How to host your own wine tasting event

CHOOSE YOUR WINES

Select some unusual wines or an unexpected theme for the most interesting wine tasting. For example, conduct a tasting of only English white wines.

Although there are hundreds of locations producing wines in England and Wales, many wine fans have no idea that quality English wines are readily available.

Select wines from the same region (e.g. Sussex) can also prove interesting for a tasting. Regardless, a selection of five or six wines is ideal to test the palate.

DO SOME RESEARCH

Before your customers arrive, prepare and print off some tasting notes by researching the chosen wines online. Vineyard websites, wine stockists and wine review websites should provide all the information you need.

Blind tastings provide the most fun, and the most conversation. So make sure any tasting notes given to attendees don’t reveal the name or variety of the wine. It can be surprising what people prefer when they haven’t seen the label! The Stopham Estate Pinot Blanc, for instance, may pleasantly surprise even the most committed Sancerre fan.
 
SET THE SCENE

Although wine tastes delicious with the right food pairing, when conducting a tasting it’s important not to interfere with the subtle flavours and aromas of the wines. Therefore, avoid serving canapes and instead provide palate-cleansing snacks, such as breads, crackers or nuts, as well as plenty of water.

Make sure enough of the right type of glasses are available. For example, when tasting white wine a small, thin-walled glass that tapers in towards the top is best to capture the aromas. Separate glasses should be used for water to ensure the wines do not become diluted.

It will also be easier to see the true colour of the wines against a neutral background, so be sure to lay the table using a white tablecloth. Increasingly, wines are bottled with a screwcap, but make sure you have a corkscrew just in case!

CHILL TO PERFECTION

If wines are too warm or too cold the flavour profile can be affected, so it’s important for the wines to be served at the right temperature. Reasonably priced wine thermometers are readily available and can help with this. 

Alternatively, a good rule of thumb is to take white and sparkling wines out of the fridge one hour before serving so the temperature is around 8°C. Red wines should be kept in a cool place out of the fridge, aiming for an ideal temperature of 16°C. They shouldn’t be left to reach room temperature as this is too warm and will affect the flavour and aroma. 

TASTE LIKE A PRO

As the first wine is introduced, provide guests with some top tasting tips. For the most thorough tasting, consider the flavours, aromas, body and colour of the wine. There are plenty of online tutorials which teach how to taste like an expert.

Although each wine should be introduced with a few tasting pointers, don’t rush the process and ensure there is plenty of time for discussion, or to have a second taste, before moving on.

Once all wines have been tasted, invite those with a refined palate to try and guess each wine variety, country of origin or even retail price. Or simply ask guests to choose their favourite before revealing what each wine is.