Wine Tasting Tips for Spooky Season
Fall is right around the corner here in Asheville, NC, and the spooky season is upon us. If you are like us, the Halloween season is such a fun time for people to come together. Halloween parties, fall celebrations, pumpkin carving, and all of the other fall things that we incorporate into our busy schedule make fall a very special time of the year.
With all of the extra time spent together celebrating, one fun way to gather is to host a wine tasting. Planning a wine tasting can be a delightful experience. Whether you're organizing it for friends, family, or a special event, here's a step-by-step guide to help you plan a successful wine tasting.
How To Have a Halloween-Season Wine Tasting
1. Define a Theme
With fall coming up, there are no shortages of themes for wine tasting. These can include educational tastings, a fall celebration, or simply a gathering among friends. Choosing a theme makes it easy to build around a focused idea and grow from that.
Some themes that you can use this fall include:
- Fall Favorites: Pick a few rich, warm blends that make you think of autumn and share them with friends.
- Spooky Wines and Costumes: Host a costume party and pull out the stranger wines from the wine shop.
2. Logistics
Wine tastings bring people together on a particular evening, so it is important to have all the logistics together well ahead of time. Choose a time and date that works best for you and your guests. Consider weekends or evenings when people are more likely to be available.
Select a suitable location for your party. This can be your home, a rented venue, or a restaurant. Make sure that you have the proper glassware for your tasting.
And finally, determine the number of guests that you want to invite. Make sure that you do not overdo it as you will be purchasing the wine, and you want to be considerate of the space requirements.
3. Pick Wines
As time gets closer to your wine tasting, it is time to begin picking wines for your event. Take your theme, budget, and group into consideration. Include a mix of white, red, and perhaps rose wines. Additionally, it is important to provide different styles. The goal is to give your guests an experience that they will enjoy.
4. Create a Tasting Sheet
Put together a tasting sheet for each wine. Include details like the wine name, varietal, region, tasting notes, and any other relevant information. This adds an educational element to the event and encourages participants to engage with the wines more thoughtfully.
If you want, you can have fun with this and expand upon your theme. Design your tasting sheets with the Halloween season in mind by adding pops of orange or spooky clip art.
5. Help Your Guests Properly Taste Wine
Wine tastings do have some sense of proper protocol. Make sure your guests know the following:
- Adopt a systematic and concentrated approach—eliminate any distractions and devote your full attention to each facet of the process. Don't hesitate to jot down observations or seek clarifications.
- Swirl your wine—this action introduces oxygen, initiating the unfurling of its flavors into the atmosphere.
- Engage your sense of smell—aroma constitutes a substantial portion of the wine-tasting experience. Our olfactory system, intertwined with our sense of smell, lays the foundation for the wine journey.
- Don't feel pressured to rush—when you take that inaugural sip, make a concerted effort to embrace all the flavors, allowing the liquid to swish across your palate. Distinct regions of your tongue will detect varying flavor constituents.
- Immerse yourself in the experience—just because you aren't a seasoned sommelier doesn't preclude you from delving into the profundity and elegance of an intriguing bottle of wine.
Metro Wines - Your One Stop Shop for Wine in Asheville, NC
If you are looking to host a fall wine-tasting event, look no further than Metro Wines to help you curate your wine list for the evening. We are also home to the Asheville School of Wine, where you can learn everything you would ever want to know about the wonderful fermented beverage we all know and love.
Additional queries? We've got your back. With an emphasis on pairing the ideal wine with any food or occasion, Metro Wines offers a wide variety of wines. Our wine experts are always available to respond to your questions, offer pairing recommendations, and work with your caterer or event coordinator.
We also provide wine classes, regular tastings, and social events throughout the month. On our website, you can find information about our upcoming events, weekly tastings, and special occasions. Reach out to us to discuss any questions you may have!