Wine Not?
Life is full of occasions that require official celebrations: birthdays, promotions, weddings, anniversaries, milestones, etc… (even sheer boredom). Planning and looking forward to parties can be a great way to break the monotony of our day-to-day responsibilities of work and paying bills. So if you are working to pay the bills but need a little time to let your hair down and unwind here are some ideas on how even a novice wine drinker can throw an amazing wine tasting party without breaking the bank.
Build It and They Will Come…
1. Whether you are a wine expert or a wine novice, you can make your party interactive and fun for all kinds of wine drinkers. No fancy words or wine knowledge needed — this party’s purpose is to enjoy each other’s company over a little wine and bites.
2. No party is complete without a theme or a title. If there is an occasion to be celebrated by all means title it accordingly. For those on a limited budget, we recommend titles such as: Poor and Pourin’ Party or Two-Buck Pot Luck. Whatever the case, your guests need to know what occasion or non-occasion they will be attending.
3. Send out an Evite invitation detailing the time, location and theme of the party. Ask guests to bring a choice bottle of wine (or two) that costs under any specific amount of your choice ($20 for example). To make all guests feel at ease, make sure that they understand that this is not the stereotypical wine party but rather a relaxing, casual experience that allows everyone to enjoy and possibly learn more about wine if they are not wine connoisseurs.
4. Food is a must-have at any wine tasting event. Traditionally wine tastings are paired with cheese, bread, fruits and hors d’oeuvres. Since you are not hosting a “traditional” wine tasting gathering serve what you know your guests will like. Mix it up and have fun with some different foods. If you don’t want to bare all the responsibility you can also stipulate from some guests to bring wine and some guests to bring an appetizer or food to share.
5. A great way to get people to interact is by coming up with a game. When guests arrive with their bottles of wine, cover the bottle with a paper back and put a number on the bag. Make sure to make an answer key that you will share with your guests later. The key should include the name of the wine and the number you put on the paper bag.
6. Offer wine accessories that may be of interest to your guests and are a fun way to identify your glass: charms, name plates, Diva Glass Slippers, WineStraws and Wine Wipes are all economical wine accessories. Providing your favorite accessory can be a fun way to get people talking and also to find out more about why or why not each of your guests like something—you just may learn something new or pick up a new favorite wine accessory!
7. Pass out notepads and pens and encourage guests to make notes about their impressions of the wine as they taste. At the end of the night guests can match up their notes with the numbered key to see what they like and what they didn’t like.
8. Once you have made it through your first official wine tasting event put it on your monthly calendar. Do it monthly or rotate with other hosts. After a few get-togethers you may have actually formed your very own wine club.
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