• mail
  • facebook
  • instagram
  • pinterest
  • wikipedia
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Weekend Meanderings
  • Home & Decor
  • Recipes & Cocktails
  • My Style
  • About
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure
  • Shop
    • Shop My Home
    • Shop My Style
    • Shop My Beauty Favorites

Make Mine a Spritzer

  • Home
  • WeekendMeanderings
  • Home &Decor
  • Recipes& Cocktails
  • MyStyle
  • About
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure
  • Shop
    • Shop My Home
    • Shop My Style
    • Shop My Beauty Favorites

How to host an at-home wine tasting … it’s Easy!

November 14, 2021 By Juliet 12 Comments

Home is where the wine is …

Wine tasting mat with glasses around fire-it

Have you ever wanted to host a wine tasting at home?

A few weeks ago we did just that at Snowberry.

Last week I shared the engagement dinner we hosted for Jim’s son, his fiancé and her family.

We turned Snowberry’s library into a dining room.

This post includes affiliate links for your convenience at no additional cost to you. You can read my full disclosure policy here.

Dinner party in library

Before dinner we gathered around the back patio firepit for a wine tasting.

A wedding wine tasting.

To select wines to be poured at Kyle and Melody’s wedding next year.

We tasted 10 wines and and narrowed it down to six to be served at the wedding.

Here’s how I set set up our at-home wine tasting.

Charcuterie board on outdoor table

First things first.

Food.

Tasting 10 wines on an empty stomach … it’s just not done.

Well, it’s not done more than once anyway.

And there were no rookies in our group.

I ordered a charcuterie board from The Board Room in Pleasanton.

A local favorite for creative charcuterie boards and grazing stations.

All I had to do was assemble a basket of crackers and sliced baguette.

Charcuterie board and flowers

The gorgeous autumnal florals were created by Sheela of Sarah’s Garden Design.

She also created the beautiful florals in the library dining room.

You can read – and see – all about it here.

I love how Sheela uses fresh herbs in her floral arrangements.

Not only is it pretty, but it smells divine.

She even tucked a few mint sprigs into the charcuterie.

Charcuterie board in basket tray

If you read my engagement dinner post, you know I enlisted the help of Lindsay Lauren Events.

She arranged the necessary rentals to turn our library into a dining room.

From Pleasanton Rentals.

And this included 80 wine glasses for the wine tasting.

Renting glasses is a great option and makes life a lot easier when it comes to clean up.

Instead of hand washing 80 glasses, I simply put them back in the glass racks they arrived in.

You can rent glass for around $.75 to $1.75 per glass.

But renting them isn’t necessary and I explain more a little later.

Wine tasting around firepit and water feature

All set up and ready to taste wine!

Each place setting includes wine glasses and a water glass.

And we set out two ‘dump buckets.’

An inelegant term for a vessel used to ‘dump’ excess wine.

Also included, a pen for tasting notes.

Wine tasting around firepit and water feature

Jim created placemats for each flight of wine … whites first and reds second.

Wine Tasting Mat

Jim’s the king of powerpoint and he copied the graphic from the wedding  save-the-date cards.

Wine Tasting Mat Reds

Lindsay arranged for engraved pens, by Blushtype, for note taking … and keepsakes.

Place card and engraved pen

Blushtype also created the scrolled place cards.

Aren’t they pretty?!

Wine Tasting Mat
Wine Tasting Mat

Jim put together a booklet of tasting notes on each wine.

Wine tasting note and engraved pen

It was a cool afternoon with rain in the forecast.

I placed my favorite ‘house’ throws around just in case it got too cold.

Fingers and toes crossed it would not rain until we went inside for dinner.

Wine tasting set up around patio firepit

 

Wine tasting set up from overhead

 

Outdoor wine tasting set up

Before everyone arrived Jim opened all the wine bottles.

Man opening wine bottle
Man opening wine

I was concerned it would take a long time to open the wines and encouraged (ahem … nagged) Jim to get started earlier.

He scoffed.

‘I’m a trained professional’ he said.

And sure enough … pop, pop, pop … he had them opened in less than five minutes.

Why do I ever doubt?

Man opening bottle of wine
Man holding wine bottle on patio

With the wines opened, fire lit and snacks set out … we were ready for our guests.

Wine tasting around firepit
Wine tasting around firepit

Photo credit: All photos to this point by Monica Vargas Photography

And, we’re off …

People enjoying outdoor patio
People enjoying patio

Everyone took the tasting and selection of the wedding wines very seriously.

Jim did a great job presenting each of the wines.

There were lots of questions, discussions and opinions.

