a lot of credit for being "easy entertaining," but the drink pairing is where most people leave points on the table. Salt, fat, funk, and acid are all in play. These are three bottles from our shelves, with the prices listed in our shop today, that we'd consider for a board night. The pairings are our opinion.
Arancino is a Sicilian white wine, $25. A white with some acidity is a good way to start a board: it gives you something to sip as guests arrive and between bites of cured meat, aged cheese, and olives.
If you're leaning into cured meats — prosciutto, soppressata, bresaola — a Rhône red is a classic place to look. At $25, this is an easy one to open when the board hits the table.
Fernet-Branca is a bitter, herbal Italian amaro, and we like it as an after-board pour: sip it neat or on the rocks once the richest cuts are gone. At $45, it's the priciest of the three, and a bottle lasts a long time.
Quick tip: You don't have to commit to one bottle. Start with the Arancino as guests arrive, move to the Côtes du Rhône once the board is out, and finish with a pour of Fernet.
One pairing we'd skip for charcuterie? Jeppson's Malört. It's a Chicago institution and it's on our shelf at $30, but we think its bitterness fights with cured meat. Save it for shots between friends.
All four bottles named here were listed in stock at Off Premise, 1128 W Armitage Ave in Lincoln Park, as of October 30, 2026. Building a board this week?
All four bottles are on the shelf right now at Off Premise, 1128 W Armitage Ave in Lincoln Park. Building a board this week?
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