Hosting a Wine Tasting Party

During the winter months, wine tasting parties can be a fun way to gather with friends. With the big holidays over and the dreary days of winter upon us, a nice theme for a get-together is wine tasting.

You'll want to think about the type of party to have. It can be a specific variety of wines, like only reds, or only whites, or maybe a dessert party for sweeter wines. Will you include a dinner with the wine tasting or just serve appetizers?

If you want to focus on just certain types of wines, you'll want to match your menu to those wines. Wine enhances the flavor of food and vice versa. Typically, white wines work best with lighter fare, such as fish or chicken dishes and salads. Red wines are stronger in flavor so they go better with red meats and heartier foods. Pairing wine and food is simple when you follow some basics.

Then you'll want to brush up on your wine tasting terms. Learning the right terms for what you will be doing with wine tasting will also help you and your guests enjoy the party more.

If you know someone who is especially good at wine tasting, ask them to be the group leader and help teach all the guests how to properly taste wine. If not, learn how wine tasting functions yourself so you can be the group leader.

More than anything, enjoy yourself. The whole idea behind wine is enjoyment, so go ahead and plan a wine tasting party for the shear enjoyment.