As lake weekends come to a close, it’s time to start planning events to look forward to this Fall! Want to throw a party that your friends will never forget? Look no further! Here are five different wine-themed gatherings you can host this Autumn that are sure to impress!
#1: Blind Wine Tasting Party
What you’ll need:
- 10 different wines (we suggest 5 whites and 5 reds)
- 10 large pieces of brown construction paper
- 10 tasting glasses for each guest
- A sharpie
- A scorecard and pencil for each guest
- Optional extra bottles of wine for prizes!
How it works:
Begin by carefully wrapping the construction paper around each bottle so that you can’t see any labels, and label each bottle #1-10. Serve each guest from the first bottle, give everyone time to taste and discuss the wine, and repeat for each bottle. You can choose to play several different ways:
- 1. After each taste, guests can rate the wine and end the game by rating each glass from least favorite to favorite. Reveal the labels of each bottle at the end! This version is just for fun; everyone is a winner!
- 2. After each taste, guests can take notes and try to order the glasses from least expensive to most expensive. Reveal the labels and costs of each bottle to see whose estimate was closest, with a prize for the winner!
- 3. After each taste, guests can take notes and try to guess what each wine is. To make it easier, provide a bank with all the different kinds present; to make it more challenging, make your guests guess without a bank! Reveal the labels at the end to see how many each guest guessed correctly, and who had the most to win the prize!
#2: Wine and Cheese Party
What you’ll need:
- A wine and cheese pairing wheel for each guest
- Your choice of 10-15 cheeses
- The corresponding white, red, and sparkling wines
- Tasting glasses
How it works:
Arrange and label each type of cheese and different wines with tasting glasses at each station. Allow guests to mingle as they try each cheese/wine combination at their leisure!
#3: Wine and Chocolate Party
What you’ll need:
- Your choice of 5-10 wines
- The corresponding chocolates
How it works:
Similar to a wine and cheese party, simply set out and label all the different wines and chocolates, and go crazy! Not sure how to pair? Here are some simple guidelines:
- Try milk chocolate with dessert wines (sweeter reds like Port or nutty Sherries like Moscatel)
- Try dark chocolate with juicy reds (Zinfandels and Pinot Noirs)
- Try white chocolate with sweet whites (Moscatos and Rieslings)
#4: Food and Wine Pairing Party
What you’ll need:
- Wine and food pairing wheels
- Food and wine of your choice from the wheels
- Tasting glasses
How it works:
Plain and simple: choose your main dish and some sides, look at the wines that pair well, and voila! Serve dinner with the pairing wines available and enjoy your night in!
#5: Taste and Rate Wine Party
What you’ll need:
- Wine aroma wheels for each guest
- 8-10 different wines
- Tasting glasses
- Paper and pencil for each guest to record their ratings
How it works:
Another simple party! Take time as a group to taste, talk about, and rate each individual wine! Use the wine aroma wheels to help with your descriptions, and if you aren’t sure how to do your own wine tasting, here’s a basic outline and here’s a more detailed article!
Happy partying!
Cheers,
Natalie