Do you love wine and feel like throwing a party that brings other wine lovers together? Read this article to know how to throw the ultimate wine tasting party.

Are you tired of all the keg parties and the crude cocktails you have to attend to socialize? Do you love wine and need an excuse to spend a few hours drinking a variety of vino? Consider throwing a wine tasting party.

Throwing a wine tasting means you can feel fancy and drink plenty of wine, all the while hanging out with your wine-loving friends.

Wine tasting is a great choice for intimate parties, where you can enjoy quality wine and have deep conversations. But, throwing one can be tricky, especially if this is your first time.

Make Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, proud of your wine tasting hosting skills with the following guideline.

Preparing the Wine

Choosing the Wine

Every wine party should have a wine theme, which will determine what wine to choose. This keeps your party organized and makes it a central point.

You try selecting a particular type of grape, wine((reds, whites, rosé, etc.) or you can go for something general like famous red wines of France or something focused on a specific region like Bordeaux, Asti, etc.

You can also select wine based on their production years or something easier, like various wines of one brand or AOC. Having a theme for your wine selection will give your gathering a purpose and keep things in order.

Quantity of Wine

The center point of every wine tasting is the wine, so make sure you get quality wine. The quantity of wine will depend on the number of people you invite. For an intimate party of 10 to 12 people, you need at least two bottles of each wine to serve everyone.

The usual tasting quantity per person is around 75ml to 80ml(2 to 3 oz). An average bottle of wine is 750ml, which can serve around 10 people per serving. The crucial part of tasting wine is to get the flavor in small sips so that one does not get drunk before trying out every type.

List Of Utensils & Tools

Wine Glasses.
Wine Decanters.
Wine Bottle Coverings.
Corkscrews.

Selecting a Venue

Wine tasting parties are meant to be small, intimate gatherings, hence the best place to host a wine tasting is at home. However, if your guest list is over 40 people, you can try renting private venues like party centers, formal restaurants, art galleries, etc.

If you are looking for an outdoor place, you can go to gardens, parks, vineyards properties, etc. Make sure you have a portable wine cooler for your outdoor wine tasting to ensure that the wine quality remains well.

Wine Party Games

People love party games, so having some for your tasting party should work out well. Having interactive wine tasting games will keep your guests involved and entertained.

Your party game can be joined with your theme, for example, hosting a blind wine tasting, where the guests have to wear eye masks or the wine bottle will be hidden under a covering.

The guests have to taste the wine without knowing what they are drinking, and true connoisseurs can try blind taste tests by guessing the type, region, year, etc.

Other party games include card games, wine 101 quizzes, etc. You can also add extra incentives like game prizes like a bottle of wine, wine-scented candles(also make great party favors!), etc.

Arranging the Food

Every party needs at least some food, be it finger food or a full-course meal, but you do not need to go to extremes. Finger food or items that go well with wine will be enough to serve your purpose.

Try keeping small, fresh-tasting finger food. Breadsticks, bread rolls, etc. are excellent choices as they don’t fill you up much, but help to soak up the alcohol.

You must include a cheese charcuterie board in your party. Arranging one is simple enough, you will need the following:

A few types of cheeses include both soft and hard cheese.
Crackers.
Cold cut meat.
Chocolate, aim for dark variety.
Fruits, particularly berries & grapes. You can also try chocolate-covered fruits.
A variety of nuts.

If you choose to serve a full-course meal, keep in mind these food and wine pairings. Remember that the more your guests eat, the less likely they are to enjoy and appreciate the wines.

Party Decorations

You must keep the party decorations for a wine tasting simple. Wine screams luxury, so your venue should look sophisticated. Therefore, no tacky decorations should be chosen. If you wish to decorate with balloons, choose sophisticated shades and textures.

Flowers go well with wine tasting, so consider using vases of flowers. If you are choosing dark shades like burgundy or marsala go for flowers like rose, peony, carnations, etc. These go well for wine tasting focusing on red wines.

For white or lighter wines, look for flowers of lighter shades, to match with the mood and flavor. You can also use candles to decorate, but try not to use deeply scented candles as these can become a sensory overload.

Keep It Fancy

Your wine tasting party is not a barn dance, so make sure everything has a touch of sophistication. Send out handmade or printed invites, and remind your guest of the dress etiquette for the occasion.

Keep a color theme and make sure everything matches harmoniously. Buy party favors and bags to give presents. Keep everything upscale and fancy.

Final Thoughts

Plan out your wine tasting party and stick to a theme. You can’t go wrong with your planning if you organize the wine, food, decorations according to your theme. Follow this guideline and your party is bound to be a hit.

Featured