PLANNING A WINE TASTING?
I CAN HELPThough deceptively simple at first glance, putting together a wine tasting is by no means a straightforward task. It requires at least a familiar knowledge of wine, as well as a comfortable background in wine and food pairing(s).
CLICK BELOW FOR DIFFERENT SECTIONS:
-TYPES OF WINE TASTINGS
-TYPES (AND NUMBER) OF WINES PRESENTED
-HOW ARE THE WINES PRESENTED?
-HOW FAR IN ADVANCE TO PLAN A TASTING?
TYPES OF WINE TASTINGS
There are many different types of wine tastings a host can put together, such as for friends and family or (as is becoming increasingly more common in urban centres) as a medium for conducting business with clients and fellow professionals --- in other words, 'corporate wine tastings.'Here is what I offer:
- Formalized (or informal, if preferred) dining room settings, where wines can be presented to all participants at a comfortable, elegant pace and in a relaxing atmosphere.
- Background information on different wines presented, including place of origin, grape varietal selection, winegrowing technique(s), and price [written tasting notes to be tailored for participants and type(s) of wines presented].
- Interactive discussion on the style of the wines (i.e. appearance, aromas, sense in the mouth, and overall finish) --- this is most magnificent part of any tasting - that is, exploring the feel of the wines.
- Corporate wine tastings: For those who are planning a corporate wine tasting (one of my top specialties during the holiday season), in addition to what I offer in the above bullet points, I am also happy to supervise catering operations and procurement of any necessary large-scale rental supplies. With my connections, your corporate get-together will be the envy of all other offices!
TYPES (AND NUMBER) OF WINES PRESENTED
As
a matter of course, the types (and number) of wines featured at any
tasting will depend largely on the choice of the host and the persons
for whom they are organizing and presenting the tasting. From personal experience, I can honestly relate that the best tastings are those where a sort-of theme is undertaken – that is, where, for example, wines from a certain country or region are featured (such as France, for instance), or those where the same grape varietal (Cabernet Sauvignon, for example) are presented.
Here is what I offer:
- To take charge of procuring the desired wines (in proper amounts) within a reasonable time prior to the tasting.
- To establish (at the request of the host) a desired theme for the tasting (ex. Pinot Noir wines of the world) --- The best part about wine tastings is that there are, quite literally, hundreds of ways one can go about establishing some sort-of theme under which to present one's wines.
- To procure (or simply to suggest, if prefered) appropriate fine food items (in proper amounts) to accompany the wines.
- To
provide 'tasting sheets' (i.e. helpful information) to participants as
a way of enhancing their wine-tasting experience; all tasting sheets
are custom-written to the requested specifications of the client.
HOW ARE THE WINES PRESENTED?
For most tastings that I have conducted, I have often observed that guests simply adore the prospect of guessing which wines they are tasting – in other words, tasting wines blind,
not dissimilar to the way professional wine critics evaluate what they
taste in as impartial a manner as possible (many Toronto wine tastings
are conducted in such a fashion).It is near the end of the tasting, when guests have had an opportunity to venture a guess as to which wines they had been tasting, that I normally reveal the identities of the wines. By this time, everyone has usually had a terrific time testing their own knowledge of wine (however limited or advanced it might be, depending on the person), while enjoying the company of friends, family, and colleagues, as well as partaking in the enjoyment of fine food and, perhaps, lovely soft music.
Does this sound nice to you? For me, it doesn't get more fun than hosting a wine tasting!HOW FAR IN ADVANCE SHOULD ONE PLAN A WINE TASTING?
For
the most part, the amount of time a wine tasting ought to be planned
ahead depends on: (1) the type of wines (and food) to be presented ---
the rarer the wines, the longer it generally takes to obtain them; (2)
the number of people expected in attendance; and (3) the availability
of a wine consultant (if requested) for attendance.As a wine consultant, I normally like to have a week's notice in order to fully prepare for any tasting, as it allows me time to procure the wines (and the food, if desired), to establish some sort-of theme for the tasting, and to make tasting notes for the guests.
ANY QUESTIONS?
Email me at julianhitner@hitnerwine.com
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