Simple Wine Tasting Party - Fun and Friends

A simple wine tasting party and fun evening with your friends does not have to be a budget breaker. Neither do you have to feel that it may intimidate you in front of your friends. Just relax while enjoying a casual evening as you sip and sample. Make everyone feel comfortable to admit they don't really care for certain types of wine. Wine is a personal taste and what pleases you may not please the person next to you.

Suggest that your friends to bring along a bottle or two of wine. It may be the wine they love or one they've never tasted. This is an excellent time to try that bottle of wine you've eyed but didn't buy it because you didn't want to waste your money.

Complement the wine with a great variety of cheeses, crackers, breads and nuts. Fresh fruits are also great with wine and bring out additional flavors.

Encourage everyone to try different wines with different flavors - cheeses and fruits. You and your guests will enjoy learning how different foods change the taste of wine. Probably everyone will disagree on some of the matches, while everyone will enjoy others.

Serve the red wines just under room temperature and chill the white wines. Get them out of the refrigerator a little ahead of time. Set cheese out ahead of time for a more full flavor.

A general rule is that lighter wines and more delicate cheeses go better together as do stronger cheeses and red wines. However, there are no set rules and be sure to taste your way from white to red, lingering as you go along.

There are three important elements to great tasting wine.

1. Aroma
Take time to learn about the wines and to find those you truly enjoy. Take short sniffs - how long does the wine remain in your nose.

2. Body
Think about how the wine feels on your tongue. Does it slide off like skim milk? This would be the feel of many white wines. Does it coat your tongue like heavy cream? Red wines mostly give you this feeling because they are more full-bodied.

3. Complexity
A simple wine is just that. You enjoy it but its taste is here and gone. With a complex wine such as a Pinot Noir, the flavor remains in your mouth. Every sip reveals different layers of flavors and feel.

As you think about the wines, try to place words and tastes with that wine. It will help you remember the taste and why you liked it.

Some words of association can include, citrus, spicy, toasty, creamy, smoky, fragrant, apple, berry, vanilla, and brown sugar. Of course there are many more and you will especially have a variety of fruit associations.

It's fun to host a themed party for your wine tasting gathering. It could be as simple as using a special color, or fruit/cheese/wine napkins. You could also use your best wine glasses, table cloth and floral centerpieces.

Be sure to enjoy your time, good friends, good wine and great conversation.