Going to a wine tasting party can be a fun and enjoyable experience for everyone. However, most people don’t attend because they have fear about not knowing how to act in such parties and afraid that they will offend someone or be embarrassed by not knowing how to taste wine.
Basically, the basics of wine tasting are actually quite simple. You don’t need to have formal training and everyone can do it. By the time you finish reading this article, you will be well on your way in becoming a wine taster and you will be ready enough to attend wine tasting parties or even go on a wine tasting vacation in some of the most prominent vineyards and wineries in the world.
As far as etiquette is concerned, the ladies are usually served before the gentlemen. In most wine tasting parties, you can expect to be served with room temperature bottled water. The water is to rinse your mouth between tastings in order for your palate to be clean for the next wine. Cold water is not served as cold water will shock your taste buds which can overall affect the taste of the wine.
Also, some wine tasting parties serve unsalted and unflavored bread or crackers. This also helps in palate cleansing, which will also get your palate ready for the next wine tasting.
When tasting wine, it is important that you should always hold the wine glass by the stem and not cup the bowl in your palm. Its purpose is that it helps you in preventing to heat the wine with your hands warmth. You have to remember that this will also affect the overall taste of the wine.
It is also very important that when you attend wine tasting parties, you shouldn’t wear strong smelling perfumes or colognes and even after shave. The scent of the perfume will overwhelm the bouquet or the smell of the wine, thus, affecting the taste of the wine. You will not be the only one affected by this, but also other tasters. Threfore, you should be polite and should not wear strong perfume or any other scents.
It is also important that you shouldn’t smoke, chew gum, and mints before and during the wine tasting event. This can have an effect on your taste buds and you will not be able to fully enjoy the real flavor of the wine.
Tasting the wine doesn’t just involve putting the wine in your mouth and roll it around your tongue a couple of times before spitting or swallowing. You have to remember that wine tasting is all about the wine. It is about the color of the wine, the smell or the bouquet, and of course, the taste.
The first step in tasting wine is by taking a look at its color. The glasses served should always be clean and clear in order for you take a good look at the wine. The tables should be covered with white linen table cloth in order for you to see the wine’s color more clearly. You have to remember that white wines aren’t always white. It may have a yellow, green and even brown color. For red wines, you will observe that it also has different shades of red. The lighter the color of the red wine is, the older it is.
The color of the wine will also indicate the age or the flavor. Try doing a rim test to look at the color of the wine. Just tilt the glass and look at the wine. If it is purplish in color, it indicates that the wine is young. If it is brownish, it means that it is an older wine.
The next step is to smell the wine. Swirl the wine around the glass to expose the wine to the air, position the glass close to your nose and inhale deeply. Swirling also releases the flavor of the wine. You have to remember that the wine may have been in the bottle for six months to many, many years. By swirling the wine, you will release the flavors. It’s like cooking at home where you stir the food in order for you to blend the flavor.
Finally, you now need to taste the wine properly. Don’t gulp the wine down. Just take small sips and roll the wine around your tongue. You should keep in mind that there are three steps in order to take the real taste of the wine, these are the first impression, the taste and the aftertaste.
These are the steps in tasting wine. So, the next time you are invited to attend a wine tasting party, you will be able to feel more confident as you will know what to do.
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If you plan on hosting a wine tasting party but you don’t have any idea on where to start, then you have to remember that there are quite a lot of ways on how you can start the party. There are 6 wine tasting party themes that you could try which is guaranteed to give success to a wine tasting party.
Wine tasting parties are a lot of fun and it is relatively easy for people to plan and host. If you are starting to plan on hosting a wine tasting party, then you need to keep in mind that you should first choose a theme for your party.
So, six theme ideas are here that you can use for your wine tasting party.
The first is called the Horizontal Wine Tasting. In this kind of theme, you will only focus on one wine variety from a single year. However, each wine tht will be served there in the wine tasting party come from different producers and multiple vineyards. For example, you can focus on a 2000 Chenin Blanc from five or seven different wine producers or wineries.
