5 Tips for Hosting a Wine Tasting Party
A wine tasting party is a fantastic way to bring together friends to learn about different varieties of wine and to try new or unusual types that you may not have had before. With a little pre-planning, you can host a wine tasting like an expert!
> Design a tasting card for guests to use during the tasting that specifies the type of wine, the year, and a brief description of the wine. Leave space on the card for the guests to fill in their own notes about aroma, flavor, the wine’s appearance, etc.
> Provide snacks like crackers, bread, and water between wines so that your guests can cleanse their palates to fully experience the taste of the next wine.
> Pair each wine with a cheese that will help it to stand out. For example, a “lower end” Cabernet wine can appear more sophisticated if it is paired with crumbled blue cheese. Blue cheese coats your mouth with a foundation that softens an astringent Cabernet and offers a subtle flavor change in the young wine.
> Provide dump buckets for guests to pour their wine into if they don’t like it or if they want to reduce their chances of becoming intoxicated.
Remember to relax and enjoy the evening. If a wine does not pair perfectly with a cheese, discuss with your guests why you picked the flavors you did and figure out what may have worked better. Wine tasting parties are a learning experience for hosts and for guests, so have fun with it!
Enjoy Planning.Penelope