At the end of the tasting we reached unanimous agreement on wines for the wedding.

Drum roll, please  …

  • Sofia Blanc de Blancs 2018 Sparkling, Monterey
  • Stoneleigh 2020 Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand
  • Diora 2019 Chardonnay, San Bernabe Vineyard, Monterey
  • Diora 2020 Rose, San Bernabe Vineyard, Monterey
  • Black Stallion Pinot Noir 2018 Pinot Noir, Los Carneros, Napa Valley
  • Francis Coppola 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, Directors Cut, Alexander Valley

As we moved inside for dinner it started to rain.

Jim and Kyle sprang into action to clear everything away

and cover the patio furniture before it got soaked.

Jim and the happy couple with their birth year wines

to be served at dinner.

Chateau Mouton Rothschild Bordeaux from 1990 and 1992.

People with French Wine Bottles

Want to host a wine tasting in your home … here a few simple tips:

  • Use clear wine glasses. We rented glasses, but you don’t have to. One wine glass per person is just fine. They can be rinsed between pours.
  • Provide some type of vessel to use as a dump bucket. Not everyone will drink all their wine.
  • Provide water glasses and pitcher of water for drinking and rinsing glasses between tastes.
  • Allow for 2 oz of wine per person, per pour. A standard wine bottle contains about 24 oz.
  • Provide food. A charcuterie board is a great option. But, if you’re taking things more seriously consider a food and wine pairing.
  • Avoid scented candles and aromatic flowers.
  • Provide note pads (or tasting notes printed from the brand’s website) and pens or pencils for making notes.
  • Choosing what wines to taste can be as simple as what you have on hand or what interests you at the store. Or more organized, like a specific varietal or wine region. If tasting different varietals, order them from light to heavy. For example
    1. Bubbles
    2. Whites
    3. Roses
    4. Reds
    5. Dessert wines

This would be a fun activity over the holidays with family and friends!

For more tips on at-homes tastings, this is a good article.

So there you have it … our at-home wine tasting.

So much fun!

A huge thank you to ~

  • Photography: Monica Vargas Photography ; Monica’s Instagram
  • Planning & Design: Lindsay Lauren Events ; Lindsay’s Instagram
  • Florals: Sarah’s Garden Design 
  • Rentals: Pleasanton Rentals ; Pleasanton Rentals Instagram
  • Calligraphy: Blushtype ; Blushtype Instagram
Two women at wine tasting

Lindsay of Lindsay Lauren Events & me!

PIN THIS POST TO SAVE FOR LATER ~

Wine Tasting Pin Collage

As always, I appreciate your visit and welcome your thoughts in the comments below.

Cheers from Snowberry!

 



You Might Also Enjoy

  • An Engagement Dinner in the LibraryAn Engagement Dinner in the Library
  • An Update and a Few Things I’m Doing to Prep for the Holidays!An Update and a Few Things I’m Doing to Prep for the Holidays!
  • Perfect Holiday Cocktail – Cranberry Tequila Punch RecipePerfect Holiday Cocktail – Cranberry Tequila Punch Recipe
  • Another Perfect Holiday Cocktail … Raspberry Kir Royale RecipeAnother Perfect Holiday Cocktail … Raspberry Kir Royale Recipe

Filed Under: Home & Decor, Recipes & Cocktails, Uncategorized Tagged With: at home wine tasting, entertaining, wine tasting

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Libbie Burling says

    November 14, 2021 at 7:10 pm

    Juliet,

    This is a lovely idea! Pinned for a smaller celebration (we are wine lovers) but loved it for a wedding!

    Reply
  2. Paula@SweetPea says

    November 15, 2021 at 5:11 am

    I love this idea so much! What a great way to start the engagement dinner!

    Reply
  3. Karen meyer says

    November 15, 2021 at 7:48 am

    I don’t want to host a tasting SO much as i want An invite to The one you are hosting! Perfection!

    Reply
  4. Stacey says

    November 15, 2021 at 8:02 am

    This is such a fun idea, Juliet! Every detail is perfect. I love the printables and that charcuterie board and florals are stunning. It looks like you all had a lovely time. xoxo

    Reply
  5. LA CONTESSA says

    November 15, 2021 at 8:59 am

    EVERYTHING WAS PERFECT!
    I LOVED LOVED LOVED EVERY DETAIL………………..birthdates on the WINE!
    I KNOW YOU ENJOYED THIS VERY MUCH AS I WOULD HAVE TOO…………NOW YOU CAN RE-LIVE IT WITH YOUR BEAUTIFUL PHOTOS!
    UP NEXT YOUR BIRTHDAY!!
    WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR YOUR BIG DAY!!
    XOXO

    Reply
  6. Mary Ann Pickett says

    November 15, 2021 at 9:52 am

    This looks amazing…not a detail left untouched. I love it!!!