In here, you will consider whether you like to taste wines from the same region or you want to mix it up by tasting the same type of wine that comes from different wineries, such as from California, Australia or Italy.
The second is called Vertical Wine Tasting. Here, the wine tastings are conducted by tasting just one variety of wine. For example, you will only concentrate on tasting the Chenin Blanc from the same producer. However, the wines will be in different vintages or years. For example, you can taste the Chenin Blanc from one winery from years 2000, 2002, and 2004.
This will show the tasters, which are your guests, on how dramatic or subtle a wine can change from year to year.
Priceless Wine Tasting is another great theme for your wine tasting party. You have to remember that people normally assume that wines that are more expensive taste better than cheaper ones. You can go on testing their palate by withholding the price of the variety of wine that you have arranged for tasting. By just tasting, your guests should determine which wine is worth 120 dollars and which one is worth 10 dollars.
Price Point Wine Tasting is another great wine tasting party theme that you may want to try. Here, the wines featured will be in a similar price. The goal here is to keep the wines comparable in a baseline price which is quite flexible for you to organize when it comes to buying the wine.
Another theme is called the Big Eight Wine Tasting. Here, you will get your guests work their way through eight different kinds of wines and determine which one they prefer. This will also give your guests, particular the ones that are not very “in” to wines a new appreciation for the different kinds of wine.
The big eight wines are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz, and Pinot Noir for red wines, and Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay, and Pinot Grigio for white wines.
Lastly, the Blind Wine Tasting theme can also work for your party. Just take any of the themes mentioned before, remove the labels from the bottles or put the bottles in wine bags and you have a blind wine tasting party that will surely be a lot of fun for your guests. The fact that your guests will not have any ideas on what wine they taste, it will definitely be interesting to know which kind of wine they prefer without looking at the label or at the price of the wine.
These are the six wine tasting themes that will surely make your wine tasting part a success.
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Choosing the perfect wine really depends upon personal tastes. You can do research on the various vineyards, what was a good year for a particular wine, etc. but the bottom line is what do you like. We have listed a few things to look for in a really great wine below to try to make your next purchase a successful one.
1. White Wines: A white wine is a great choice to serve with hors d’oeuvres as your guests are arriving. A white wine has a light, fresh flavor that won’t interfere with the main dish. The Chardonnays, Sauvignon Blancs, and a good Chablis are all good choices. Ask your local wine merchant what he or should would suggest. They will let you sample some upon request.
A sparkling white wine such as the Rolls Royce of wines the champagne are reserved for those very special occasions such as a wedding, anniversary or engagement party. Again, you may want to ask the local wine connoiseuer what would be just perfect for the event.
2. Red Wines: A good red wine is great anytime, but when considering which wine to serve with a particular meal, a red is normal chosen for the heartier meals of beef, pork or lamb. A good Merlot, Burgundy, or Cabernet would all be perfect choices.
Oregon produces a great Pinot Noir. This wine is a combination of plum, vanilla, and blackberry. Because of its light and fruity flavor it could also be served after dinner.
The spiciness of the Shiraz would make it a great addition to a spicy Mexican dinner. It would enhance the flavors a make a simple meal of enchiladas and tacos seem elegant.
The perfect wine to complete an Italian meal would be a Chianti. With its rich flavor and deep red color it blends easily with ravioli and pizza. When you finish the wine, the beautiful raffia wrapped bottles make great candle holders and set the mood for your romantic Italian dinner.
If you are serving a tender rib roast, tenderloin steak, Chateaubriand, filet mignon, or tournedos of beef, a robust Burgundy would be just the ticket.
Your main concern when serving your friends a fine meal is that they are happy and enjoying the dinner. Everyone will have their own opinions of what is a good wine. Make sure you have a couple of different white wines and a few different reds. This way they can taste and choose for themselves. You could have an impromptu wine tasting.
You may enjoy making your own wine. You could start with one of the fruit wines. They are relatively easy to make and go great with desserts. Wouldn’t your guests be impressed. Visit a fruit wine making website for some recipes.
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