| A Wine Tasting Party is an ideal way to get | | | | between wines, allows for guests to cleanse |
| friends and family together to learn about | | | | their pallets and sets them up to fully |
| wine and experiment with new or unusual | | | | experience the next wine. You also want to |
| varietals. It can help to break the ice and | | | | limit the chances of your guests |
| give your partygoers some great conversation | | | | over-indulging and driving home intoxicated. |
| down the line. I myself had a wine tasting | | | | Some good choices are mild cheese and |
| bridal shower. Rather than the usual shower | | | | crackers, bread, oyster crackers, popcorn |
| games we tried different wine and paired | | | | (very nice with champagne), and nuts. If you |
| yummy food with it. It was a great icebreaker | | | | are feeling a little fancier you can also try |
| and gave guest that didn't know each other | | | | some smoked meats, mild chocolate, or fondue. |
| something to chat about. | | | | |
| | | | Typically, when tasting wines, you will want |
| There are different styles of wine tasting | | | | to work from dry to sweet with white wines |
| parties that you can throw. Two general | | | | and progress from light to full-bodied with |
| tasting terms you may want to know are, | | | | red wines. Have your guests sample each wine |
| Vertical Tasting and Horizontal tasting. | | | | by itself, assessing the wine's unique color, |
| These are tasting terms used regularly in the | | | | smells, flavors and then introduce the |
| wine world. A Vertical Tasting consists of | | | | appropriate cheese pairing and have them |
| tasting wines from several different vintages | | | | reassess the wine's qualities in light of the |
| or years, that were produced by one winery. A | | | | subtle flavor changes. |
| nice example of this would be tasting | | | | |
| Cabernet Sauvignon from Clos Du Bois spanning | | | | I like to pour all of the wine ahead of time |
| the "90", "91", "92", and "93" vintages. This | | | | and then let my guest sample the wine at |
| would let the tasters see how each vintage | | | | leisure adding their own notes to the |
| compared to the next and also judge the aging | | | | "scorecards" and sampling the different |
| process. | | | | munchies. You can also have a designated |
| | | | leader to talk about each wine as you go |
| A Horizontal Tasting consists of tasting | | | | through the wines to have a more structured |
| wines from the same vintage or year, | | | | tasting. |
| represented by several different wineries. A | | | | |
| nice example of this would be tasting | | | | After the tasting is over collect all the |
| Cabernet Sauvignon from Joseph Phelps, St. | | | | scorecards, core the wines, tally each |
| Francis, Chateau Souverain, and Robert | | | | taster's score and then rank all the wines. |
| Mondavi all from the "1990" vintage. | | | | Have a quick announcement to go over the |
| | | | favorite wines and/or the winners. Give out |
| To make your event a bit more challenging, | | | | any prizes you may have and then encourage |
| you can also offer a "blind tasting" | | | | everyone to enjoy some more food. |
| experience. In this case, you pour each wine | | | | |
| without identifying the label, allowing guest | | | | Some tips and things to have on-hand at your |
| to incorporate all of their senses to | | | | wine tasting party are: |
| identify different aspects of the wine. For | | | | |
| example you can give the labels' descriptions | | | | Bottled Water or Pitchers of Water -Room |
| and see who can match the descriptions with | | | | temperature bottled water is best. If it is |
| the wine. Or score who is able to recognize | | | | too cold it can numb you tongue a bit and |
| the most about each wine giving a point value | | | | that may effect you wine tasting. Guests may |
| to characteristics such as varietal, country | | | | also use it to rinse their glasses between |
| of origin, vintage, price range or whatever | | | | wines if a new wineglass is not provided for |
| you think would be fun. The guest that is | | | | each wine. |
| able to identify the most wines or | | | | |
| characteristics correctly wins a prized | | | | Wine Opener and possible a spare so that you |
| bottle of wine or perhaps a book on the art | | | | can have a friend help you open all these |
| of wine tasting. | | | | bottles of wine. |
| | | | |
| Yet another option is to do a food focused | | | | Spit Buckets-Some guests will spit a bit |
| wine tasting party. For this style of party I | | | | since they are tasting so much wine. These |
| would suggest choosing 3 reds and 3 whites. | | | | buckets may also be used to pour water into, |
| You can pair wine with food and/or cheese and | | | | if folks are rinsing their glasses. I've seen |
| the guests can decide which goes best with | | | | small fish bowls used, metal Champagne |
| which type of food. Or you can make cards up | | | | buckets, cardboard cups, and Tupperware |
| to point out why each wine goes with each | | | | bowls. I like to let everyone know ahead of |
| food, leaving out any competition and just | | | | time that it is very okay to spit! Some |
| highlighting the wine and food. | | | | people may not know that it is proper and ok |
| | | | to spit. |
| I would suggest keeping decorations simple. | | | | |
| It is best to use white table clothes or | | | | Pens and Tasting Note Sheets or Scorecards - |
| place mats when doing a wine tasting so that | | | | Lots of people will want to take these home |
| when you hold your glass against it you see | | | | with them so that they can remember the great |
| the true color of the wine. If you are using | | | | wines they tried. |
| candles it's best to use unscented so that it | | | | |
| doesn't interfere with the aroma of the wine. | | | | A Wine Place Mat for each taster (contains a |
| | | | pattern for placement of wineglasses). |
| Design a tasting card that specifies the type | | | | |
| of wine, the producing vineyard, the year and | | | | Wine Glasses-A 12oz. (or bigger) glass for |
| a brief description of the wine (usually | | | | everyone. Try to have the same style for each |
| found on the wine's label). Make sure that | | | | taster. Some hosts rent glassware and |
| each guest has their own tasting card to | | | | actually provide a new glass for every |
| record the wine's distinct appearance, aroma, | | | | person, for every wine. It is a nice touch |
| flavor, and cheese pairing nuances. | | | | but can be a bit of a hassle to rent a bunch |
| | | | of glasses. If you are going to insist that |
| It is also nice to have a place mat | | | | each guest reuses the same wine glass through |
| designating where each wine will go. This | | | | out the evening then provide enough bottled |
| helps to keep everyone on track and from | | | | water. |
| getting the glasses mixed up. | | | | |
| | | | Food - Prepared in advance. |
| Have enough wine for approximately 1 ½ | | | | |
| ounces per tasting sample (1 bottle usually | | | | Prize - (optional) for a blind tasting winner |
| serves 10 tasting samples) and a few extra | | | | |
| bottles for drinking after the tasting is | | | | Humor - encourage your guests to share their |
| finished. People usually like to further | | | | thoughts and humor on each wine |
| enjoy the wines they just tasted. | | | | |
| | | | Music - It's always nice to have a good |
| Provide simple hors d'oeuvres for the guests | | | | selection. |