Wine Tasting Party Ideas Choose creative wine tasting party ideas that will add a fun twist to your next social gathering. Whether planning a formal, sophisticated evening or a casual, relaxed get-together, wine tastings have become one

of the most popular types of adult parties. Perfect for any

occasion from office events to neighborhood gatherings to a quiet night with friends, wine tasting parties can be fun, interesting, and even educational.

Guests have the opportunity to sample several different wines and experience exciting varietals, expanding their knowledge and possibly discovering a

new personal favorite. And since wine tasting parties require less work and preparation than traditional dinner parties, hosts will have plenty of time to socialize with guests.

Themes: Make your party more entertaining by choosing a fun theme.

· Select wines that come exclusively from a particular

country or area such as Italy, France, or California. You could even add to the authenticity by serving foods from your country of choice including baguettes, Italian bread sticks, Asiago cheese, or a French Brie.

· Or try a variation to this theme by hosting an “Around the World” wine tasting with stations featuring wines from various countries. · Add even more intrigue by asking guest to bring a bottle of wine that symbolizes their dream vacation destination then have fun discovering which countries are represented.

Plan a party focusing on only one type of wine such as cabernet or bordeaux, and serve foods that pair nicely with your choices including hors d'oeuvres, mild cheeses, crackers, and breads. If necessary, enlist the help of your local merchant to guide you in making theme appropriate selections.

Games: Add a little challenge and competition to your wine tasting

party by incorporating some fun games. · Blind tasting is a popular choice if your guest list includes wine experts or experienced wine tasters. Cover the labels so guests do not know what they are drinking and then see how many people can correctly identify the varietal, country, or even region of the wine's origin.

· Play a matching game by providing guests with a description of the various wines being served and then challenge them to match the correct name with each selection. For the very skilled, this can even be combined with a blind tasting. · Test your guests' knowledge with wine related questions covering everything including history, production, origin, quality, and varietals. Give all the questions at once, scatter them around the room, or have short quiz breaks throughout the evening. Of course, bottles of wine make great prizes for trivia champions.

Location: Host the wine tasting in your own home, organize a picnic in a local park, or plan a party at a vineyard where you and your guests can experience a winery tour and a VIP tasting. Move the party to your backyard, a nearby beach, or botanical gardens. Whether formal or casual, there are several inexpensive locations that will make your wine tasting party interesting and memorable