| |
| |
|
|
|
Hosting A Wine Tasting Party
As your love and knowledge of wine grows, it is inevitable that you will want to share your revelations with friends and family. Hosting a wine tasting party is a great way to do this. When planning a wine tasting party, some obvious questions about parameters arise. How many people should you invite? What types and how many wines should you pour? It is my opinion that an informal gathering should be kept to 12 people or less. This ensures that conversation and dialogue will be much more conducive than with a larger group. Blind tasting is the most fun and informative. Wrapping bottles in bags will negate past preferences and prejudices. You may be surprised what you "like" without access to the wine label. Focus on a relatively specific style of wine. Within this framework, some variations should be considered. I recently hosted a wine tasting party where we tasted Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons. To make it more interesting, we tasted two wines from Rutherford, (valley floor) two from Stags Leap, (east hills) and two from Mount Veeder (west hills). This was a pleasant and educational mix: a consistant varietal, but different styles from different regions. Another option is to taste the same varietal from the same region, but in different price ranges. For the initial tasting, pour a small amount in each guest's glass. Refrain from pouring full glasses until every wine has been tasted to avoid the cloud of inebriation on the senses. Provide some neutral flavored foods for your guests. Make sure this does not interfere or clash with the wine tasting. Don't serve blue cheese if you are tasting Pinot Blancs. Try bread or crackers and a mild, white cheddar or brie. Paper and pencils are necessary for your guests to write notes and preferences. If you regularly taste with the same group, you may want to use a designated notebook as well as articulate some additional guidelines and procedures for the tasting notes. This will create and ongoing reference point and perspective as your tastes develop. Benjamin Bicais lives in the Napa Valley and is the webmaster of http://www.california-wine-tours-and-accessories.com
MORE RESOURCES: Constellation Europe has announced senior management changes to its wine, spirits and cider divisions as part of a major restructuring plan. Its the first week of a New Year, time to transfer birth dates and anniversaries out of our old, well thumbed calendars and into shiny new ones. So why not scribble in a few save the dates while were at it Happening this week: an appearance by Mr. Mojito, also known as David Nepove, director of mixology for Southern Wine Spirits. The nations economy in 2008 apparently drove more Pennsylvanians to drink in the second half of the year. The University of Hawaii will host its seventh annual UH Baseball Grand Slam Celebration Jan. 19 at the Stan Sheriff Center. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. The Charmer Sunbelt Group , one of the countrys leading distributors of spirits and wine, and the Wine Spirit Wholesalers of America together with the Florida Department of Business Professional Regulation , The Brown Forman Company and TURF National Spokesman Joe Theismann today unveiled an integrated program designed to promote safe and responsible tailgating at both Access Beverage Inc. engages in the manufacture, marketing and sale of wine and spirit brands in the United States, with future brands planned for launch in China and Russia. Its brands include the wines Le Snoot, Mardi Gras, Bees Knees, and Lure , as well as Simply RAW Vodka. Mantra Restaurant Bar, in collaboration with Italthai Industrial Co., Ltd, recently held a fantastic Riedel Masterclass Wine Tasting Dinner. The evening began with a wine and glassware masterclass Annapolis Reiki will offer reiki sessions at 7 p.m. Jan. 5 at Unity by the Bay, 836 Ritchie Highway in Severna Park. These sessions are open to those interested in experiencing this relaxation method. For reservations and more information, call 410 268 2524 or contact patannapolisreiki.com. Six months after Sunday liquor sales became legal in Colorado, some liquor store owners find flattened Saturday and Monday sales and increased staffing costs for a net decline in revenue. The Eagle Valley Chamber of Commerce has sent a note of thanks to all those who helped make the the 2008 Extravaganza Citizen of the Year and Business of the Year celebration such a success. |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES Tasting Wine Wine Tasting Component I: LookThe first step you have to undertake in wine tasting is visual.1. Australia Is More Than Jacobs Creek The Jacobs Creek Brand of wines have taken the world by storm. And so they should. Barbera Wine Barbera is a wine grape variety from Monferrato in Piemonte, Italy. Babera produces an intense red wine with deep color, low tannins and high acid and is used in California to provide "backbone" for so-called "jug wines". Choosing a Wine Gift Basket During the holiday season, most of us are in a frantic search for presents for loved ones and friends. Next time, instead of the usual hassle of selecting a gift which will suit him or her, try sending a wine gift basket instead. Chablis Wine Chablis is thought to have originated in northern Spain and grows well in a 'Mediterranean' climate. As a result, it is widely grown in many of the countries that border the Mediterranean Sea including France, Italy, Spain, and Algeria. Using Cooking Wine Cooking wine is sort of a holdover from prohibition. People who grew up thinking Alcohol is Evil didn't want to have any in their homes. Riesling Wine The most famous cool climates for Riesling wine are in Germany, Austria, and the Alsace region of France. In these places, Riesling wine can be dazzling, with intense mineral and peach flavors and breathtaking clarity and transparency. What is Corked Wine? Keeping a wine bottle sealed is probably the most important factor when it comes to maintaining a good wine.A cork is essential, as it keeps oxygen out of the wine bottle. Burgundy Wine Burgundy red wines are produced in an area of France stretching from Dijon south to Beaujolais. The northern section of Burgundy is called the Cote d'Or (hills of gold) and generally, the farther north the Burgundy vineyard, the richer flavored the wine. Ideal Wine Temperature The ideal temperature to store wines is between 55ºF and 58ºF (13ºC-15ºC). However, any temperature between 40º-65ºF (5º-18ºC) will suffice as long as it remains constant. Wine Etiquette With Ease Correct wine etiquette makes the tasting experience much more enjoyable. Like most interests, there is a set of protocol that most wine lovers adhere to. Champagne Champagne is without question the finest sparkling wine made in the world. Champagne is the name of the wine region located about 90 miles northeast of Paris. Bordeaux Wine Bordeaux is a region in France that produces some of the world's finest and most famous red, white and dessert wines. The greatest red wines of Bordeaux come from the Medoc, Graves, Saint-Emilion and Pomerol; dry white wines mostly from Graves; and dessert wines from Sauternes, Barsac and Sainte-Croix-du- Mont. The Mystery of Decanting Decanting is a strange word to many people. Some do not even know what it means exactly. The Ten Most Important Wine Label Terms For the average wine consumer, there is a plethora of intimidation associated with wine buying. This is a feeling that is most often associated with not understanding wine labels. Tempranillo's Role As A New Varietal Wine In Australia Tempranillo is the premium red wine grape variety from the Rioja region in Spain. It is now challenging Sangiovese as the up and coming star of the red varietal wine scene in Australia. Wine Tasting -- The Traditional Way Wine tasting is properly known as 'Wine Degustation'. It is the art of being able to note the various differences between difference types of wine, and even the various differences between the vintages of the same type of wine. Wine Making and Home Brewing: Whats the Deal? When it comes to making alcoholic beverages at home, wine making and home brewing is considered sort of a 'niche' market. You either know how to do it or you don't! This is very hard to believe as wine making and home brewing has been going on for thousands of years. Carignane Wine The Carignane grape variety is one of the most widely planted grapes in the world. It's popularity stems from the high crop yeilds that it produces as well as the characteristics that it can bring to a wine. Buying Wine, How to Read a Wine Label and Select a Great Bottle of Wine I must admit, that for many of us, walking into a store to buy a bottle of wine can be a little like visiting a foreign country and not knowing the language. If you're buying wine for yourself that's probably not a big deal, although it might be nice to be somewhat knowledgeable so that you're more likely to buy something you will enjoy.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
