Hosting a wine tasting, whether as a one-time event or a regular gathering, is one of the most enjoyable and effective ways to refine your palate and expand your wine knowledge. Engaging with different varietals, regions, and styles of wine allows you to experience firsthand the complexities and subtleties that each wine has to offer.

By organizing tastings, you create an opportunity to explore various flavor profiles, aromas, and textures while discussing your impressions with fellow wine enthusiasts. This interactive learning experience not only deepens your understanding of wine but also fosters a sense of community among participants.

Additionally, hosting regular tastings enables you to track your progress over time, helping you identify your preferences and discover new favorites. Whether you're a seasoned wine connoisseur or just starting your journey, wine tastings provide a delightful way to enhance your appreciation of this timeless beverage. Plus, the social aspect adds an element of fun and camaraderie that makes each gathering memorable. Click here to download my .pdf wine tasting sheet that includes single and double blind tasting sheets and label template.

Planning The Tasting

• Number of People: A group of 8 to 10 participants works best for a manageable tasting, with a maximum of 14. If you're hosting a larger group, consider providing two bottles per wine or a magnum to ensure there's enough for everyone to enjoy-and to allow for second tastings. It's helpful to establish a consistent day and time each month for your tastings. For example, we hold ours on the first Tuesday of every month.
• Set a Budget: Determine your budget based on the group size, the number of bottles, and the type of wine selected. It's important to agree in advance that no-shows will still be responsible for their share of the cost. While everyone can bring a bottle, it's recommended that one person handles the wine purchasing. This allows for flexibility in pricing across bottles while staying within budget. Having a single purchaser also ensures that all wines can be properly stored and brought to the same temperature before the event. For reference, our tastings typically range from $15 to $30 per person.
• Decide the Wine: Eight to twelve wines are plenty for a tasting. Start with a clear, focused theme (see examples below), and keep it simple for the first few events. We typically select wines from the same vintage, varietal, and region. Consider matching the wines to the season-heavier reds for winter and lighter wines for summer-to enhance the experience.
• Research the Varietal: Familiarize yourself with the varietal before the tasting and provide insights into the characteristics and history of the wine theme.
• Ringers: Adding a "ringer"-a wine that falls outside the tasting's theme-can make the event more exciting. It's interesting to see how an unexpected wine stacks up against the others. For example, slipping a Bordeaux into a Cabernet tasting can spark great conversation and surprise results.
• Blind vs non-blind tastings: Decide if the tasting should be held blind (wines covered to mask the wine type).
• Once in a Blue Moon: Including two bottles of the same wine in a tasting can be fascinating, as it reveals subtle differences and highlights how factors like bottle variation or perception can affect the experience..

Preparation

• Place Setting: Each place setting should include a glass for each wine, a score sheet, alphabet stickers to label the glasses, a spit cup, and a pen.
• Stemware: Investing in quality glassware is essential for any wine enthusiast. Each glass should hold at least 10 ounces to allow enough space for swirling. A "Bordeaux-style" glass, with a rounded bowl that tapers slightly at the top, works well for most tastings. Ensure the glasses are spotless, as soap residue, dust, or grime can affect the wine's flavor. Each participant should bring a glass for every wine being tasted, and all glasses should match-since variations in glass shape can alter the way a wine tastes.
• Blind is Best: To eliminate preconceptions, the host should conceal each bottle in lettered brown paper bags. Remove the capsule and secure the bag tightly up to the neck of the bottle to keep the labels hidden.
• White tablecloth is best: A wine's appearance reveals much about its grape composition and age. Good lighting is essential, as is some sort of white background-the tablecloth, or a sheet of white paper so the color can be judged.
• Wine friendly food: Steer clear of spicy or overpowering flavors that can interfere with the tasting experience. A small bite and sniff of bread can help refresh a tired palate. It's beneficial to taste the wines once on their own and then revisit them with food, as the differences can be remarkable. Good options for pairing include cheese, crackers, fruit, and bread..
• Water: Ensure bottled water is readily available for guests to stay hydrated.
• Dump bucket and dump cups: For a professional tasting, it's essential to provide a red solo cup for spitting and a dump bucket for disposing of the contents.

At the tasting

• Don't Over Pour: Keep in mind that this is a tasting, not a drinking session. Pour about 1.5 ounces for each wine to allow for an initial impression while leaving enough for a second taste.
• Varietal Description: Provide a brief overview of the wine being tasted, including its history, region of production, production volume, blending information, and typical flavor profiles.
• Talking: During the tasting, we avoid discussing our opinions on the wines until all have been evaluated. Comments like, "This wine is terrible," can make others hesitant to give an unbiased score. Typically, we taste the wines for about 30 to 45 minutes before collecting the score sheets.
• The Score Sheet: In the description area, jot down comments about the wine's aroma, taste, and finish. Use Wine Spectator's 100-point scale to assign a score. This scale allows you to evaluate the wines based on their expected characteristics rather than solely comparing them to the other wines in the group. This approach enables you to repeat the tasting with a different selection of wines (with similar traits) and compare them against previous evaluations.
• Tally the Scores: The host tallies the scores and prints out a summary sheet to share with the group. They announce the letter designation of the wine that placed last, along with its total and average scores, and detail each person's rating-indicating whether it was a high or low score for that individual. Typically, we begin the discussion with comments from the person who gave the wine the lowest score, followed by the one who rated it the highest, and then invite everyone else to share their thoughts. Regardless of a taster's experience level, each person brings a unique perspective to the wine. I've learned the most about wine by listening to others' opinions, as it helps identify flavors that you may recognize but can't quite place. Pay attention, and you'll discover new dimensions of the wines.
• Go Back to the Score Sheet: Add the wine information to the score sheet corresponding to each letter and print a copy for each participant..
• Easy Does It: Take your time and remember that it's perfectly acceptable to spit out good wine. Always drink responsibly.

Sample Tastings

• Northern Rhone vs Southern Rhone
• White Rhone varietals
• Right vs Left Bank Bordeaux
• Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Mountain vs Valley Floor
• Varietals under $25
• California vs French Pinot Noir (Red Burgundy)
• Grand Cru vs Premier Cru Champagne
• Sauvignon Blanc from around the world
• NV Champagne vs Vintage Champagne
• Different wine brands from the same winemaker
• Wine and a complimentary food. I've paired White Burgundy with Popeye's fried chicken twice, and it matched wonderfully each time. Champagne and fried chicken also pair well.

• Guess the vintage/varietal/vineyard location for x wine (Each taster brings a bottle wine)
• Older vs younger wine
• Wines from a particular vintage range.
• US Syrah vs Australian Shiraz