The Perfect Date: 6 Ways To Plan A Romantic Wine-Tasting Experience

By Katie Colon

If you and your partner love wine, then there’s no better date than a romantic wine-tasting experience. It’s intimate, lets you connect over a shared interest, and you can take your favorite blend home as a souvenir.

If you’re planning a wine-tasting experience for your partner, here are 6 ways that you can make it a memorable one.

Choose The Right Setting

Decide whether you would like to have the experience at home or a winery. Think of the personalities of you and your partner when deciding.

Hosting at home can be more intimate than at a winery. You can set a romantic scene with dim lighting, candles, soft music, and rose petals.

However, if you and your partner are lovers of everything wine-related, then a winery is for you. You’ll not only be able to soak in the scenery but also the knowledge of the winery and the production of the wine. You may also be privy to a large selection of wine. Make it romantic by booking an evening tasting so that you can sip while watching the sun set.

We have seven wineries and a cidery on our trail to choose from. Each offers its own unique approach to wine and boasts breathtaking scenery. We offer private and group tastings, perfect for either an intimate or double date.

Thoughtfully Select The Wines

Don’t go into a wine-tasting blindly. Every wine is different, and the kind that you select will set the tone of your date.

Choose wines that you know your partner enjoys as well as some that you may be eager to try for the first time. If there’s a wine that’s sentimental to you as a couple, then throw it into the tasting.

If you’re unsure where to start with selecting wines, then a good rule of thumb is to pick a variety of reds, whites, and roses for a well-rounded tasting.

Going to one of our wineries will take the hassle of curating a good tasting off your shoulders. Each winery has its own selection of wine with its own specialties. Research which ones suit your liking beforehand.

Pair The Wine With Food

Just like you and your partner, wine and food are the perfect match. You can choose food that complements the wine yourself, or you can ask one of the waitstaff to recommend a pairing.

Consider light appetizers and small plates that won’t overshadow the main attraction: the wine! Charcuterie boards, small pieces of chocolates, and cheese and crackers make good snacks.

Don’t consume cheese at the start of the tasting as it’s quite rich. Rather eat something plain like a cracker and baguette. Remember to have distilled water as a palate cleanser in between wines.

Know How To Taste

If your date is all about wine tasting, then you need to know how to properly taste each wine to make it perfect.

If you’re not an oenophile, here are some tasting tips:

• Pay attention to the color: Try to hold the glass up in front of a white background for a clear view. Take note of the clarity and intensity of the color as this can tell you whether the wine is unfiltered or faulty as well as indicate its age. Lighter wines are younger and darker wines are older.
• Swirl the wine: By swirling the wine you’ll create droplets on the inside of the glass. Thin droplets indicate a light body and thicker droplets indicate a fuller-bodied wine. Swirling also releases more fragrances to smell.
• Sip with air: Your first sip should involve an intake of air. This allows the wine to aerate, releasing more aromas and resulting in a finer tasting.

Try A Blind Tasting

Blind date or not, a blind wine-tasting can make the experience more exciting.

Cover the bottles during the tasting. After you have tried them all, uncover the bottles and guess which one belongs to which glass of wine. This is a fun way for wine lovers to test their knowledge and embrace some friendly competition.

Bottle Your Date

Commemorate the date with a bottle of your favorite blend from the tasting. You can keep the bottle for future dates or special occasions that you anticipate experiencing together—like Christmas or even an engagement.

You could even surprise your date by getting the bottle a custom label with their name or both of your names on it.

Make A Tasting Date

Delight your senses and deepen your connection by having a romantic wine-tasting experience. By putting in the effort to plan a date based on sipping the fruit of the vine you’ll create a lasting memory that your partner will love. Who knows? Trying out new wines together may even become a monthly date?