Here’s what we think you’ll need to throw together a basic wine and cheese tasting party:
Five to Six wines (more overwhelms the palate)
Cheeses
Loaves of crusty bread or unsalted crackers
Wine glasses (at least two per guest: one for red wines, one for white wines)*
Wine opener
Small plates
Cheese knives
Pitchers/Bottles of water
Dump bucket (some guest prefer to discard wine prior to next tasting)
Printed List of Wines for Tasting Notes
Invitations (List of RSVPs; adjust wines accordingly) - send out in plenty of time
Name cards
Pens
Small bites (appetizers for after the tasting if desired)
Theme (you can pick a region - say Napa, your home region - We're in Washington State and in the Seattle & Puget Sound Wine Region - so those wines maybe central to our tasting theme one evening)
*Some guests will prefer to taste side by side so if possible have 2 red glasses and 2 white glasses per guest.
A few tips for a great party:
1. A few hours before the party (while you are preparing your decor maybe) remove the cheeses from the refrigerator and unwrap them to allow them to come to room temperature and fully develop their flavor. If at all possible present each of the cheeses on their own cheese board or plate with one cheese knife for each and a card displaying the name of the cheese. (You can use a glass dome to contain exceptionally fragrant, ripe cheeses so they don't overwhelm the others.
2. Set out a loaf of crusty French bread (or an assortment of unsalted crackers if you prefer), a pitcher of water, and a dump bucket for discarding wine between each pouring.
3. You should start with the mildest cheese and build up to the strongest tasting. A nice Redwood Hill Camellia goat cheese begins your tasting party nicely with either a sparkling wine, a Sauvignon Blanc, or a Pinot Grigio.
3. Thirty minutes before guests arrive, uncork your red wines to give them time to aerate and develop their flavors. Fill ice buckets to keep your uncorked white wines chilled (let's say your Sauvignon Blanc and your Chardonnay for example). Set out your wine glasses, ensuring that you have rinsed and dried them if you have had them stored.
4. We like to cover the labels so it is a blind tasting! One of the easiest ways to conceal the wine's identity to your guests prior to the tasting is to simply use the individual paper bag that each of the wines were wrapped in when you purchased them. Remove the foil capsules, pull the corks, and bag each wine. Secure the top of each bag with a rubber band, or simply twist the top of the bag around the neck of the bottle. Numbering or lettering the bags if doing a blind tasting.
5. As guests arrive, hand them wine glasses (or if you have a table or counter setting) simply hand them the tasting sheet you've prepared ahead based on the wines of the night. It should include the number or letter that corresponds to each wine; a space for comments; and a space for points to be awarded.
6. Prepare to taste. Announce what wine you're about to taste, for example "These are Chardonnays from the 2010 vintage; all are from the Russian River Valley in Sonoma County, prices range from $7.99-16.99."
7. Pour your guests two ounces of wine per glass, per wine for each tasting. Then introduce the appropriate cheese pairing and have them reassess the wine’s qualities of the subtle flavor changes.
8. Encourage your guests to snack on bread and water between wines to cleanse their palate and this also sets them up to fully experience the next wine.
9. Once everyone has tasted, discussed and scored all the wines; have all the scores tabulated and then do the big reveal! Remove all the wines from their bags that have been hiding their identities and enjoy the delight of everyone seeing which wine they chose as their favorite!
10. Enjoy appetizers after your tasting and discuss the fun evening and plan the next event!
A couple of great sites for wine and cheese pairing tips!
Sonoma Wine and Cheese Guide
P.S. It's perfectly fine to mix red and white wines! Just remember to serve them in order of lightest to darkest. As remember that darker wines tend to be heavier.
** How many bottles of wine do you need to accommodate your guests? On average: If a tasting sample is two ounces, one bottle can accommodate up to 12 people.
Happy Tasting!
