Wine 101: How to host a wine tasting

Recently, I surveyed My Wine Tribe members in Seattle to get a better sense of what they want–and don’t want—from our monthly wine tastings. One result really surprised me: a desire for a little more structure.

In the past, we’ve done blind tastings. Everyone has a rating card and an aroma wheel to help them discern scents and tastes. (Because My Wine Tribe members are creative geniuses, this doesn’t always work. Occasionally they report that a wine tastes like tortillas or smells like old socks, which are not among the aroma wheel choices but who am I to question what they taste or smell?)  They are asked to write down their findings and then they get to rate the wines.

Other than the aroma wheel my tribe tasters are on their own in terms of guidance. Typically the tasters tend to like and dislike wines based on their tribe and it is always a grand time. But it can be a bit of a free for all, especially as we drink more. So if my tribe wants more structure, that’s what I am going to give them at our next tasting.

The Research Phase
I googled “how to host a wine tasting” and found a lot of advice. This article is handy, but I can’t get past the childish illustrations. It would be perfect if my 11-year-old step daughter was throwing a wine tasting party, but she is not.  And I can’t feel good about myself if I need a storybook to plan a tasting for my tribe of sophisticates.

My favorite is this article from Food and Wine. It gives a great overview of types of wine tastings (vertical vs. horizontal, and no, those terms don’t refer to the position of your body while drinking). It discusses setting the scene, how to taste (look, swirl, sip, savor), what to look for and the benefits of comparing notes. I also learned about the importance of using a white tablecloth so that people can truly see the wine. And, so that tasters can keep their wits about them, I am going to focus on tasting no more than four wines in one session and to providing ample buckets so tasters can spit out wine, which is always entertaining to watch anyway .

Sound Like a Sommelier
On a separate but related topic, those of you who are vaguely uncomfortable at wine tastings should take a note of this priceless morsel from Shayn Bjornholm, master sommelier, who told Food and Wine (March 2015 edition) how to sound like a wine expert, even if you aren’t.

“I always say, if you don’t know anything about wine, pick up a glass, swirl it, say “Yes,” sort of thoughtfully, swirl it again and say “Hmm-no”, then swirl it again and say “Well, maybe.” Then put the glass down and walk away.”

Cheers to that!