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If you’ve been dabbling in how to collect wine, learning wine names, and studying wine lists, it’s time to enhance your wine appreciation. Learning how to host a wine tasting party is a great way to expand your wine knowledge and love. It's also an opportunity to share it with friends and loved ones with a few cases of wine.
In this BinWise blog post, we’ll walk you through the different aspects of how to host a wine tasting party. It’s a unique and versatile event. There’s an option in this post for every type of wine tasting party host.
Wine Tasting Parties
Wine tasting parties are a staple of the wine industry. From working at a winery where they host tastings to having an at-home tasting, there are many ways you can host a wine tasting party. The main function of a wine tasting party–enjoying wines–is punctuated with good food, wine information, and great company.
Ideas for a Wine Tasting Party
A wine tasting party can be experienced in any setting. If you’re looking for inspiration for your wine tasting party, these three ideas for a wine tasting party are the place to start. Whether you’re a restaurant, café, or bar business owner, or someone looking to invite friends over on the weekend, these ideas are applicable.
3. Brunch Themes
Nothing goes better together than a good brunch menu and a wine tasting party. The two are a match made in wine and food heaven. You can host a wine tasting party at a brunch café or embrace a brunch theme at home. Whatever you do, mixing in mimosas with your wine tasting is a must.
2. Classic Wine Tasting
You can’t go wrong with a classic wine tasting. A classic wine tasting is something you can expect from a wine tasting room at a winery. It’s an event, with information about each type of wine. There's even a wine tasting sheet for tasters to write down their favorite wines and notes. A classic wine tasting can work for any group, and any wine, no matter the time.
1. Mystery Wine Tasting
A mystery wine tasting is a unique option that will draw in your guests and keep the event lively. The mystery of this type of wine tasting party comes in the presentation of and information shared about the wine. Keeping the wines a mystery until everyone has tasted them gives people room to taste and experience wine without expectations.
How to Have a Wine Tasting Party
There are a few options for how to have a wine tasting party. You can invite friends over to your home and create a space there. You can also rent space at a location that offers wine tasting services. This could even be a space that uses banquet table setup ideas. Another option is to have a picnic at a winery. Ultimately, the options are endless, it all depends on the type of wine tasting party you want.
Best Wines for a Wine Tasting Party
When people ask about the best wines, for any setting, there isn’t one good answer. The best wines for a wine tasting party could be a few of so many options. With the amount of wine out there, there isn’t a bad choice. For these four options, we’re keeping it open-ended, so you can find the best wine for you.
4. Rosé
Rosé is one of many options you should have a few varieties of at your wine tasting party. There’s never a bad time for rosé. Of all the different varieties of wine, rosé has so many unique flavor profiles across the range of bottles you can choose.
3. White
White wine is a classic for a reason. From Chardonnay to Pinot Gris to Sauvignon Blanc, a mix of white wine at your wine tasting party will please people across the board. The best type of white wine is up for debate, but with several different options, you can please everyone.
2. Red
Oh, red, red wine, how we love you. At least two of the wines you feature on your wine tasting party menu should be a red variety. Pinot Noir is always a good choice. Something unique, like a Malbec, would make for a great second option.
1. Sparkling
A wine tasting party is always improved by a little sparkle–sparkling wine that is! Sparkling wine is a must, with Prosecco always being a good choice. Sparkling wine is often good for one of the options on your wine tasting party menu.
"Key Takeaway: The main function of a wine tasting party–enjoying wines–is punctuated with good food, wine information, and great company."
Frequently Asked Questions About Wine Tasting Parties
Wine tasting parties tend to inspire a mix of fun and educational questions. Our answers to these frequently asked questions cover that range of fun and educational. They'll give you a mix of information for your next wine tasting party.
Of course, these are just the beginning. Once you learn how to host a wine tasting party with hands-on experience, you’ll find so much more to learn about.
How Do You Make a Wine Tasting Party Fun?
To make a wine tasting party fun, all you need is good wine and good company. Everything else is secondary to those factors. Having a wine tasting party in a fun environment, with decorations or a theme, does make it a fun time. Starting with wine and company, however, will get you there, no matter what the other factors are.
How Do You Present Wine at a Tasting Party?
One of the best ways to present wine at a tasting party is to serve the wines from containers without the wine names on them. You can put the wine in bags, or even put each type in a decanter–and keep track of which is which. This adds an element of surprise and delight to the tasting.
How Many Wines Do You Need for a Wine Tasting Party?
Five to seven wine options is usually a good range for a wine tasting party. The conversation about the wine, and conversation in general, will stretch out the tasting of each wine. Anything more than seven can turn the event into a full day, which is usually too much for a wine tasting party.
What Food Goes With Wine Tasting?
A range of foods go with wine tasting, with a wine pairing guide showcasing the variety of wine pairings you can put together. You could do a wine pairing with chicken, a steak wine pairing, lamb wine pairing, or some classic wine cheese pairings. Once you’ve picked the wines you want for your tasting party, a wine pairing guide can help you find the right food options.
Hosting a Wine Tasting Party: The Host with the Most Wine
Hosting a wine tasting party is a delightful experience for the host and the guests. We’d like to think the wine is happy to be there too! If you’re hosting wine tasting parties as part of your business, reach out to BinWise and BlueCart.
A wine tasting party has a lot of inventory involved. The BinWise Pro inventory program, paired with the BinScan mobile app, can give you inventory support to help your party run smoothly. BlueCart’s order management system comes in to cover your order management needs for all your wine and wine pairings.