How to Host a WineTasting Party- Still Waters White Wine Edition

We are always looking for an excuse to get together with friends and (sometimes) drink wine. A little education is always beneficial as well, so we felt that a wine tasting party would be just the ticket to turn an otherwise ordinary night into something a little more exciting. You can host a wine tasting party with any wines of your choosing, based on criteria like style, region, and vintage. You could even try a blind tasting or just have your guests bring a bottle of wine of their choosing.

 For this party we are going to highlight to the five whites from Still Waters- Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Cuvee Blanc, Chardonnay, and Viognier. We chose the white flight because nothing tastes better in this hot weather than cold wine! Read through the steps to (easily) host your very own wine tasting party- Still Waters style.

Party Supplies 
You’ll need a few supplies to make this an official party. Keep your guest list small! You should realistically estimate about a bottle of wine per guest with pours of 2 oz for each tasting (and revisiting!).
One clear wine glass per person is fine but if you want to encourage the compare and contrast of the wines, we suggest providing two glasses per person.
You’ll want to provide dump buckets for your guests as well as palate cleansers such as water crackers or bread.
Provide pens and paper for your guests to write down their notes.
When comparing wines, you’ll want to be able to see the colors of your tasting as this speaks volumes about a wine.
Make sure your party area is well lit and a white back drop is provided. We like to roll out white craft paper for easy cleanup.

Food
Wine and food tasting is one of the great pleasures in life so be sure to provide tasty refreshments for your guests to graze on. Cheeses are always a great way to elevate your tasting so we recommend providing at least three different types. For your lighter, more acidic wines we love fresh mozzarella, burrata, or chevre. Brie and Camembert are wonderful compliments to bigger wines like chardonnay. We also love to compliment the fruit forwardness of the viognier with a light salty blue cheese or a manchego. Add in some fruit, nuts, and olives for a satisfying appetizer spread. A few other recipes to consider are baked ricotta with lemon and chives, grilled stuffed mushrooms, and puff pastry cheese straws.

Advise your guests to refrain from wearing heavily scented perfume and hold off from burning scented candles during the party. You don’t want other scents competing with the wines, it’ll skew your observations. If you’re feeling particularly committed, check out from the library The Wine Bible by Karen Macneil to help give you an idea what you’re looking for in tasting the varietals.

After that, have fun! Have the chilled wines (between 40-50 degrees Fahrenheit) in order from lighters to heaviest and let your guests start from the lightest and move their way down, taking notes and sampling snacks all along the way. At the end of the night, talk about what you thought of the varietals, what you liked, and maybe what you didn’t care for. You’ll come away with a bit of new found knowledge and of course have a lot of fun!