Thinking
about hosting a wine tasting party? Here are some tips that are SURE to help
you with this planning!!
- What's the main thing you have to have at a wine tasting party... WINE... so the first tip would be SELECTING YOUR WINES. The objective of the party is to explore wines you have NEVER tasted before, while comparing the style and quality of the wines. Be sure to purchase a variety of wine… you may even want to focus on a specific region of where the wines come from. More than anything… be adventurous, yet practical. If you really don’t know wines… you will probably want to visit a store with a knowledgeable staff to answer any questions you may have and to make suggestions. Consider selecting wines you would not normally purchase. And if you are anything like me, get at least one back up bottle of something you know you like… lol!!
- The Guest List and Wine Buying - Determine who you want to invite and if your guests will be bringing wines. A good suggestion is to send an evite or invitation two weeks in advance that outlines the theme of the party and encourages guests to bring wine as well. However, as the host of the party, you will want to purchase enough wine for everyone. (So side note… the more people you invite, the more wine you need to buy.)
Things to include of your invite:
·
Theme
of party
·
Price
set for wine – will help anyone on a budget
·
General
description of the menu that will be paired with wines (You have to feed them
or be ready for some serious cleanup afterwards)
- DECORATING (my favorite part) – Wine tasting parties can be as casual or formal as you like. The basic supplies for a wine tasting are:
- Plain bread or crackers and cheese. Something light that will help “clean the palate.
- Wine glasses. At least one per guests
- Pitcher of water: For cleaning out the glasses between each tasting.
- Dump bucket: For discarding wine before the next pouring or for spitting out. Now when I read this… uummm I am not one to spit out wine or let it go to waste. I would rather just weather through the storm! LoL All things must come to an end :-/
- Tasting cards & pens/pencils: For describing and recording each wine taste.
- Paper bags: To cover the labels for blind tastings (my wine tastings will not have paper bags as I do not know wine got enough YET to do such.
- If possible, places the wines on a large table with good lighting. A cheap white tablecloth is recommended as a solid background to assess the color of the wines. The table does not have to be high quality because if someone spills so red wine on it… you don’t want to catch a heart attack! If it’s a cheap table linen, if stained, it won’t hurt “too much” to throw them away.
- ATMOSPHERE & EDUCATION – Set the atmosphere!! Keep the feeling light and casual, with lots of comfort. Atmosphere is key to the enjoyment of wine, so make sure and have the right mood. Candles should be UNscented (I know how we like our scents ladies), so that they do not interfere when smelling the wine.
- THE TASTING – I mean what is the point of the party if you are not tasting! People taste wines in all different ways, but typically you want to work from sweet to dry. If you don’t know the classification of your wine here is where your helpful wine store associate would come into great play! You should progress from light to full-bodied with red wines. Note the unique color, smells, and flavors – all in all have FUN and drink a lot!! (Be responsible though) This is not a professional wine tasting. So don’t swirl your glass so hard that your wine sloshes over the side… lol!! This is just fun with a little education, so enjoy. A simple tasting card to write down your observations and thoughts is always a good idea, especially if you find a wine you want to purchase yourself
- After the gathering, send out an email or note that includes a list of the wines served and where they were purchase, so that guests can buy a bottle on their own.
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