Wine Tasting Party – Hosting The Perfect Extravaganza (with Lanzerac)

We know that playing host to a wine tasting party can be intimidating if you’re used to enjoying your tried and tested favourites in the comfort of your own home, and that’s why we’ve put together this ultimate guide to hosting the perfect wine sipping soiree!

From venues to themes, to practical tips and tricks, we’ve got you covered from A to Zinfandel!

There’s no right or wrong way to enjoy one of Lanzerac’s many fine wines – whether alone or in company, there’s a bottle for every occasion!

There’s even a single occasion that calls for every bottle – that’s right, it’s a wine tasting party!

First things first, you’ve got to know where you’ll be hosting your guests. And, the good news is, there’s no wrong answer.

Whether you’re planning to host the wine tasting at home or in a restaurant, at a wine farm, or in another public or private venue; the basic rules of engagement remain the same.

However, special considerations may include:

The size of your guest list

If your guest list is small and your aim is to keep things intimate, hosting your wine tasting party at home may be the perfect solution for you.

In contrast, a restaurant or wine farm might be better suited to accommodate larger guest lists, or to cater to occasions or events which only include a wine tasting element.

Hosting your wine tasting in a public venue (on a wine farm, for example) may, however, mean sharing the venue and its facilities with other members of the public.

If privacy is important to you, and space in your home is at a premium, you may consider booking out an entire venue, to ensure your exclusive use of its facilities for the duration of your tasting experience.

The theme of your wine tasting

If your intention is to taste a variety of wines by a particular winemaker or from a particular estate, hosting your tasting on the estate in question makes sense.

After all, most (if not all) wine farms and estates offer set tasting menus for you to enjoy.

If, however, your aim is to get a little more experimental with your tasting experience and menu, you may have to host your wine tasting party privately, whether in your own home, or in another private venue.

Certain wine farms and estates may be willing to customise the tasting menu or experience for you, but may require you to book out the entire venue in order to do so.

The distractions

Just like certain foods, aromas and flavours can complement one another, like pairing red meat with a red wine, for example, certain flavours and especially aromas can put a damper on your wine tasting experience.

For this reason, olfactory distractions should be avoided at all costs – whether this means forgoing an in-home wine tasting party due to the lingering smell of a recent paint-job, or opting not to host your party in a restaurant when you do not have exclusive use of the space and executive control over the menu, your palate (and guests) will thank you for it.

The professionals

Leaving things to the professionals can either make or break the wine tasting experience for you and your guests, and only you will be able to make the call on which is the most likely outcome.

Hosting a wine tasting at home, in a relaxed and, perhaps, less intimidating environment may mean consulting an inferior internet source for tasting notes, in lieu of drawing on the expertise of a qualified sommelier; whereas hosting a wine tasting on a wine farm may mean access to professional insights into the wines on offer.

It also may mean sharing the venue, and even the table and sommelier with strangers.

Only you will be able to gauge which experience would be most enjoyable for your party.

The budget

Your tasting party budget will no doubt impact your choice of venue.

Hiring of private venues can be expensive, and you may prefer to use the bulk of your budget procuring more expensive wines.

The ventilation & lighting

A fine wine needs to breathe, just like you do, so it goes without saying that your wine tasting venue should be open, airy, and (as aforementioned) without offensive olfactory factors if you and your guests want to get the most out of your tasting experience.

That is not to say that wine tastings need to take place outdoors, however, good ventilation and some natural light, are key to a comprehensive wine tasting experience, as you need the natural light, clear glasses, and an olfactorily neutral environment to truly appreciate the finer nuances a wine has to offer.

Compiling your guest list raises several questions, including:

How many guests to invite?

The size of your guest list will largely be determined by factors listed above, such as your budget and your chosen venue.

At-home wine tasting parties tend to be more intimate affairs that call for smaller guest lists, whereas a wine tasting on a wine farm lends itself to larger guest lists.

Guests can then be split into smaller subgroups as needed and each smaller group can be catered to by its own sommelier.

Who to invite?

