Hosting the Meeting
What You Need
- an appropriate glass for each guest
- a bowl for discarded wine samples
- a wine opener and a pitcher of water for cleansing palates
- One last possible need - brown paper bags! Wine tasting resources are split on this point! Many recommend concealing wine labels so that tasters aren’t influenced by brand names or grape origins. But, others, including Food and Wine, insist that amateurs should be able to read the labels! I’ll leave it up you!
- Add elegance to your endeavor - If brown bags don’t appeal to you, consider “classing up” your club with Red Envelope’s handsome, faux suede burgundy and brown wine bags! Each bag has a number monogrammed on it in gold thread, allowing for identification and discussion while keeping the wine label under wraps! The set includes four wine bags, a wine tasting guide and score card holders on faux suede and 40 score cards. ($75)
- For a truly sophisticated presentation, Red Envelope also offers a “wine flight set,” including two dark wooden trays which each hold four Riedel stemless glasses and four ceramic plaques to be used as labels or scorecards. ($128)
- And for now, there’s a nice sale going on at redenvelope.com! If you place an order before October 29th, 15% will be deducted at checkout, using source code: FALA479724.
Schedule of Events
- If you’ve chosen six wines to taste, serve three first, take a break for snacks, and then finish with the final three.
- You can serve food as elaborate as you’d like, but a cheese course is universally recommended.
- At Swill Party, there is an extensive list of cheese and wine pairings! For example, Gruyere and Provolone are matched with Chardonnay, and Gorgonzola and Havarti are suggested for Bordeaux.
Provide Score Cards
You can create your own scores cards to record wine names and opinions or you can download an easy to use version from winecountrygetaways.com.
Wrap it Up
- Tally score cards, make notes of favorites and plan your next meeting!
- Choose a host, a wine theme and location before heading home!
- And, ABSOLUTELY make sure that every guest can drive home safely or provide a safe ride for them!
