How to Host a Wine Tasting at Home

When it comes to hosting a wine night for friends, there is so much you can do to elevate the experience. From the wines you choose to the food pairings and activities, you will set yourself up for a great night if you plan ahead.

Below are five tips for how you can host the best wine tastings at home. Whether it’s a casual affair, or you are going all-out with a charcuterie board, playlist and a table set for each guest, these tips are full-proof ways to elevate the wine tasting experience for everyone.

And don’t worry about whether or not you’re a wine expert - these tips work for wine lovers of all knowledge levels. Can’t wait to see what you create! 😉

01 | Pick a theme for the wine tasting

This will make it easier to choose the wines and elevate your get-together from a normal hang, to a day that is exciting and out-of-the ordinary. Here are some theme ideas:

• A trip to [insert country] - pick a country, try its most prominent varietals
• Cabernet Cabaret - try cabs in different styles from around the world
• Shades of Rosé - pick a bunch of rosés in different shades of pink and compare
• Wines of College - my stomach got queasy writing this, but it will strike up funny conversations
• Brunch Booze - wines that go with brunch, think: sparkling shiraz, creamy chardonnay, tawny port
• White Wine Disco - compare different types of white wines to find your favorite
• Gimme All the Bubbly - great for a wedding shower, sparkling wines of all kinds

If you need wine recommendations, download the free “Luxe Wines for Less” shopping guide.

02 | Buy the right amount of wine for your gathering

There is such a thing as wine tasting fatigue to your palate, so don’t have too many wines at your tasting! Keep it simple, under 6 wines, so that your crew can fully enjoy each wine in the tasting.

On the other hand, have at least 2 wines at your tasting. I’ve found that you can learn more about wine and taste more of the flavors in each wine when you compare two wines side-by-side.

Note: 1 bottle of wine = 12 samples (2oz) pours of wine. If you’re relaxing at home you might want to pour a little more so if you are having 10 or more people, make sure to get two bottles of each wine! After you taste through all of the wines it’s nice to have wine left over so that everyone can have a glass of their favorite at the end.

03 | Have snacks at your wine tasting party

Food is an integral part of any get-together, and pairing food with wine is a no-brainer! Curate a select of your favorite snacks, or try some of these classic wine tasting pairings:

• Cheese: aged gouda, manchego, cheddar, etorki, harvarti, blue, goat cheese, langa la tur, brie
• Crunch: plain crackers, garden-herb crackers, Italian taralli crackers, nuts, pretzels, potato chips, cheeze-its
• Fruit: fresh berries, dried fruits, dates in sweet balsamic sauce, raisins, berries
• Veggie: snap peas, rainbow carrots, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes
• Meat: prosciutto, salami, chorizo, bacon, jerky
• Sweets: dark chocolate, cake poppers, sugar cookies

04 | Set the mood in your home for the wine tasting

If you’re planning a sit down-style wine tasting, set a table with two wine glasses, tasting note worksheets and wine aroma wheel or cheatsheet at each seat. You can download a set of these here!

If you’re planning a casual, standing around the table or sitting on the couch kind of wine tasting, print out information about each wine (the winemaking notes/tech sheets, tasting notes, etc.) and set them next to each bottles so that your guests can learn more about the wines as they casually sip.

Set some mood music! Background music will keep the vibes high, so play your favorite artist’s music or you can play my Wine Vibes playlist on Spotify!

05 | Read this to your guests at the tasting - seriously!

What if you don’t smell what everyone else smells? First, and most importantly, do not feel bad or think that your wine palate sucks! Based on where you grew up and what foods you’ve been exposed to, the aromas that you detect first in a wine will be different than what your neighbor smells. Be confident in what you smell and share it with the group because someone might not have the word to describe what they’re smelling and by hearing you say, for example, “honeysuckle” might be the ah-ha moment they needed to be able to identify the wine aroma. Sharing is caring and it helps us all learn.

If you want to make your at home wine nights even better, be sure to check out the DIY Wine Tasting Kit. This guide teaches you how to taste wine like a sommelier and provides more detailed instructions for how to host the best wine tastings at home.

If you host a wine tasting be sure to let me know and tag me on Instagram @togetherwithwine!

Cheers to many wine nights with friends!