By Lucy Hodge
Wine tastings do not have to be super solemn occasions frequented by sommeliers only. They could be fun events to attend and learn more about wines, or even a gorgeous old-school date. Irrespective of how much you or your guests know about wine, a wine tasting can be a fun occasion where you could maybe learn something new. With something as personal as one’s taste, there can be no right or wrong answer. Hence, it is always encouraged to make wine tastings happy occasions where everyone can have fun no matter how much they know about wine.
The Bucks County Wine Trail is home to seven wineries and a cidery where wines and hard ciders for every palate can be tasted onsite or purchased for your at-home wine tasting party.
If you are thinking of hosting a wine tasting but worried about it being too serious an occasion, here are some ways you can turn it into a fun evening to remember for your guests.
Guess The Price
We know that some kinds of wine can be heavy on our pockets. However, price does not necessarily determine the quality or taste of the wine, since individual tastes can differ by a significant margin. One of the most fun things to do at a wine tasting is to guess the price of the glass you are drinking. A lot of people find that something which tastes divine can go for as low as 20 dollars a bottle! The reverse is also true- you may not resonate with the flavor profile of a certain wine and feel like it has to be cheap. Lo and behold, it turns out to be one of the most expensive of the entire batch!
This is something that can be done with all kinds of guests. Wannabe sommeliers will certainly have a much better idea of how flavor profiles translate price-wise, and it will also be fun to watch the novices gape at some of the high prices of the wines! Either way, your guests will learn something new and have fun in the process, so this is a total hit to turn your wine tasting into a fun party!
Blind Tasting
Another fun activity to do at wine tastings is conducting a blind tasting. The labels are removed from the bottles in this case, and guests have to correctly guess the specifics of the wine with a blind tasting. For example, they could try to guess the country the wine comes from, or the ingredients in it, or even try to guess the price as we have mentioned already.
Once again, experienced people and sommeliers are far more likely to get the details correct, but this is fun for everyone. Your guests will get to know about the different variations of making wine, and how the taste and color differs based on the place of origin. It will certainly be a fun evening because after all, who can say no to free alcohol with a party twist?
Online Games
What could possibly be better than sipping on some wine, munching on some bitter chocolate and playing a good old game of hearts, but online? I mean, no one brings a deck of cards to a wine tasting, but why should that have to limit you? With this free hearts online game, you can play a few rounds at a wine tasting in case you feel like the event is getting too subdued for you.
This is particularly handy when you are attending a wine tasting filled with professional sommeliers and feel a little left out. We get it, you went there for the wine!
Wine Trivia
While this is certainly more tailored to experienced individuals and would-be sommeliers, certain facts about wine will simply blow your mind. For example, did you know that over 24.7 billion litres of wine are consumed by people around the world every year? Or that the oldest winery existed around 4000 BCE in Armenia? Or that it takes around 2.5 pounds of grapes to make a standard bottle of wine?
Just in this way, the questions do not necessarily have to be about specific details regarding the taste and complexity of the wine. It could be regular questions that people sometimes wonder about but do not ask. Of course, the one who gets the most correct answers gets to go home with a complimentary bottle of wine!
Local Foods Party
Who says that wine tasting has to be exclusively about wine? Some of the best wines out there pair elegantly with certain locally sourced foods, to create a flavor explosion in your mouth. Of course, it is also important to take a few bites here and there to cleanse your palate before you continue tasting the different wines.
We believe that wine and seafood constitute one of the best pairings out there. Scallops, lobster, oysters and numerous kinds of fish can go very well with wine and certainly make your wine-tasting experience a heavenly one. What’s more, cooking lobster and other kinds of seafood is pretty easy and can be done even on a time crunch.
Hosting a wine party is a great way to invite your friends to one place and have the time of your lives. Attending a wine tasting can also be a very memorable experience, because how can you say no to wine and some oh-so-delightful food combinations? With these ideas, a wine tasting can be turned into a celebration of sorts, which is bound to leave everyone happy and hearty for the entire evening.