It’s National Drink Wine Day! Here’s How to Host a Wine Tasting Party

Happy National Drink Wine Day! Below, Brita Voris of wine.com gives tips on how to host a wine tasting party.

Whether you like an occasional glass at girls’ night or you’re sipping with dinner a few times a week, anyone who enjoys wine knows there’s always something to discover whenever you open a new bottle. National Drink Wine Day is February 18 and, in my opinion, there’s no better way to celebrate than by hosting a wine tasting party!

Wine has a reputation for being difficult to learn about, but an at-home tasting is the perfect, low-pressure way to discover something new, gab with your girls, and enjoy delicious wines. Ready to be the wine hostess with the mostest? Check out these tips on how to host a wine tasting party, successfully.

Make a Game Plan

First things first, determine your guest list. Wine tastings at home are best with fewer than 10 people so you have plenty of wine to serve each person without having to purchase duplicate bottles (tasting pours are 2-3 ounces and a bottle holds about 24 ounces). You’ll also need to have enough glasses, snacks, and room for your guests to sit comfortably with some space for multiple glasses and taking notes. Decide if you want your guests to contribute a bottle (potluck!) or if you’ll be providing the wine yourself, and let everyone know well in advance if they’ll need to bring anything. 

Pick a Theme

The best parties are theme parties (fact), and a wine tasting party is no exception. Having a theme helps you narrow down your options from a huge selection, allows you to learn a lot about something specific, and is just plain fun! With a theme, you’ll be able to really pick up on what you like about a certain style. A few theme ideas to get you started:

• Take a wine tour of a specific region and its most famous wines (you’ll need a list of the most popular wine regions of the world and the grapes they produce). France, Italy, and California are good places to start, but you can also explore smaller regions like South Africa, Uruguay, or Germany for something new.
• Choose a variety (wine type) you want to learn about and taste different versions from different regions. A Pinot Noir from Oregon will taste different from one from Burgundy, France and one from New Zealand.
• Go for the girl power and select wines made only by women winemakers. Winemaking has often been considered a male-dominated field, so spread the love to the ladies and make a conscious effort to learn about the person behind the bottle—each one has a story!
• Sample celebrity wines and see which Real Housewife, Bachelor alum, A-lister or pop star makes your fave rosé, bubbly, or Cabernet.  
• Say hello to natural wine to learn a lot about an emerging trend and a truly unique wine-drinking experience. There is some debate on what the term “natural” really means in the wine industry, so there’s plenty to research and discover.

Outsource When You Can

Wine tastings require a lot of glassware and supplies, not to mention a lot of wine, which can add up quickly. Rental companies offer affordable options for having plenty of the same glasses for each person to have more than one taste at a time (it’s easier to compare this way). You can also ask your guests to pitch in to cover the cost of wine if you aren’t having everyone bring their own bottle or have them supply the snacks. Check out wine books from the library instead of buying, and try to source things like corkscrews, tablecloths, and spit buckets from friends and family if you don’t have them. Sticking to a budget is smart–and shouldn’t stop you from having a fabulous party!

Take Your Time (and Notes)

Aim to pour a new wine every 15-20 minutes so your guests have enough time to swirl, sniff, sip, and discuss at their leisure, as well as make notes about what they like and don’t like. These notes will be especially helpful later when you’re trying to remember a bottle or style you liked and want to try it again. Provide cute notepads and pens or print out an adorable tasting mat as a fun and functional party favor. 

Snack Smart

If you aren’t providing a full meal prior to tasting, encourage everyone to have something to eat beforehand so they aren’t drinking on an empty stomach. During the tasting, something simple like crackers or a baguette will help cleanse the palate, but it’s also fun to have small bites of chocolate, cheese, fruit, and nuts with each taste to see how the flavors interact and bring out different characteristics in the wine (as if you need an excuse).

Play It Safe

When you’re drinking and having a great time, it’s easy to forget how one-too-many can turn into a meltdown if you aren’t paying attention. How to host a wine tasting party that doesn’t devolve? Make sure everyone has a safe ride home, keep plenty of water available and take designated water breaks, and set some ground rules for behavior and conversation topics if you must (especially helpful if your guests aren’t all super close). It sounds like common sense, but you’ll be thankful you thought about it beforehand.

Quick Tips:

• Do taste over a white tablecloth or piece of paper so you can see the true color of the wine.
• Do taste from lightest to darkest wine, if you’re drinking both whites and reds, or lowest to highest alcohol content, if you’re drinking all the same wine type. 
• Don’t light any scented candles and discourage your guests from wearing perfume–the aroma is a huge part of fully tasting the wine!
• Do use the spit bucket. There’s no shame spitting out something you don’t like and moving on to something you do.
• Do some research ahead of time so you can inform your guests about the theme and some of the bottles you’ll be tasting–the best way to learn is to teach someone else!

Are you hosting a wine tasting party? Show us how you’re celebrating National Drink Wine Day on Instagram @Lulus using #lovelulus!