Hosting a wine tasting party

One of the most popular social hosting events, make yours a complete success with these tips

Wine tasting parties have long been a popular way to entertain friends while sharing mutual interests in wines and its complementing foods. The social benefits when sharing and enjoying wine are what makes a wine tasting party now one of the most popular dinner hosting occasions for many people, with the hosting options and choices apparently endless from the entertainment, accompanying foods and the decor.

Of course like any hosting event there are a number of considerations that need to be decided to ensure the part is an all-round success. Perhaps the most important aspect to initially consider will be the guest list and their interest/knowledge of the wine industry. If you consider yourself well versed in the wine industry or have guests that work within or are knowledgeable about wine, then let this help you when deciding which wines to have at the event along with the remainder of the guest list. It may be somewhat uncomfortable if you have half the party considering the event as a serious appreciation of wines while others are more focus on enjoying the social side of the occasion.

When it comes to the type of wine tasting that you want to have, it is slightly more complicated than simply grabbing a selection of your favourite producers with there actually being eight different categories of tasting. These include:

• Vertical Wine Tasting
• Horizontal Wine Tasting
• World vs. New World Wine Tasting
• Wine and Cheese Tasting
• Wine and Chocolate Tasting
• "Priceless" Wine Tasting
• Price Point Wine Tasting
• "Big Eight" Wine Tasting

So it is recommended that you research the different styles and decide which would be most appropriate for your party and limit the number of bottles to around six or so depending on the number of guests.

Now that you have your guest list and choice of which wines to serve, you will want to consider the décor. Now of course if it is just a relaxed and casual affair there may be no need for any major preparation, but what is always a nice touch when it comes to wine tasting parties is the inclusion of tasting cards. Tasting cards are easy to design yourself and allow the guests to take note of the wine’s details and rate them, with it being important that every guest has their own card.

Additionally you can use these cards any information you may have said about the wines as part of a quiz or trivia game if you feel that festivities need to be livened up.

Other popular wine tasting party games include blind Tasting where the host will hide the labels of wines by placing them in a paper bag and pour glasses for your guests with points for those who can guess the producer, year and any additional information. Normally a prize of a bottle of wine or similar is a good option.

When it comes to the actual serving process there are some key things to remember in order for your guests to experience the most from the wine and food provided.

When serving your wine, make certain that you serve in order of dry to sweet with white wines and progress from light to full-bodied with red wines. A good rule of thumb is also to progress from the youngest wines to the oldest. Make sure that the amount you pour for your guests is no more than approximately two ounces in each glass; this ensures they get to enjoy the whole party.

Since this is a wine party you want your guest to experience the maximum taste of every drop so you will need to provide ways for them to clear their palette between different wines, so be sure to provide the both plain bread and water for your guests.

If you are still a bit unsure when to hosting a wine tasting party there are many wine tasting courses available that will show you a new appreciation for the delicate taste of wine and make your party a huge success.