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Looking for an excuse to gather friends or family for a night of informal fun? Wine-tasting parties are all the rage and you don’t have to know your vintages to host one. Follow these easy steps to create your own vineyard-inspired event. With a little planning and creativity it’s easy to host a wine-tasting party that’s sure to impress your guests as well as yourself.
Invite several friends or couples to your home asking them each to bring their favorite bottle of wine. Couples or friends may wish to double up on bringing a bottle. White, Red, Sweet, Dry – the greater variety the better. Let guests know that refreshments will be served with prizes awarded for the best white and best red. A stylish wine or vineyard themed invitation helps to set the tone for the evening.
| Before guests arrive, prepare for the tasting by setting out foods such as breads and crackers with different cheeses or spreads. Vegetables and fruits such as grapes, strawberries, pineapple or kiwi can bring color to your table. These light snacks also cleanse the palate between wines. Wine glasses should each be set out with a charm, ribbon or tag to identify whose glass is whose as the night progresses. Provide a pitcher of water for guests to rinse out their glasses and a bowl to pour the water into between wines. |
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When guests arrive, invite them to sit down while bottles are uncorked. At a formal wine-tasting, bottles would be hidden inside fabric bags or have the labels covered so pre-judging based on the wine-maker’s reputation doesn’t occur. For a more informal gathering, leave bottles uncovered and provide stylish notepads and pens for each guest to write down comments and notes as well as the names and vineyards of their favorites as they go. |
Begin the tasting by pouring everyone a sample of the first wine. Start with sweet wines and work your way to the more dry varieties. Formal rules would give just enough wine in each glass for a small mouthful, which would then be spit out. For your own event, feel free to serve as much as you like, keeping in mind how many varieties you have to taste and let guests know there’s no need to spit.
Some wine-tasting tips. Smell the wine first. Each variety has its own particular scent. Swirl the wine gently in the glass and watch as it runs down the sides. More robust wines will form small trails called “tails” down the sides of the wine glass. When tasting, don’t forget to lift your tongue - a whole new set of tastebuds resides underneath, revealing even more nuanced tones. Invite guests to describe how the wine tastes to them. You may do research online to find terms and descriptive words used with different wines. People may talk about what the wine reminds them of – berries, fruits, different woods etc. When everyone is ready and has made notes on the current offering, pass around the water pitcher to rinse out glasses and then empty them into the bowl provided. This is also a good time to sample the refreshments or have a sip of water to cleanse the palate before you’re ready for the next round! Continue till every wine has been tasted.
Invite guests to vote by writing down the name of their favorite of first the white and then the red wines. Then, collect and tally votes and present prizes to the winners. Items such as a small vase with fresh flowers, a stylish picture frame or a decorative set of wine charms are sure to delight the winners. In the spirit of informality, bring the remaining bottles of wine back to the table and allow guests to pour themselves a glass of their favorite, sit back and let the true festivities begin.
by Elizabeth Nelson
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