Host Your Own Wine Tasting Party

Learning all about the world of wine is quite an undertaking. After all, people make wine in over seventy countries with hundreds of different grapes in all styles.

Of course, this doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy wine. The best part? The more you know about wine, the more you appreciate it. There’s no doubt the best way to learn about this universal drink is by tasting it, especially with friends and family — that’s where wine tasting parties come in.

What is a Wine Tasting Party?

People get together to taste, assess and describe wine and share their experiences with others. Other than that, wine tasting parties can look vastly different from one another. 

Learning how to describe wine will take your wine enjoyment to the next level, and there’s no better way of doing so than with others. Let’s have a wine tasting party! Here’s what you need to know.

How To Host Your Own Wine Tasting Party

Hosting wine tasting parties is a bit different from organising a regular party. Similarly to putting together a dinner party, there’s some planning to do. In this case, choosing and sourcing the wine and having the right tools for the job.

The only thing you need to host your own party is people willing to learn more about that exciting fermented grape juice we all love. Preparing for the event helps, too. You need not be a wine expert, but the more you know the wine you’re serving, the more information you’ll be able to share.

Where to Host a Wine Party?

Wine tasting parties are becoming more popular, and it’s easy to see why. Parties are fun, and wine is too! Technology has helped bring people together, and that means online wine tastings are a thing now, and they’re pretty fun. You’ll find some tips for organising wine tasting parties in person below, and if you’re going the Internet route, every guest will have to purchase their own wine. Other than that, the event can be equally engaging!

What Do I Need to Host a Wine Tasting Party?

If you’re hosting a wine tasting party on-site, you’ll need wine, of course, but that’s not all. Ensure you have proper glassware; crystal stemware is ideal. You’ll also need water glasses and a spittoon (yes, you might not want to drink all the wine you taste!)

If you’re serving well-aged wines, a decanter and an aerator can become handy. And don’t forget to have a reliable corkscrew in your pocket — a waiter’s friend is a convenient tool.

What are the Food Options?

Wine and food are two sides of the same coin, and they’re more enjoyable together. Food always has a place at wine tastings. Having dinner after the tasting session is a fun way of ending the learning experience, but making your wine tasting party all about pairing food and wine can be much more exciting. Of course, that calls for meticulous planning. If food won’t play a significant role in your party, ensure there’s bread and crackers (and plenty of water) at the table.

Who Should I Invite?

Wine tasting parties, unlike regular parties, are opportunities to learn about wine based on what you and others perceive in the glass. This means you should invite like-minded people as enthusiastic about wine as you. However, nothing stops you from inviting people with different wine knowledge. Ideally, at most ten people can ensure an organised and participative tasting session where everyone can talk.

Who Brings the Wine?

Generally, if hosting a wine tasting party, you should choose the wine, whether you’re comparing or contrasting wine made with the same grape from different regions or the same wine from different vintages. Planning is key. Ideally, every wine tasted has a purpose and is part of a learning experience. Tasting random wine will result in a fun time, indeed, but one with little learning value. Once you’ve selected the wine, you can either purchase it yourself or ask your guests to chip in.

Taste Wine Like a Pro.

Tasting wine is not hard science. Wine is meant to be fun, so don’t worry too much about wine tasting rules. Having said that, there are ways of tasting wine to make the most out of it:

• Taste white wine before red, light-bodied wine before robust wines, and dry wines before sweet examples.
• Look, swirl, sniff and taste the wine in that order. Taste wine with all your senses.
• Take notes about the wine’s color, texture, flavor and aroma. Then compare them with your peers; that’s where the fun begins!
• Learning the right words to describe wine is the ultimate goal; it will make you a proficient taster in no time.

For more information be sure to read the following:

• https://www.foodandwine.com/wine/wine-tasting-party-tips
• https://www.wikihow.com/Host-a-Wine-Tasting-Party
• https://www.wineselectors.com.au/selector-magazine/wine/how-to-host-your-own-wine-tasting-party