Whether you are planning a team-building event for your company, a pop-up wine bar, a fundraiser, or a culinary collaboration, these unique wine tasting ideas can help you create a memorable experience for your guests.
- Sherry Tasting: Sherry is a fortified wine from the city of Jerez, Spain and can range from dry to sweet. There are four distinctive categories: Fino, Amontillado, Oloroso, and Pedro Ximénez. Sherry is also versatile and can pair well with a variety of foods.
- Dessert Wine Tasting: Tokaji, ice wine, Sauternes, late harvest Riesling, and Recioto della Valpolicella are all great choices for a dessert wine tasting. As a food pairing suggestion, it is advisable to match the sweetness level of the wine to the sweetness level of the food. For example, Recioto della Valpolicella pairs well with chocolate.
- Fruit Wine Tasting: There are many types of fruit wines available, made from base ingredients like blueberries and apricots. Fruit wines are also produced in interesting regions, such as cherry wine from Denmark and plum wine from Japan.
- Sparkling Wine Tasting: “Champagne” is a regionally protected term that refers to sparkling wine from the Champagne region of France; however, there are fantastic sparklers from all around the world. Try adding some Lambrusco (Italy), cava (Spain), or Methode Cap Classique (South Africa) to your tasting list. Sparkling wine also pairs well with a wide range of food.
If you want to make things even more interesting, consider hosting a blind tasting. Simply place your selected wines in a brown paper bag to conceal its identity. This is a great way to get your guests talking as they sip and compare tasting notes. Additionally, you can even make a game out of it to see if anyone can correctly guess the wine. Plus, have a checklist of useful items available for your guests, like spit buckets, tasting sheets, and palate cleansers such as crackers and bread.
Here at The Cookline, we can accommodate seated events, as well as stationary tables that allow guests to walk around and mingle. We also have a full chef’s kitchen. Contact us today to book your event.