    Reply
  7. Suz says

    November 16, 2021 at 12:06 pm

    What a lovely post, Juliet – you thought of everything! And, it warmed the cockles of my heart to see a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc was one of the chosen wines. Wishing you all the happiest of times from New Zealand.

    Reply
  8. Heidi says

    November 16, 2021 at 4:05 pm

    Hi Juliet,
    Everything looked so nice. Just perfect as always.
    Hope you all had a wonderful time.
    XO Heidi

    Reply
  9. Marie says

    November 17, 2021 at 9:26 pm

    What a fun idea for an engagement party. Just lovely.
    Off topic, but your landscaping is growing in so nicely and framing your stone wall beautifully. Oh and yor dress- Love! May I ask where it is from?

    Reply
  10. Carol Karl says

    November 18, 2021 at 4:40 pm

    What a great idea! Your garden is so beautiful.

    Reply
  11. Cindy says

    November 18, 2021 at 6:06 pm

    This sure looks fun and great way to pick wonderful wines.

    Everything looks beautiful

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. An Engagement Dinner in the Library - Make Mine a Spritzer says:
    November 14, 2021 at 5:19 pm

    […] and next week I’ll have a post about our at-home wine tasting that happened before […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Hi, I’m Juliet … welcome to Make Mine a Spritzer where we talk about all things home décor, classic style more! I’m so happy you’re here!
  • mail
  • facebook
  • instagram
  • pinterest
  • wikipedia
Some posts contain affiliate links at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure here. Thank you for supporting the blog!

Archives

Categories

Currently Pinning

Footer

From store openings to what I wear under billowy s From store openings to what I wear under billowy summer dresses (calm down, it's G rated), getting ready for summer and much more ... all on today's Weekend Meanderings. 

Come join me, @pineconesandacorns and @northerncalstyle as we share the fun things that grabbed our attention this week … and we think you'll love too. Hop over to our blogs from the link in our profiles. See you there!

@makemineaspritzer 
@pineconesandacorns 
@northerncalstyle 

*
*
*
*
*
#weekendmeanderings #summerpatioideas #signaturecocktails #outdoorpillows #makemineaspritzer
Cocktails anyone?! It’s Friday ... traditionally Cocktails anyone?! It’s Friday ... traditionally cocktail night at Snowberry. Not tonight. But not to worry, I have cocktail recipes. You know I'm all about weddings (did you read my all-secrets-revealed blog post about @zzzissou and @melodymakhfi wedding? Linked in profile. 😉.) ... so today I'm sharing recipes for Kyle and Melody's signature cocktails.

Hers - Jalapeno Margarita with a Tajin rim (a must, says the bride)

1.5 oz Blanco tequila
Juice of two limes
1 tsp Agave nectar
1 Jalapeno (seeds & ribs removed)
Tajin rimming salt
Lime wedge rim glasses
Jalapeno & lime slice for garnish

Rub lime wedge around rim of glass. Dip rim into Tajin rimming salt. And fill with ice. Muddle jalapeno in cocktail shaker. Add ice, tequila, lime juice and agave. Shake vigorously. Strain into prepared glass. Garnish with jalapeño and lime slices.

His - Old Fashioned (Jim loves an Old Fashioned too, like father like son)

1.5 oz Bourbon
1 sugar cube
A few dashes Angostura bitters
A few dashes of water
Orange slice & cocktail cherry for garnish

Place sugar cube in old fashioned glass, add bitters & water. Muddle until dissolved. Fill glass with ice. Add bourbon. Gently stir. Garnish with orange slice (or zest) and cocktail cherry.

Cheers to you, the happy couple and the weekend! 🥃 

*
*
*
*
*
📷: @mayaloraphoto 
___________________
#weddingdetails #signaturecocktails #jalapenomargarita #oldfashioned #makemineaspritzer
It's not too late to check out Weekend Meanderings It's not too late to check out Weekend Meanderings ... on the blog. 

This week I'm extolling the virtues of cinnamon raisin toast. But not just cinnamon raisin toast. A favorite blogger’s new book. You won't believe this but she recently bought a house in our old @myfidalgoislandhome neighborhood? A new-to-me interior design podcast. And inexpensive but well made serving platters ... essential for summer entertaining. Last but not least what my dermatologist recommended for my dry skin. 

You can follow the link in my profile over to the blog, and leave a comment to let me know you stopped by!