When compiling your guest list (and/or your subgroups) you’ll want to ensure the natural flow of conversation throughout the wine tasting, and you’ll want to invite (or group) a group you know will get along and have enough to talk about amongst themselves for the duration of the wine tasting.

Thankfully, a wine tasting party lends itself well to conversation pertaining to the activity itself, so there is unlikely to be too many uncomfortable lulls in conversation, even among relative strangers.

How much wine will you need?

How many bottles of wine you will need will be determined by the size of your guest list?

For guest lists of 10 or more, a single bottle of wine per varietal/vintage/etc. may no longer be sufficient to provide each guest with an adequate amount of said wine to taste.

For this reason, keeping guest lists for private wine tasting parties smaller and inviting fewer than 10 guests may prove more economical and manageable.

If you’ll be purchasing the wine for your tasting party yourself, or in the event of your hosting a potluck-style wine tasting event, it is best to err on the side of caution and ensure that there is approximately one bottle of wine per head, total.

For example, you’d need 10 bottles of wine total, to cater to a tasting party of 10.

Whether this means two bottles of wine per varietal for a total of 5 varietals to taste, or whether you want to sample smaller amounts of 10 different wines will depend on your theme and guests’ preferences.

Throwing a wine tasting party at home, or in private means you have carte blanche when it comes to compiling your tasting menu, and this means familiarising yourself with the different tasting types or themes.

Vertical Wine Tasting

A vertical wine tasting focusses on tasting a single varietal (read: type, for example Merlot), from a single winemaker/estate/label (for example, Lanzerac) and many vintages (read: year).

For example, you could host a vertical wine tasting party to sample Lanzerac Merlots, 2015 – 2019.

They are, perhaps, better suited to a more knowledgeable guest list, as amateur or novice wine tasters may not yet be able to best appreciate the subtle nuances of the different vintages.

Vertical tastings are all about attention to detail, and copious wine tasting notes are generally kept by participants.

This type of wine tasting can spark great conversation between guests as they begin to speculate what may be responsible for the differences detected between vintages.

Established wine estates may offer vertical tastings of the estate wines.

Horizontal Wine Tasting

A horizontal wine tasting sees guests sampling a single varietal (e.g. Pinotage), and vintage (e.g. 2019), but from various estates/winemakers/labels.

This kind of wine tasting allows for comparisons between estate/winemaker/label of origin.

You are unlikely to find a wine farm offering horizontal tastings, but may well find a restaurant offering horizontal tastings of area wines.

Old World vs New World Wine

If you’ve got access to imported wines, doing an “old world” versus “new world” wine tasting is a fun way to try something new!

In this type of tasting, you would compare the same varietal (and, if possible, vintage) with one wine being from the “old world” wine countries (think France, Italy, etc.) and another being from the “new world” wine countries (like South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, or the Americas).

Wine From The Same Region (Geographic)

In a regional wine tasting you sample your chosen varietal sourced from different wineries (and with different vintages, if need be), that are all from the same geographical region.

Your chosen region can be as broad or as narrow as you like – think “South Africa” versus “Paarl” or “Stellenbosch”.

Blind Tasting

Blind tastings are all about the drama, and can be so much fun!

Sometimes, you’ll discover a new favourite, and you’ll almost always be surprised at your findings!

In a blind wine tasting, the host or sommelier is the only one who knows which wine is which, and opinions of the wine therefore remain untainted by prejudices toward producer/region/varietal/price etc.

For a fun twist, taste wines across budget points – from R30 supermarket bottles, to premium estate wines that cost several hundred rands per bottle, and ask guests to rank the wines from what they believe to be cheapest to most expensive based on their tasting experience!

Random/Potluck Tasting

A potluck wine tasting requires guests to each bring a bottle of their favourite wine, regardless of varietal, vintage, region, producer etc.

This random approach to tasting perhaps allows guests to learn more about each other, than it allows them to learn about wine, but it makes for an enjoyable experience nonetheless.

When tasting several types of wine in one tasting, it is recommended that you start from light white and make your way through to dark and heavy reds, followed by dessert wines.

MCCs or bubbles of any kind (Champagne, Prosecco etc.) can be enjoyed either first, or to cap off the tasting event.

