5 Tips for Hosting a Wine Tasting Party

Have a blast hosting a wine tasting party for family and friends. Learn how to host a wine tasting, along with the different varieties of wine and try new or unusual selections. Do a little pre-planning and gather your ideas for wine tasting parties in advance. Host a wine tasting like an expert!

Send out your wine tasting invitations in advance, to ensure your family and friends will be in attendance. Create your event on Punchbowl to access a variety of fantastic and customizable free invitations.

Incorporate these five wine tasting party ideas into your event:

• Lightest to Heaviest: When you're organizing the wine tasting at home, arrange for the guests to start with light wines first and then move on to the heavier wines later. Move from lighter to heavier wines to make it easier for guests to fully experience each wine individually.

• Use the Right Kind of Glass: Each type of alcoholic beverage has its own glass. For a sophisticated affair, make sure your use the right kind of glasses for your tasting! Here's a handy guide:

• Tasting Card: Purchase cardstock paper from your local arts and crafts store and design a tasting card for guests to use during the tasting. Include spots on the card that specify 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, and the appearance of the wine.

• Cleanse Your Palate: Set up multiple stations where guests can cleanse their palates. Provide snacks like crackers, bread, or fruit, and water between wines so that guests can fully experience the taste of each wine.

• Serve Food: Be sure to provide appetizers and finger foods at the wine tasting to complement the wine. Serve light flavored foods with light wines. Consider foods such as salads, crackers, and cheese or fruit. Plan a selection of meats, such as venison or lamb for the heavier red wines. Finish the evening off with dessert, such as fresh strawberries or shortcake, to go with dessert wines.

• Dump Buckets: One of the most important wine tasting tips is to be responsible at your home wine tasting. Provide dump buckets for guests to pour their wine into, and have the number of a local taxi company handy in case anyone is not comfortable driving home. Dump buckets also offer an “out” for those who do not like a particular wine.

Relax and enjoy hosting wine tasting parties. If a wine does not pair perfectly with a cheese, discuss your wine tasting ideas with your guests for better options. Host wine tasting parties as a learning experience for hosts and for guests and have fun with it!