How to Throw a Wine-Tasting Party

This particular party is helpful for practicing the art of pairing wines with food. It is fun and appropriate for beginners and experts.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Antipasto
• Caviar
• Cheeses
• Crackers
• Red Wines
• White Wines
• Caviar Spoons
• Corkscrews
• Wine Glasses

1. Choose two to five simple foods. Suggestions are different types of cheese, cold shrimp, chicken skewers, pate and olives. Try to have a balance between salty foods, rich foods, delicate foods and so on.

2. Prepare a list of wines that are good matches, average matches and poor matches for each of the foods you have selected.

3. Have everybody attending the tasting bring a bottle of wine from the list.

4. Set up three glasses for each taster. Be sure to have good lighting and a white tablecloth.

5. Pour the good, average and poor matching wines that correspond to one of the food items.

6. Begin with a "starter taste" of wine individually, before tasting with the food. Encourage group discussions.

7. Serve the appropriate food item.

8. Now, taste the poorly matching wine.

9. Sample the food with the average-matching wine.

10. Finally, sample the food with the good-matching wine.

11. Discuss your opinions.

12. Rinse the glasses with water and move on to the next food item and matching wines. You might cleanse your palates with dry crackers in between.

Tips & Warnings

• If you plan to pour different types of wine, begin with light white wines and move toward the heartier ones in order to preserve your palate.

• If any guests have had too much to drink, arrange alternate rides home or invite them to stay over.