| No beverage can stir up the senses, curiosity and | | | | have a wine tasting but have too many guests to |
| imagination as wine. Unlike beer or many distilled | | | | make it work? Simple: Have a "wine party." |
| spirits, a particular wine will smell and taste | | | | The best wine parties are the kind where you |
| different every year it's released. That's because | | | | keep things casual and laid back, yet still ask your |
| wine is mostly an expression of soil, weather, | | | | guests to follow certain rules. For example, you |
| place -- what the French refer to as terroir. It's a | | | | could set a theme such as "wines from Spain," |
| reflection of what happened during a particular | | | | and have every individual bring a wine from that |
| growing season, as well as the decisions the | | | | country (each couple should bring 2 wines; better |
| vineyard manager and winemaker made that | | | | to have too much than not enough!). As with the |
| year. | | | | other tastings, set a floor and a ceiling: $15 to |
| All these factors can make tasting wine a very | | | | $30, for example. |
| exciting and rewarding experience, especially in a | | | | For those that won't know how to pick a good |
| group setting. It's always interesting to hear | | | | selection in this price range, suggest they go to a |
| others' opinions on a wine: what they smelled, | | | | merchant and let an experienced sales clerk know |
| what they tasted, what they felt. | | | | what the wine is for. With this kind of guidance |
| If you've always wanted to host a wine tasting in | | | | (country or varietal, as well as a specific price |
| your home -- or maybe are just interested in | | | | range), most merchants will do a good job |
| finding ways to learn more about wine -- then | | | | recommending a wine for the occasion. |
| read on. Below are six creative ways to learn | | | | As the guests arrive, line up the bottles so that |
| more about (and enjoy!) this magical beverage | | | | duplicate wines are together (invariably, there will |
| with friends and loved ones. | | | | be some duplicates. But that's OK; more wine for |
| Basic Wine Tasting | | | | everyone!). You can provide your guest with a |
| A basic wine tasting can be a unique and fun way | | | | tasting sheet if you'd like and use the scoring |
| to entertain guests. However, they are more | | | | suggestions outlined earlier. If you'd like to keep it |
| enjoyable and rewarding when you limit the size | | | | even more informal, skip the score sheet. |
| of the group to no more than about 12 guests. | | | | "Around the World" Wine Party |
| Once you get much bigger than this it's difficult to | | | | Another variation on this theme is to host an |
| manage this format. | | | | "Around the World" wine party. This is typically |
| Keep it simple by deciding on a theme (say, | | | | the way to go if you're looking to host a party |
| Australian Shiraz, Red wines from the Rhone | | | | with 30 or more guests -- and a terrific idea if |
| region of France, or whatever suits you). Set a | | | | you're having a "house warming" party with a lot |
| price floor and a ceiling and have each guest bring | | | | of guests (you'll see why in a moment). Follow the |
| one or two bottles that fit the theme. | | | | same guidelines recommended here, but have |
| Make sure to first number each bottle. That will | | | | your guests bring a wine from any country |
| help those taking notes keep track of what | | | | outside of the U.S. |
| they're tasting. Pour only one wine at a time and | | | | Then, set up different tables around your living |
| give your guests a chance to fully appreciate | | | | area, each of them "hosting" a different country |
| each one. Before moving on to the next one, try | | | | and its wines. Have a stack of wine scoring |
| to create some discussion about the wine and | | | | sheets and pens available on each table, and as an |
| even consider handing out scoring sheets (or at | | | | option, number the wines with Post-it-Notes for |
| least pen and paper). This will allow everyone to | | | | better tracking on the scoring sheets. |
| record their impressions, along with each wine's | | | | If it's a house warming party, set up a tasting |
| region, grape varietals, price and so on. Move to | | | | area in each room. That way, your guests can |
| the next bottle only when everyone has had a | | | | check out every room in your new home. |
| chance to appreciate and discuss the previous | | | | By opening up the theme to ANY wine from ANY |
| one. | | | | country outside of the U.S., you lower your |
| Blind Wine Tasting | | | | chances of having duplicate wines, which is the |
| This type of tasting follows the same steps as | | | | main reason I like to suggest this format when |
| the basic tasting described above, except that the | | | | the guest list is large. |
| identity of each wine is not revealed until after | | | | Wine Tasting Dinner |
| everyone has tasted and evaluated all the wines. | | | | Another variation of the traditional wine tasting |
| To do this right, you'll have to open each bottle | | | | discussed earlier is to have a 3-course (or 4- or |
| first and also fully remove the foil cap (to prevent | | | | 5-course) dinner and serve a different wine with |
| it from revealing its identity). Then, put each | | | | each course. |
| bottle inside a brown paper bag and tie it at the | | | | You can ask each guest to bring a specific type |
| end with a heavy-duty rubber band. | | | | of wine to match each of your courses. For |
| When you're ready to start tasting, take the | | | | example, you can ask one couple to bring a Pinot |
| wines to the dinner table and number each bag | | | | Grigio to have as an aperitif, another couple to |
| clearly with a marker. Follow each step in the | | | | bring a Sauvignon Blanc to pair with the first |
| basic wine tasting description above -- but again, | | | | course, another to bring a wine from Rioja to |
| don't reveal the identity of any wine until ALL | | | | have with the main course, and lastly someone to |
| wines have been evaluated. | | | | bring a dessert wine to have with, of course, |
| I find this to be the most intriguing and most | | | | dessert. |
| challenging format -- but also the most fun! It's | | | | A nice touch would be to have a final cheese |
| amazing how much our prejudices and | | | | course (after dessert) and provide the cheeses |
| preconceptions (including the look of a bottle's label | | | | and wine(s) yourself. |
| bottle or the price paid) have on our evaluation | | | | Tasting wine with friends and family can be fun |
| and perception of a wine. Blind tasting is the only | | | | and educational. Fortunately, there's really no right |
| truly objective way to judge. | | | | or wrong way to conduct one. So whatever you |
| Wine Party | | | | do, keep things lively and relaxed. Keep some |
| Again, the formats above work very well with | | | | structure to the event without getting too serious |
| groups of 4 - 12 people. Once your group gets | | | | and you'll be sure to create a memorable event |
| much larger, a basic tasting becomes too difficult | | | | for all your guests. |
| to manage. So what can you do if you'd like to | | | | |