Looking for sophisticated wine tasting party ideas for your next gathering? Wine tasting can be as casual as hitting up a local winery or even just purchasing a few wines to try with friends at home.
But if you want to take it up a notch and get fancy, consider hiring a sommelier (wine expert). Take your guests beyond a surface-level tasting, so they can walk away feeling confident in choosing wine for their next dinner party or gift purchase. Think outside of the box to wow your guests with your newfound wine knowledge and provide a high-end (and delicious) educational experience.
These wine tasting party ideas will delight your fellow wine-lovers and have them begging you to throw another.
1. Sip your samples in a sweet space with Peerspace
While a winery is an obvious choice for a wine tasting party venue, almost anywhere with seating and tables will work. When you have a resource like Peerspace, finding and booking any unique venue is just a few clicks away. As the largest online marketplace for hourly venue rentals, you can use our platform to book classic wineries and less expected spaces.
Here are a few examples:
- This vineyard event space in St. Helena, CA (pictured above) with a gorgeous stone cellar tasting space
- This modern industrial loft in Ballard, Seattle, with an open chef’s kitchen, oversized dining tables, and a comfy lounge
- This intimate dining room meeting space in NYC with a rustic ambiance, a kitchen, tables and chairs, and glassware
- This East Dallas wine cellar with chandeliers, tables and chairs, artwork, and wine casks
- This unique industrial loft in Minneapolis with beautiful architecture, lush greenery, and comfy seating
And this is only a small sample of the types of venues you can find for your wine tasting party! If none of these spaces are near you, browse Peerspace for similar venues in your area. You can even book lofts, mansions, jazz clubs, studios, cafes, and even outdoor spaces like gardens where you can host your tasting event.
2. Create the perfect pairings
Pairing wine with food is an art form in itself. So skip the usual cheese and crackers, and partner up with a local chocolate shop or ice cream parlor to design a wine and dessert pairing experience for your party guests. Select a handful of flavors to pair with each wine you taste.
For chocolate and wine pairing ideas, check out this Spruce Eats article. To match ice cream with the perfect wine, take a look at this Kitchn guide. Combine dessert and drinks all in one party so your guests won’t leave hungry.
3. Learn from the best
Wine tasting is serious business. Take your party to the next level and bring in a sommelier to give your guests the opportunity to learn the ABCs of wine. Plus, you get a crash course in wine history and culture. How often do you get to say you can drink for educational purposes? You’ll come out of the party identifying wine flavor notes like a pro.
Our guide to hosting a dinner party will also help you throw the perfect wine tasting party. Check it out!
4. Sample flavors from around the world
Expand your wine tasting horizons — go global and sample wines from around the world! Cost Plus World Market and Total Wine & More are excellent places to find a wide variety of foreign wines. To complete the party, serve your guests an array of culturally diverse appetizers to go along with the theme. You just might discover your new favorite wine or even a wine region you would love to visit!
5. Conduct a blind taste test
This is one of those fun wine tasting party ideas that will turn an ordinary tasting event into a game! To begin, pour wine into glasses and hide the bottles or cover the labels. Ask each guest to guess the wine prices and/or ratings (which you can find on the Vivino app).
Have them write their guesses on index cards and instruct them to keep their answers a secret. Then, offer a relevant prize, such as a wine glass and bottle stopper or a bottle of the top-rated wine, for the guest who guesses the most prices and ratings correctly.
6. Mix it up
Grapes aren’t the only wine base. Skip the status quo and try wines made from tart cherries, peaches, apples, or even pineapples! If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, sample some jalapeno or rhubarb wine. This wine tasting party idea will set your event apart and might even help your guests discover their new favorite drinks. It is a perfect option if you’ve got some folks in your crowd who have mixed feelings about traditional wine but still want to join in on the experience of a drink tasting party.
7. Tour a winery
Go beyond simply tasting the wine. Set up a tour at your local winery so your guests can learn all about the wine-making process, starting from the grape planting and harvesting, then ending with bottling and storage. Think it’s difficult to book a winery? Just checkout Peerspace to book a beautiful winery near you. Many offer tours, outdoor dining, delicious food, and so much more.
8. Add a little music
Wineries often host great live music events, but even if you’re having a wine tasting party in the comfort of your own home, you can book a band or musician to add a special touch to the event. Gigsalad and The Bash are excellent resources to find local talent that is within your budget range. Stumped on what music genre to seek out? Consider jazz or soft rock to match the elegance of the occasion.
9. Make it a watch party
Set up a TV or projector and play the 2012 wine documentary SOMM throughout the wine tasting party. This way, your guests can casually learn about what it takes to be a wine expert and experience a day in the life of a sommelier! It’s hard not to be drinking a glass while watching it anyway, so why not make it an event?
Hoping to switch up your choice of libation? Then check out our cocktail party ideas next!
10. Host a wine club trial party
Joining a monthly wine club is a big commitment. Gather friends to sample wines from a club you want to join so you can all make an informed purchase decision. Winc, VineBox, and Wine Awesomeness are all superb subscription-box options (VineBox even features mini samples!). You can also subscribe to clubs hosted by your favorite wineries. Consider splitting a subscription with a few friends for a cost-effective way to enjoy new wines on a regular basis.
11. Wine + games
For our final idea, why not play some games while you sip your wine? For example, you can play wine Bingo, plan an elaborate wine murder mystery game, challenge your guests to a wine-infused game of “Never Have I Ever,” or tell stories by a roaring fire. It’s wine tasting party ideas like this that not only set your tasting apart from the rest but that let you and your guests learn more about each other through your tipsy answers and storytelling skills!
Wine tasting party ideas: conclusion
Whether you and your friends consider yourselves to be casual connoisseurs or hardcore sommeliers-in-training, these wine tasting party ideas are sure to impress. No matter your budget, there’s an idea on this list for you. Even the simplest of touches, like a one-of-a-kind venue for you and your guests to gather in, can enhance your entire event.
Just don’t forget to serve snacks or appetizers! Assemble a charcuterie board or hit up the Trader Joe’s frozen section for some easy bite-sized snacks, and you’ll have everything you need for a chic wine tasting party.