A corkscrew

While even some quality wines feature screw tops these days, true premium wines remain corked, and you’ll need a corkscrew (and someone who knows how to wield one!) to get to the good stuff.

Bottles of water

It is not only considerate to offer guests bottles or glasses of water to cleanse the palate between wines, but it is important to ensure your guests have access to a nonalcoholic beverage option so that they can keep themselves well hydrated.

Decanter

To allow wines to breathe (oxygenate) prior to tasting.

A funnel

If necessary, to ensure spill-free decanting.

Wine pourers

To avoid unnecessary spillage if/when not using a decanter.

Glass charms or a wine glass marker

To help guests keep track of their glassware for the duration of the wine tasting.

Quality glassware

Glassware should be clear, so that your guests can best assess the wines’ colour & viscosity. Provide at least two glasses per guest so that guests can make direct comparisons between wines.

Dumping bucket

Providing a dumping bucket for guests who prefer not to drink large volumes of the wine is just common courtesy. Dumping buckets should never be transparent, and should be as unobtrusive as possible.

Tasting sheets

Whether you’re providing some sort of tasting rubric or guideline, or simply providing your guests with blank sheets of paper will depend on their relative experience. Amateur and novice wine drinkers may benefit from the guidance a rubric or table provides, whereas wine aficionados may prefer not to be unduly influenced by any type of guideline.

Pencils or pens

For guests to use to complete their tasting notes.

Chiller bags/ice buckets

White wines and bubbles are best served chilled.

What separates a wine tasting party from any other get-together featuring wine?

Structure.

Set yourself up for success by planning and organizing your space, presentation and event timeline ahead of time!

Space & Presentation

Bearing in mind the elements we previously listed as influencing your choice of venue for your party, setting up your event space could be as simple as setting out your glassware, or it could involve a little more effort and preparation on your part.

For example, when setting up your venue, remember that access to a clear glassware, natural light, and a white background against which to assess the colour of your wine are key, and while candlelight is sure to lend your event a cozy atmosphere, remember to steer clear of anything scented!

This also means it’s best to steer clear of heavily aromatic flowers and/or centerpieces.

You may also choose to set your places with your wine tasting guides/notes and pens/pencils already available at each place setting.

Wine Preparation

Ensure that all wines are being presented at the optimum temperature, and that they have been aerated/allowed to breathe (as needed) prior to serving.

If you’re interested in going the extra mile, and/or you and your guests are wine tasting newbies, you can even print out additional information on each wine and create a display of the wines on offer, along with these notes, in order of their presentation during the tasting.

Leading the Tasting

If you are hosting your wine tasting party in your own home, or you are otherwise playing host in a private venue, the task will usually fall to you to lead the tasting and to kick off the party with some words of welcome.

Should you have enlisted the services of a professional sommelier, or if you are hosting your wine tasting party on a wine farm, you will likely be able to get away with just a few words of welcome, if that much is even required.

In the event that you are leading the tasting yourself, you can just give your guests the cliff notes version of each wine’s pedigree, and then encourage guests to take their own tasting notes, and to discuss the wine at length among themselves.

Avoid making your presentation lengthy or too academic.

Keep it fun and casual and remember that a good presentation should leave room for and encourage conversation, discussion and debate!

Serving Order

Nothing can kill the quality of your wine tasting experience quite as quickly as an ill-timed or poorly placed, subpar charcuterie board.

You want to afford your wines pride of place on your palate, and the intense flavours and aromas of your go-to cheeses and cured meats can really interfere with the bouquet and flavour profile of your chosen wines.

Save the platters for after the tasting, or do more research on pairing options that enhance the tasting experience instead of detracting from it.

You can serve a selection of plain breads and crackers, along with bottled water to cleanse the palate between wines.

Food and wine pairings are, perhaps, best left to the professionals – and this is why you will find ample food and wine pairing experiences on offer at wine farms, wine estates and up-market restaurants near you.

Here, at Lanzerac Wine Estate, for example, we offer a wine and chocolate pairing experience, during which our award-winning wines are paired with artisan chocolates that have been custom crafted to bring out the best in our wines, and vice versa.

