Leave the bottle of wine at home unless the host specifically asked you to bring one, or you’ve already talked through what’s being served, they’ve usually chosen wine to match the meal, and an unplanned bottle just adds an obligation to open or explain it away.
Aim to arrive around 15 minutes after the time you were given rather than right on the dot. Showing up exactly on time, or early, risks catching your host mid-prep, arriving a little late is read as considerate here, not rude.
- Bring something else instead — flowers (already arranged, not raw-wrapped), chocolates, or pastries from a good bakery are the standard safe gifts.
- If wine does come up as the gift, bringing something distinctive rather than a bottle from the supermarket shelf reads better, quality matters more than quantity.