Wrapping the bottles - I t makes it more fun to wrap the bottles of wine so that no one is judging the wines based on what the bottles say. Sometimes wines that don’t sound appealing can be surprisingly pleasant.
Setting up the table - The ideal color of your table would be white, so you should get a white tablecloth to put over the table you are setting the wine glasses on. This will give your guests a clear view of the color of each wine you present during the wine tasting.
Scents in the room - It’s important to make sure the room you are using for your wine tasting has a neutral smell so that you and your guests can properly smell each wine.
The temperature of each wine - Red and white wines are supposed to be served at different temperatures. A red wine should be served at 60 to 65 degrees and a white wine should be served at 50 to 55 degrees. Before your wine tasting put your white wines in the fridge and the red wines in a semi-cool place like the basement.
Wine tasting is meant to be a fun experience that you can use to discover delicious new wines. Here are some tips to help you make the most of your wine tasting experience:
Swirl & sniff - Swirling and sniffing wine is something people do at wine tastings before tasting their wine. The swirling motion allows more oxygen to get into the wine, which makes the wine become more fragrant.
Swish & Spit or Swallow? - Not every person does this, but those who do wine tastings usually do. Wine tasters will swish the wine in their mouths, then decide whether they want to spit it out or swallow it based on how good it tastes. If the wine is less than desirable, they will spit it out because it’s not worth drinking.
Ask Questions - Winemakers usually encourage their guests to ask questions during wine tastings. They often get so excited about the wines they have and forget not everyone knows the “wine slang” often used at a tasting. Asking for clarification will just show how excited you are to learn about the wine the vineyard has to offer.
Build a Budget - One of the goals is to sell lots of wine when people come in for a wine tasting, so it’s important to have a budget and stick to it. Wine gets expensive fast and the last thing you want is to spend more money than you’d like on wine.
Take Notes - It can be hard to remember the wines that you liked at the beginning of a wine tasting once you get to the end and it’s time to decide which ones to buy.
Contact Preston Ridge Vineyard for more information about our wine tastings! We are located in Preston, CT and look forward to hearing from you soon!