So, you’re probably wondering how to pull off the perfect home wine tasting night. Well, worry not as our chief Sommelier Marco Castelanelli has put together a short guide to help you out. Ensuring you’ve all the necessary tools, ready for hosting a memorable evening.

Guests

What makes an event an event? Guests. Inviting guests is usually a pretty good place to start, get a date set and get the word out to your nearest and dearest. We recommend keeping your guest-list relatively small. If there are lots of you trying to input throughout the night, things can get a little hairy, with people talking over one-another (especially after a few glasses of wine!) For an ideal turn-out we’d recommend inviting anywhere between 4 and 8 guests to your Home Wine Tasting Night Event.

Do your Research

As with any event planning, preparation is key. Gathering relevant information for each bottle prior to tasting will help the night run smoothly and make you look like a professional. Thankfully though, Club Vino have you covered here. With each Home Wine Tasting selection, you’ll receive a booklet of tasting notes tailored to whichever package you have chosen. But, don’t forget to use your Club Vino glass markers so you know what’s in each glass! You also have the option to add another layer of interaction to your evening’s entertainments. Each order grants you access to a video of Marco, talking you through each bottle in the selection, during which you can pause and play as and when you’re ready to. Our head Sommelier doing the hard-work, so you don’t have to!

Consider your Home Wine Tasting Selection

When choosing your wine for the night, it helps to choose an intriguing selection. Don’t fear the unknown and explore different flavours and regions with an open mind. Marco has selected our Home Wine Tasting selections with this in mind, with packages hosting an eclectic mixture of different quality wines for you to choose from. For an optimal selection, we recommend a total of six bottles to try over the course of your evening.

Set up & Take it Steady

Have a few different glasses of wine lined up in front of each guest . This way you’re able to easily move between the different wines, comparing flavours accordingly. However, it’s important to remember, wine is alcoholic! Because of this, Marco recommends taking it steady throughout the night. Nobody wants to be the guest who peaked before the puddings! Pouring small glasses and taking your time is the way to go. After all, the experience will be both more enjoyable and memorable if you are relaxed and make a full evening out of it

Spark & Engage with Wine Related Conversation

It may seem obvious but, Marco says discussion is also integral when pulling off the perfect Home Wine Tasting Night for you and your guests. Whilst you might have much to catch up on with your friends and family, chatting to each other about the wines and sharing your thoughts and opinions with each other makes for an authentic experience says Marco. Ask questions, don’t be afraid to sound like a novice, immerse yourself in the world of wine – regardless of your expertise. Conversation is one of the best things about wine tastings and really helps when pulling the evening entertainments together.

Dress Code

Depending on the vibe you’re going for, a dress code can also help to add another layer of fun to the night. Many people love an excuse to get dressed up. When drinking quality wine, it’s good to look the part too. Remember to let your guests know if you’re thinking of dressing up in good time so they’ve plenty of time to plan their outfits!

Eating as well? Plan your Menu

What’s that – You’ve decided to go all out and are throwing a dinner party to accompany the Home Wine Tasting? Well then, we recommend doing your research on different pairings. This will help you get the most out of both every dish and every glass of vino. Ensuring both you and your guests are in for a special night to remember.

Enjoy!

Hosting an event of any kind can require some graft. It’s important to remember why you decided to invite your guests over in the first place. You’ve worked hard for this, raise a glass, rejoice and enjoy! Cheers.

We hope you’ve found this guide throwing your own Home Wine Tasting Night useful. Hopefully helping to provide some inspiration for your next night of fun! If you’d like to explore our home wine tasting bundles, then please check out our mixed home tasting package and other bundles. All our packages come with access to an online tasting video presented by Marco and printed tasting notes.