How to Throw a Wine-Tasting Party
Entertaining with wine doesn’t have to be intimidating. Whether you’re searching for advice on a theme or basic how-to’s, a number of on-line resources provide the tips you need for a successful wine party.
Like the Wine Weekly blog which bills itself as “for the Non-Snob.” There, Vino Joe discusses the importance of having a theme. He suggests choosing a particular country or region to organize your event around.
When choosing your theme, consider using vertical or horizontal tasting. According to Greg Meserole of DamnGoodWine.com, vertical tasting features wines from several different vintages that were produced by one winery. “A nice example of this,” he says, “would be tasting Cabernet Sauvignon from Joseph Phelps Winery spanning the “90,” “91,” “92” and “93” vintages. This would let the tasters see how each vintage compared to the next.” Horizontal tasting, by comparison, features wines from the same vintage or year, but produced by different wineries.
Who springs for the wine? Vino Joe says “there are two ways you can do a wine tasting; either YOU can buy all the wine, or all of your guests bring a bottle or two each.” If you chose the latter, follow Meserole’s advice and “fill [guests] in on the price range you have chosen.”
With the question of wines covered, what food do you serve? Matthew Amster-Burton, writing for MSN Lifestyle, suggests avoiding foods that “require last-minute fussing … This is a good time to pull out the stereotypical matches,” he states. Pairings like “oysters and Muscadet, pinot noir and salmon, port and chocolate.” His last word? “Avoid classic wine enemies like artichokes and pickles.”