Wine Tasting Party

[DCJenn]

We're going to our neighbor's tomorrow night for their annual wine-tasting. They've invited 12 people (or sets of people) and each person/couple brings two bottles of wine. One gets the label covered and other is placed into a case. We then will taste each of the 12 bottles and everyone votes. Whoever brought the winning bottle wins the case.

I'll report back. It sounds fun.

Jenn

[scarlett09]

This sounds like an awesome party! Let us know how it goes and which varietal winds up being the winner.

[SuzySunshine]

That's fabulous!

[ladymoreta]

Sounds like fun!!! Good luck! What are you taking?

[L.Jane]

Such a fun idea! I can't wait to hear the results!

[medpedspouse]

That's a great idea! Let us know if you taste any great buys!

[peggyfromwastate]

Fun! What a great idea!

[bokelley]

Such a great idea!! I love it!

[Meenah]

I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DCJenn]

So Fun! There were 20 bottles ultimately. Most of us had tiny pours the first go- round and then went back for a second round of tasting the top picks. They had munchies and the little wine tasting crackers. We brought a cheapo red- the one we drink most of the time. They're going to send out the list of the top five, once I get it I'll post it.

J.

I know this is an older thread but I have to say that my family does this for every holiday and it is so much fun! It also proves that high cost doesn't always result in a drinkable wine, my Dad always busts out the big boys from his wine cellar but it's usually a $15 or under bottle that takes the cake. Who ever is hosting chooses a varietal, Cab, Chard, Rose' whatever and possibly a region (my brother-in-law picked Eastern European reds last year for Christmas, they were almost impossible to find!) and then everyone brings a bottle or 2. We decant them so you can't tell what they are by the bottle and then rank them. My sister has created some crazy rubric to determine the winner that she refuses to divulge to anyone but I think it is simply that Number 1 gets as many points as there are bottles of wine in the tasting and it decreases with each rank (5 bottles of wine to taste = 5 points for being ranked first 4 points for being ranked second, etc.) There's no actual prize (although I love the case idea) it's just bragging rights for the winner until the next holiday rolls around. Just remember to go with tiny tastes and not gulps, my husband found this out the hard way at his first Thanksgiving at my parent's house, it's probably one of the only times I have seen him tipsy!!! (I think this endeared him to my family!) Speaking of, I think I am going to throw a wine-tasting party for the few folks I have met out here in our new home, yeah

MBS: Do you have cheeses and fruits to go with your party? Is there dinner or just orderves? I think it's a great idea!

I am a big fan of the cheese platter at any event. We usually have fancy cheese (I personally like extra stinky double creme brie) fruit (grapes, figs, dried cranberries) and yummy artisan baguettes or crackers. I like to include some type of meat, salami, proscuitto, or even just sliced ham. But I am a grazer in general, I prefer to eat little bits all day long. And my family always has enough food to feed the Russian army, whether we have invited 4 people or 40, so this may be overkill if you are also serving dinner later! It is also a good idea to have some water and bland crackers to eat in between tastings. We don't get all fancy but it is nice to cleanse the palate a bit in between wines. This is less important if you have the same types of wine, if you have reds and whites, sweet and dry all mixed up together it's a really good idea. It's really just for fun though so whatever floats your boat will work!