Last week Gary Vaynerchuk was in San Francisco for Wine Library TV episode #500, which was recorded and streamed live by Revision3 from the wonderful Crushpad wine making facility. In the episode, which is now up on Rev3, Gary takes us on a tasting tour of the Rioja wines from Spain.
With the number of wine tastings in the area seemingly to drop through the summer months why not have one of your own. You can have an inexpensive home wine tasting party at your home that might even be more fun and productive then a public one. You pick the wines & you feel more open to share your thoughts on the wines around friends.
You may choose to do a traditional wine tasting party as we will explain below or have some fun and mix it up. You may even decide to make it a regular thing. Some people I know have for years had a bi-monthly meal/wine tasting with friends. They have a short wine tasting with apatizers followed by a meal in which they finish off the wine they tasted.
If you already have home tastings please let us know your methods and your successes.
Here is a wine tasting method by about.com:
A Wine Tasting party is an ideal way to get friends and family together to learn about wine and experiment with new or unusual varietals. Whether you are merely pairing wines with specific cheeses, or doing a vertical or horizontal tasting, you are sure to notice new nuances in both red wines and white wines as a result of the focused tasting. Read on for practical steps to help you host a tip top tasting experience.
Difficulty: Average
Time Required: 2-3 hours
Here’s How:
- To begin your wine tasting party planning, you will need to decide what type of tasting you would like to host. There are many versions of wine tastings, from wine and cheese pairings to vertical, horizontal, price point and beyond. Types of Tastings Recommended Include:
- Determine your guest list and send invites at least two weeks before your tasting (you may consider utilizing free online invites through: evite.com).
- Design a tasting card that specifies the type of wine, the producing vineyard, the year and a brief description of the wine (usually found on the wine’s label). Make sure that each guest has their own tasting card to record the wine’s distinct appearance, aroma, flavor, and cheese pairing nuances.If you want to keep the tasting a bit more casual, simply supply guests with a pen and paper for them to jot down their own notes. Have them rate the wines - which wine did they like the best, least, etc.
- To make your event a bit more challenging, offer a “blind tasting” experience. In this case, you still provide your guests with their individual tasting cards. However, you pour each wine without identifying the label (cover bottles with foil or a brown bag and mark with a number prior to serving), allowing them to incorporate all of their senses to identify the respective wines based on the labels’ descriptions. The guest that is able to identify the most wines correctly wins a prized bottle of wine or perhaps a book on the art of wine tasting.
- Decorations for a wine tasting party can range from a white table cloth and candles to Old World, Tuscan faux paintings and vintage bottles scattered throughout your “tasting room.” In either case, remember to keep the atmosphere light and engaging. You may consider starting the evening with a bit of wine trivia, just to get the conversation rolling.
- Still feel like you could use a bit more help in the planning and hosting of the Wine Tasting party? Then check out the SWILL® Wine Tasting Party Kit - includes tasting guidelines, fun invites, a step-by-step guide, wine bags, glass markers and of course, a corkscrew. [http://erclk.about.com/?zi=7/1j%5b8]Compare Prices of Tasting Party Kit[/link]
Tips:
- Typically, when tasting wines, you will want to work from dry to sweet with white wines and progress from light to full-bodied with red wines. Also, it is ideal to start with younger wines and move to the more mature wines at the end. Have your guests sample each wine by itself, assessing the wine’s unique color, aroma and flavors.
- The general rule of thumb for determining how much wine to pour per person is: 2 ounces of wine per glass, per wine for each tasting.
- Providing plain bread and water between wines, allows for guests to cleanse their palate and sets them up to fully experience the next wine.
What You Need:
- Four to Six Wines
- Appetizers - you might consider offering some light munchies before the tasting
- Loaf of bread – provide plain bread for guests to cleanse palate between wines
- Wine glasses – one per guest
- Pitcher of water – for rinsing glasses and palates between wines
- Dump bucket – for discarding wine before next pouring
- Tasting cards – for describing and recording each wine tasted
- Aluminum foil or brown bags to cover wine bottles if you opt for blind tasting
- Pens and Paper
- Humor – encourage your guests to share their thoughts and humor on each wine
Here are a few more links to some methods & tips:
Wine Tasting Party | Top Two Types of Wine Tasting | Wine Score Sheets
How to Host a Wine-Tasting Party: Tips for a Wine Tasting Party …
Hosting a Wine Tasting Party: How to throw your own Wine Tasting …
Just in case you haven’t heard of Gary Vaynerchuk he is a wine guy that has established himself through web video. He has been on several tv shows talking about wine and he has a video podcast wltv. But this post is really just about his new book. I ordered it from woot.com for a steal and it was a signed copy to boot. Well, I finished it yesterday and it was a joy to read. It was a bit awkward at times and it’s really more of a list then a commentary on wine but that worked for me. I can see thought that without any prior knowledge og Gary V you might miss some inside nuonces. His list of 101 wines is from what he see’s as exciting wines so it is definatly not a traditional wine list but in the back of the book he does a great job with tons of short “best with” list as well. The woot thing was a one day deal but in this book bio below there are links to where you can get it online. Grab it and enjoy!
