| Hosting a wine tasting event is a great excuse to | | | | Another popular wine tasting event style involves |
| get together with friends, learn about wine, and | | | | having two or more wines available for each |
| have fun while doing it. The US wine industry | | | | grape varietal. Guests can then try the two wines |
| began an unprecedented resurgence in 1994, and | | | | side-by-side and compare differences in taste that |
| the film Sideways and online personalities like Gary | | | | could be attributable to the vintage (year the |
| Vaynerchuk have propelled the industry even | | | | grapes were harvested) or the appellation (where |
| further in recent years. The US is now the | | | | the grapes were grown). If you'd like to host this |
| number one market for wine sales and one of | | | | type of event, you'll want to coordinate up front |
| the top three countries for total consumption of | | | | so that each guest brings a wine from a specific |
| table wine. Wine is no longer a mysterious drink | | | | varietal or appellation. |
| for the wealthy, and young adventurous wine | | | | In order to make sure the night is a success, |
| drinkers are driving the growth. Wine isn't just a | | | | you'll need to do a bit of preparation up front. |
| drink, it's about the experience. And what better | | | | Ensure that you have a wine glass available for |
| way to experience wine than to host a wine | | | | each guest. It's always a good idea to have clear |
| tasting party? | | | | plastic cups or glasses available in case you run |
| The first step in any event planning process is to | | | | out. Don't get solo cups as they are too big, but |
| choose the date. Get your feelers out by | | | | also make sure that the glasses are not too small. |
| mentioning your plans to several important guests. | | | | Plastic wine glasses or plastic champagne glasses |
| Since you will be drinking wine, it's best to hold | | | | are often very small and can cause big problems |
| your event on a Friday or Saturday. If you're | | | | when drinking wine, including spills and the inability |
| planning a big party, you'll need to choose a venue | | | | to swirl. Having wine glass charms or ornaments |
| as well. Call around to local wine bars, wine shops | | | | on hand is also a great idea, as they allow each |
| (not the huge retail establishments), restaurants | | | | person to keep track of their wine glass. It can |
| and hotels. Depending on how you'd like to | | | | get confusing with twenty people walking around |
| structure your party, you'll often have a lot of | | | | the kitchen! Make sure that you also have enough |
| negotiating power on your side. You may be able | | | | wine available in your own rack, even if you are |
| to convince the owner to allow guests to bring | | | | asking guests to bring wine. You never know how |
| their own wine, or the retailer or restaurant could | | | | much fun everyone will have or how long guests |
| work alongside a distributor to provide wine for | | | | will stay, and you should always be prepared. |
| the event that will later be available for purchase. | | | | You'll also want to have appetizers available |
| If you are hosting the event at home, you'll have | | | | throughout the night. While chocolate is a classical |
| a lot of flexibility about what type of tasting you'd | | | | wine pairing, it actually isn't the best |
| like to have. A fun option is to hold a blind tasting | | | | accompaniment when trying to focus on the |
| in which each guest or couple brings one or two | | | | flavor of the wine, as it can alter the taste profile. |
| bottles of wine to the party. As guests arrive, | | | | The same can happen with cheese, but to a |
| the host wraps each bottle in a paper bag and | | | | lesser extent. Hard cheeses go best with wine |
| writes a number on the outside with a black | | | | and cheeses with cow's milk typically go well with |
| marker. The bottles are simultaneously recorded | | | | red wines. Plain crackers, bread, and water are all |
| on a master "Answer Sheet" and also recorded | | | | very important as they can help cleanse the |
| (in random order) on a public "Wine List" that | | | | palate between wines. Grapes and other fruits go |
| everyone gets to see. As the night begins, | | | | well with white wines, and salami and other cold |
| everyone is free to taste the wine in any order | | | | sliced meats often work well with a variety of |
| and at any pace and attempt to match each | | | | wines. |
| numbered bottle to a wine on the "Wine List". | | | | |