Beginning in the summer of 2009, I started hosting my own wine tasting parties. At first, they were BYOB affairs where everyone brought the same $12 Malbec to someone's house. Then, I tried going to events at retail shops, but often felt pressured to buy the wines at the close of the tasting. There were also the massive consumer functions where I'd roam from table to table for tiny pours. But none of these tastings were very inspiring, or much fun.
So, I started an invitation-only wine club called The Noble Rot and set about twisting arms and convincing friends to let me host themed wine get-togethers on their Manhattan rooftops and Brooklyn lofts. After several years, I had enough experience to put together a rule book for throwing a successful wine party.
This article is my attempt to share what I learned so that you too can host the best wine tasting party ever. Here come the secrets.
Getting started: What you’ll need
Good wine glasses are a must. Wines are designed to impress with inviting aromas, textures, and flavors. Good wine glasses are designed to enhance those elements. You'll need a healthy stash of glasses from either Riedel, Zalto, or Schott Zwiesel. Or check out Master of Wine Jancis Robinson's all-purpose glass, and Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson's The One — both are intended for red, white, rosé, and bubbly — and both are dishwasher safe!
Next, you'll also need a few very good corkscrews.
Choosing and buying wine
This is the fun part, and choosing a theme is your best bet for making the evening feel cohesive. Perhaps you'll feature a lineup of global Chardonnays with producers from California, Oregon, Australia, and France's Burgundy region. Or maybe you'll serve only red wines from the Rhône Valley. Alternatively, you might go all sparkling all night — from California bubbly to Italian Franciacorta and French Champagne. Just be warned: this could end in a rather wild and untamed real bubble bath bash.
I strongly recommend being the sole buyer of wine for your party, rather than leaving it up to your guests. If you go this route, you should make it clear in your invitation that you will be selecting the wines, and that there will be plenty to go around. You can always ask your guests for contributions (in lieu of bottles) to help cover costs. Or, bite the bullet and be the outstanding host who pays for it all.
How much wine to buy depends on how many guests you're entertaining. I've found that featuring five to seven wines per party is just the right amount for small groups. Figure that one bottle of wine comfortably serves five or six people with nice-sized pours.
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