Drink Wine and Unwind: An Easy Guide to Planning An Unforgettable Wine Tasting Event for After Social Distancing

An Easy Guide to Planning An Unforgettable Wine Tasting Event After Social Distancing

Eager to spend time with friends again? Now\’s the perfect time to start planning your first social gathering after all this social distancing! Read on for help planning your best wine tasting event!

Wine tasting event are some of the most entertaining parties to host and attend. This is because of the popularity of wine and its perceived sophistication. But they are not as easy to organize as other parties. 

A well-planned event can go down in your friends’ record books as the best event they have ever attended. But, a poorly planned wine tasting event can be a great disappointment for wine connoisseurs. To ensure you succeed, keep reading for our best tips on how to plan an unforgettable wine tasting event.

Invite Guests With a Diverse Range of Wine Knowledge

Invite guests with a great knowledge of wine as well as wine beginners to your party. This way, both groups will enjoy interesting conversations. The experts will be eager to share wine tips and instruct novices on how to taste wine.

You should also observe other guest list tips including inviting your charming friend that can get anyone to open up. Also, avoid inviting people that don\’t get along well. Try to keep the vibes as relaxing and positive as possible.

Offer a Unique Selection

One of the main purposes of a wine tasting event is to try something new. Some wine drinkers like sticking to their tried and true brands. Your event should be an opportunity for them to try something new. 

You can get expert recommendations online for wines that will match your theme and menu. Speaking of which, pick a theme for your wine night so that it can tie all the event elements together. 

For example, you can go with a wine region such as Italian wines, a particular year or even food (for wine pairing). With a theme, you can decorate your venue appropriately. You can also mentally prepare your guests for what to expect.

Buy Enough Wine

Make sure to buy enough wine for your guests. Conventional wine tasting events serve five to ten different types of wines. Red wine is always more popular than white wine so prepare a bigger selection of reds than whites.

For wine-tasting parties, you can serve half a glass of wine for each guest. So each bottle should serve at most 10 people. 

Serve the wines in this order:

  • White wine to red
  • Dry wines to sweet
  • Light to heavy
  • Young to old

Serve sparkling wines last. 

Remember to serve lots of water in case your guests get thirsty. Also, serve palate-cleansing soft drinks such as fruit-infused waters to keep your guests hydrated. 

Plan Your Menu Pairings

You\’ll definitely want to think about the food that you will serve. This is to make sure that the menu selection and wine selection complement each other. For a five-course dinner party, it would be simple to match each course to a wine varietal. 

For example, white meat and salads with white wine, red wine for red meat and a bottle of sweet wine for dessert. For events where you will be serving finger foods, you can still match wine to the food on offer.

Have both sweet and savory items such as cheese, charcuterie, and pastries. Display the food in several places around the table and encourage guests to try the wine with different foods. This will enable them to experience the wine flavors. 

Organize Your Equipment

To ensure that your guests enjoy the wine and food on offer you will need adequate equipment. Equip yourself with the proper wine glasses for each type of wine service. At the least, make sure you have 2 sets of glasses per person for both red and white wine.

You may need to wash them between tastings, which is why the more glasses you have the better. Have a couple of spare glasses of each type in case of breakages. Get some trays where you can place the wine glasses for the different courses.

You will also need plates or side plates for each course and utensils for eating with. Finish the effect with elegant decorations such as table settings, flowers, napkins, etc. Play some light classical music or jazz and dim the lights so that the setting is calm and soothing. 

Leading up to the event, make sure that you follow proper wine storage etiquette. Red wine storage temperature is room temperature or lower (about 65 degrees Fahrenheit). White wine should be stored between 48 to 52 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you have stored your white wine in the fridge for a long time, take it out some minutes before serving so it isn\’t served too cold. You will need some ice buckets or adequate fridge space for your white wines as these need to be served chilled. Prepare pouring buckets for guests to pour out any excess wine between tastings. 

Allow Some Time for Discussion

During the event, allow a few minutes between each tasting for guests to give their opinions and knowledge. There could also be a Q&A session at the end whereby people can ask the host about their wine selection. 

Let the guests enjoy their time by leisurely chatting. You can also add in some guided on-topic conversations, such as movies about wine.

Give Out Party Favors At Wine Tasting Events!

No party is complete without party favors handed out at the end. A great gift could be novelty snacks such as rare crackers that the guests can eat with their next glass of wine.

A popular idea is to ask every guest to bring a bottle of their favorite wine. At the end of the event, the guests can each receive a different bottle of wine to add to the one they brought. Consider other affordable gifts that you can buy in bulk like wine glasses, t-shirts or phone accessories.

Planning a Wine Tasting Event Doesn’t Have To Be Stressful

With proper preparation planning, a wine tasting event can be a fun and educational experience. Use our tips to host a memorable event for your friends.

If you\’re currently planning a party, check out our amazing winery selection to impress your guests!

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