Gary Vaynerchuk’s 101 Wines Guaranteed to Inspire, Delight, and Bring Thunder to Your World
At long last, Gary Vaynerchuk puts the energy and passion of Wine Library TV into print! In 101 Wines Gary V unveils his 1st list of favorites and recommendations. Gary’s wine picks for 2008 span many prices, regions, grapes, and styles, ensuring that wine novices and sophisticated oenophiles alike will expand their wine horizons while learning more about the drink they love.
To order your copy click the links below!
Every wine identified in the book represents a lesson in a glass, complete with the technical notes, availability, and the story behind the vintage and flavors… all brought to life as only Gary knows how!
We’ve added a new feature to our sidebar for our guest. It allows you to search for particular bottles of wine. It will give you current average prices and places you can find them. Be sure though to check locally before buying any wine online.
Here is the search box. It will always be available in the sidebar even if you cannot find this post in the future.
By: Gus the Wine Guy
Can you name the most famous romantic couples in history? How about Anthony and Cleopatra; Romeo and Juliet; and chocolate and wine? These pairs symbolize love! With Valentine’s Day and Spring wedding anniversaries right around the corner, many true romantics are inclined to give gifts of chocolate and sparkling wine. A bottle of bubbly and a box of chocolates will give you the hallmarks of a Valentine’s Day to remember.
So, you already thought about giving the gift of great chocolate and tasty bubbly, but were a little nervous … not sure where to begin? After all, you want your gift to be as special as the one to whom you are gifting. Sparkling wine makes a great gift. Memorable gifts are personal and thoughtful. A memorable gift often leads to a very memorable occasion. You get the idea.
Try an exciting bottle of sparkling Shiraz. It pairs nicely with cherries or plums. Sparkling Shiraz also goes with dark chocolate. The heady flavors in chocolate complement rich, bubbly reds. Serve red sparkling wine slightly chilled. You’ll find an excellent selection in our store.
Prosecco is an Italian white grape that is used for sparkling wine. It’s wonderful with chocolates. Prosecco can also be substituted for pricey champagne in mixed drink recipes, such as the Bellini.
Moscato is another Italian sparkling sure to please most any gift recipient. This particular grape has low alcohol content and is light, crisp and very drinkable. Gift this bottle with a tin of exquisite chocolate biscotti. Moscato is a great sparkling for someone just beginning to love wine.
These fabulous wines are not just for Valentine’s gifts. Surprise the host at brunch with a bottle of Prosecco and fresh orange juice. You have all the ingredients for a classic Mimosa. You don’t need a holiday to share! The next time the mood for pizza strikes, grab a pie and a bottle of sparkling red. The two flavors go amazingly well together.
Most importantly, have fun enjoying the gifts. A special bottle of wine is to be shared. Those of you getting the bubbly: don’t save it to gather dust in a rack. Don’t let it linger into obscurity in the fridge. Enjoy the gift of each other’s company and open that present right away!
Credit: Kroger.com
No man also having drunk old wine straight away desireth new: for he saith, The old is better. Luke 5:39
Even in ancient times, apparently, folks knew really good wine from the less desirable stuff. In today’s world, most people think cellaring wine is beyond their reach. I have to admit, the prospect of building a wine cellar does seem daunting. Luckily, there are experts right here in Lee County to take some of the guesswork out of it.
Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, is a terrific opportunity for chefs to showcase the best of Cajun Cuisine, it is also an excuse for wine lovers to mix and match favorite wines with the hot and spicy flavors of the beloved Bayou region.
General Rules of Thumb
Cajun Cuisine is known for being rich, buttery, spicy and full of flavor. So when you are searching for wines to step up to the pairing challenge, you will want to bypass heavy duty reds that are high in tannins like a Cabernet Sauvignon, as they will taste more metallic and destroy the flavors of the dish. Instead, opt for wines that will be crisp, cool and will not compete with the intensity of the dish’s flavors.
Going for Gumbo?
1. Most Expensive Regular Sized Bottle
Chateau Lafite 1787
- sold at Christie’s London in 1985 for $160,000. This wine bottle was purchased for a private collection and prominently features the initials of Thomas Jefferson etched into the glass. This practice was not unusual in the 18th century when large purchases were made directly from the Chateau.
2. Most Expensive Fortified Wine
A Jeroboam (5 liters) Chateau Mouton-Rothschild 1945
- Wine enthusiasts consider this selection to be one of the finest of the great vintages of the 20th century. It sold at Christie’s London for $114,614.00 in 1997. Of the 20th century, 1945 is considered to be one of the exceptional vintage years. The buyer of this wine remains anonymous.
3. Most Expensive Lot of Wine Sold At Auction
1775 Sherry from Massandra Collection
- This classic wine sold at Sotheby’s London for $43,500 in 2002. The Massandra winery is located 4 kilometers from Yalta and it is frequently honored as the finest in Russia. The winery’s cellar contains well over a million bottles of both Russian (with the Imperial seal), and Western European wines. The oldest in their collection was the Sherry. Read More »
Changing the wine world.
Changing the wine world.
