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Hosting a wine tasting at home can be fun and would allow you and your friends to have a wonderful and relaxed time. Moreover, you can discover the differences among several wines or grape varieties while sipping delicious wines.
Here it is a quick guide to organise and run your first wine tasting at home in only 5 steps:
1.Choosing the right wines – grape varieties
Let’s face it! There are so many wine choices that it is really difficult to pick just 4 or 6 wines to organise a tasting at home. Pick 2 white wines and 2 red wines made from a single varietal. This means that the wine is 100% made from a unique grape variety. You can go up to 6 (3 whites and 3 reds) if you prefer tasting more wines.
Examples of White wines:
Spanish White grape varieties
Albariño
Godello
Viura
International White grape varieties
Sauvignon Blanc
Chardonnay
Viognier
Riesling
Chenin Blanc
Pinot Gris / Pinot Grigio
Examples of Red wines:
Spanish Red grape varieties
Tempranillo
Garnacha
Monastrell
International Red grape varieties
Pinot Noir
Syrah / Shiraz
Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
Malbec
Carmenère
Choosing varietals will allow you to assess the differences between different grapes and to recognise the characteristics of each one after tasting them several times. But more importantly you will discover which wines – grape varieties you like and enjoy most.
It is also a great way of improving your wine knowledge while having fun and enjoying yourself!
If you would like to book an online experience with us, contact us!
PRIVATE ONLINE RIOJA WINE TASTING
2.Taste your white wines first!
Start by tasting the white wines and thereafter the red wines. Why? Because white wines have lighter taste and do not have tannins. When tasting red wine, you will discover different flavours associated to tannins which give the wine body and some more complexity. So it would be difficult to go back to whites after having tasted reds since your palate would have experienced stronger flavours; it would be like tasting some sea bass after a juicy piece of red meat.
3.Use your senses to assess the wine
Firstly, the colour: is it lemon or golden? Pale or intense?
Secondly, the aromas. What kind of smells can you recognise? Maybe some fruitiness or perhaps some floral hints? Are they citrusy or more tropical?
Thirdly, the taste. What flavours are displayed by the wine? Any specific fruity characteristics or herbaceous notes? And when it comes to reds, any oaky flavours related to ageing such as vanilla, leather or tobacco hints?
4.Don’t forget to write and share comments
Write down your impressions about each wine on a piece of paper so you can compare them at the end of the tasting. Share and exchange opinions with your friends so the experience will be more interesting and enriching.
5.Deciding on what you like and what you don’t
Finally, did you like each of the wines you tasted? Why? Why not? Do you prefer lighter or stronger flavours? Very dry or fruitier? And concerning reds, do you like tannic and full-bodied wines or less tannic and showing more fruitiness?
This experience would definitely give you the opportunity to discover your own preferences when it comes to wines so next time you will know which wine you should buy to satisfy your taste. Have fun!
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Amazing guide to Hosting a wine tasting at home. Thanks for sharing this information. I also have a blog on wines. You may be like. Thanks