If you’re planning to offer guests food at your wine tasting party, we recommend you taste the wines prior to attempting pairing them with any foods.

Exploring how the different foods and flavours impact your experience and perception of the wines is an enjoyable secondary experience, but an untrained eye (or tongue) may choose ill-advised combinations that detract from the overall experience of a particular wine; so, best enjoy the wines first before getting too adventurous!

Unless, of course, you are under the guidance of a trained sommelier or experienced wine aficionado!

While basic guidelines, like “white wine with white meat” can help steer you in the right direction, there’s a lot more that goes into expert pairings of wines with appropriate foods, so, if you are going to offer a sit-down meal, or passed apps during the tasting experience, do your research, and don’t be afraid to ask for a professional recommendation from your favourite cellar!

Pro Tip: Check out our blog for expert pairing suggestions and recipes, like this one, for a griddled rib-eye steak with gorgonzola sauce, expertly paired with a glass of delicious Lanzerac Merlot.

The format of your wine tasting notes or guidelines will depend not only on your guests and their relative level of wine knowledge and tasting experience, but also on the degree of formality of your wine tasting party.

Wine tasting notes in the form of info cards accompanying each wine and providing info on the maker, vintage, flavour profile etc. can be incredibly helpful to novice tasters, while experienced tasters may prefer to draw their own conclusions without that sort of influence.

Whether handing out tasting rubrics, guiding guests on how to document their tasting experiences, and which elements to pay attention to, or whether handing out blank paper and pencils, remember to encourage your guests to discuss their notes, and to select their favourites at the end of the tasting to encourage healthy debate and banter between guests!

Tasting Notes: “How To” For Beginners

If you and your guests are new to wine tasting, we encourage you to engage these three basic senses first when taking notes:

See (Appearance)

They say you eat with your eyes first, and why shouldn’t it be the same when wine tasting?

Before you do anything else, look closely at your glass – look at the relative viscosity of the wine, as this will tell you something about its sugar content.

Look at the colour of the wine, and its opacity, and make notes first and foremost about what you see.

Smell (Aroma)

Before you take a sip of the wine, give it a sniff.

What is it that you smell?

Does the wine smell sour?

Sweet?

Do you smell any specific spices, or fruits?

Does it smell woody, or like straw?

Pro tip: Swirling your wine in your glass is not just for show – it actually increases the surface area of the wine and helps aerate it. By increasing the surface area, you’re increasing the available aroma.

Taste (Flavour)

Finally, tasting the wine may be done in two parts or two distinctly different ways – first sip, then savour.

The first sip may be small, and isn’t held in the mouth.

What is it that you taste?

What does the wine feel like in your mouth?

How about going down your throat?

Now, savour the wine.

Hold it in your mouth and allow the flavours time to develop on the tongue – what do you taste?

Now write it down, pick your favourites and discuss!

Also read our Wine Tasting Guide article.

They say people won’t remember anything about your wedding except the food and the music.

So, it follows that, even if your wine tasting party doesn’t have food, you’ve got to have music!

Music sets the whole mood of your wine tasting, and you can select music to complement the theme of your wine tasting, or opt to play something neutral and relaxing, like smooth jazz, or you could even ask each guest to contribute to a playlist of everyone’s favourite songs!

Your options are endless, and your selection will ultimately depend on your location (and whether you even have control over the music), your tasting theme, and your guests.

Ready to host a sipping soiree but don’t know where to start when it comes to buying your wines?

Overwhelmed at the thought of researching wine and food pairings, or at the thought of having to run the show?

Well, with Lanzerac, you don’t have to!

We know there’s nothing better than enjoying a glass of wine among friends and family, and you know there’s no better wine to enjoy than Lanzerac’s.

Did you know that, in addition to running both private and public wine tasting experiences in our gorgeous tasting room, we offer private wine tastings in the comfort of your own home?!

Striking the perfect balance between professional party and intimate gathering, an in-home Lanzerac wine tasting event is a once in a lifetime experience!

For more information, or to book a tasting at Lanzerac or at home, visit us for more wine tasting ideas!