Hosting a Wine Tasting Party? 7 Tips to Make It Unforgettable

Planning a party is quite a daunting task. You have to think about the food, the occasion, the theme, the music, the décor, the entertainment, the guest list... and you want everything to be perfect.

Wine tasting is a great theme for any party. It is an effortless way to keep your guests entertained and gives them something to talk about throughout the evening. However, there are some things you can do to ensure that your wine tasting party is fun and exciting for your guests. Here are some tips to make your wine tasting party unforgettable.

1. The Guest List

The purpose of a wine tasting party is to get the conversation going. If you worry too much about inviting people of the same wine caliber, the conversation may not be as thrilling as you expect it to be. Instead, don’t shy away from inviting a few guests who are experts on the subject of wine while others who are more on the novice level.

The different levels of knowledge will make for more interesting conversations as some people would share their knowledge excitedly while others would be keen on expanding their knowledge. The important thing is that all of your guests should have an interest in wine, or else they might end up getting bored.

2. Keep The Menu Simple

The star of your party needs to be the wine. If you end up spending too much time on creating fancy and elaborate meals, you may risk overshadowing the variety of wine being served at the party. Instead, stick with finger foods that are easy to munch on and don’t require much effort to eat.

Also, keep small plates. This way, your guests will spend more time mingling and trying different flavors of wines with different people. Better yet, time your party at an unusual time, such as after dinner, so that your guests won’t come with the expectation of being served a proper meal.

3. Serve A Variety of Wine

Since it is a wine tasting party, it goes without saying that you need to serve a variety of wines. When serving wines, the general rule of thumb to follow is to go from white to red, light to heavy, dry to sweet, and young to old. If you’re pouring something sparkling, save it for the end or finale. Here is a general guideline that you can follow.

• Pinot Grigio
• Sauvignon Blanc
• Chardonnay
• Pinot Noir
• Merlot
• Shiraz
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Champagne (or any sparkling wine you’re serving)

Make sure that you’re serving small drinks so that your guests are able to fully appreciate and enjoy each wine. It is also important to keep some non-alcoholic beverages such as fruit-infused water. These can be used as palate cleansers that help keep everyone hydrated.

4. Write Things Down

Yes, you’re the host of a wine tasting party. But do you really want to play the educator throughout the night? While it would be fun to impart your knowledge about wine to your guests, it wouldn’t be worth it to obsessively learn fun facts about wine 2 hours before the party just to impress your guests.

After all, it’s a party, not an exam. So take the pressure off yourself and complete your tabletop look with labels for each snack, cheese, and wine varietal that is being served. Make sure to note the name of the vineyard, year, flavor profile, and maybe even food pairing suggestions while labeling the wines.

5. Pick A Theme

This may not be essential, but it can help your wine tasting party be truly unforgettable. In addition to that, having a theme in mind will make the preparations much easier. It will help you decide what types of wine you need to purchase. Plus, you can get creative and imaginative with your décor and decide on a menu more easily.

For an idea, you can opt for a wine tasting party that focuses on a specific geographic location. You may be surprised to learn how the region the wine is produced in plays an integral role in the taste of the wine. By only drinking wine from one region, you’ll be able to appreciate it more. You can also serve foods and snacks that are specific to that area to get an even more authentic feel. Of course, that’s just one idea, and you can go with any theme that interests you.

6. Pick The Right Music

Any party would feel incomplete without music. When hosting a wine tasting party, you certainly want to pick music that fits the theme and mood. If you’ve picked a theme for your party, picking the music may be easier, as you just have to find something that matches the theme.

If you don’t have a theme, try to match the music with the type of wine you’re serving. Drinking Italian wine? Accompany that with Italian music. Trying some New World wine? Some upbeat and summery jams from South Africa may work with that. Remember to keep the volume low – you don’t want your guests to have to shout to communicate with one another, do you? 

7. Swap The Wine-Game

To make things more interesting, you can ask your guests to bring their favorite bottle of wine, preferably under a budget of say $20 to $25. After the wine tasting is over and your guests are starting to leave, announce a bottle swap.

This way, each person goes home with a new bottle of wine to try. You can also wrap the bottles in some fun tea towels as your guests arrive, so the swapping can be completely random.

These simple tips can make any wine tasting party unforgettable. So what are you waiting for? Go and start planning your next wine tasting party now.