*
*
*
*
*
📷: @bymonicavargas 
____________________
#dutchdoor #wildflowerwreath #weekendmeaderings #makemineaspritzer
Good morning and happy Saturday! Yesterday was #n Good morning and happy Saturday!  Yesterday was #nationalcocktailday and I missed it. Sheesh. What I didn't miss is Weekly Meanderings, my Saturday morning roundup post with @pineconesandacorns and @northerncalstyle. The dogs are walked and its time to sit down with a glass of ice tea (@tejava is back on grocery  shelves!!!) and catch up with Elizabeth and Kim and respond to your kind comments. To read the posts, just click the link in our bios. We have so much fun with this and love and appreciate your support. 

When Jim gets back from the gym 😆 we're going on a little field trip. If you read Weekend Meanderings you can probably figure out where. 😉

Happy weekend, friends!

@pineconesandacorns 
@northerncalstyle 
@makemineaspritzer 

*
*
*
*
*
📷: @bymonicavargas 
___________________
#weekendmeanderings #springporchdecor #saturdayroundup #bloggerfriends #makemineaspritzer
Holy moly … it’s 43 degrees this morning. Temp Holy moly … it’s 43 degrees this morning. Temps plummeted last night. I guess it’s a typical spring swing. I’m going to take advantage and have my  cocoa in the library. We rarely use this room which is a real shame. Our sweet pups are no longer allowed inside. Dark velvet sofas and white dogs don’t mix. Not true, they do mix … a little too well. 😒 Anyway, they whine outside the door if I go in there. Jim will distract them with toast in his office and I should be good for a short time.

Yesterday I put two open house tours on Reels. I’m still learning and forgot there’s a 60 second limit. The outdoor spaces of the cute 1929 cottage got cut off. 🤦🏼‍♀️ I used a heavier hand editing the second house so it fits … mostly. Anyway, I’m sure you appreciate a more edited version. 😆 I tend to talk, write and record more than is necessary. As Jim says, when you’ve made the sale stop talking. 🤷‍♀️ I visited a 3rd house as well and need to work on it. New open house rule … one per week! 😉

Good morning and Happy Monday! 💙

*
*
*
*
*
📸: @bymonicavargas 
_____________________
#libraryroom #velvetsofa #mondaymorning #mondayblues #makemineaspritzer
Today on the blog it's Weekend Meanderings with El Today on the blog it's Weekend Meanderings with Elizabeth and Kim ... every Saturday we post about our favorite things of the week. This week I'm sharing my current reading and viewing lists. And a pair of summer sandals ... that are not for everyone apparently. 😆 That said, they're comfortable, sustainably made and I love them. That's what matters, right?!

Kim and Elizabeth are bringing it with some really cool stuff. I learn so much from them on Saturday mornings and it's really a joy to be part our weekend trio. 

What you up to this Mother's Day weekend? I'm making a mad dash to the craft store to put the finishing touches on a gift for Jim's mom.  And I think I'll snip a few roses from Rosella to take to the cemetery when I visit my mom. It's really hard for me to clip flowers ... I don't know why. But I'm determined to do more and enjoy them in vases throughout Snowberry.

Happy weekend, friends! You can hop over to our blogs through the link in our profiles.

@makemineaspritzer 
@pineconesandacorns 
@northerncalstyle 

*
*
*
*
*
#climbingrose #weekendmeanderingns #saturdaywithfriends #mothersdayweekend
Happy weekend, friends! I'm planning our main bath Happy weekend, friends! I'm planning our main bathroom reveal soon. But today it's Weekend Meanderings with Kim and Elizabeth. I just finished reading their posts ... as usual it's all great stuff. Kim's finds this week include a must-have little black dress, unique vases, healthy recipe ideas and more. Elizabeth has a floral theme going on, with Mother's Day in mind. In fact all our posts are packed with Mother's Day gift ideas. The links in our profiles will take you straight to the blogs. 

It's a beautiful weekend here in Northern California. After walking the dogs we're headed out on a lifestyle tour ... five amazing homes opening their garden gates to share their outdoor entertaining style. I can't wait. I've got a couple of open houses on the agenda too.

Wishing you a fabulous week and see you over on the blog!

@makemineaspritzer 
@northerncalstyle 
@pineconesandacorns 

*
*
*
*
*
📸: @bymonicavargas 
___________________
#bathroomreno #soakingtub #floralfabric #weekendmeanderings #makemineaspritzer

Copyright © 2022 · Make Mine A Spritzer· Blog Design by Little Blue Deer
Privacy Policy · Disclosure